Media Portrayal of Interior Design/HGTV

Due to the way our media portrays interior design, viewers generally get the wrong idea about it. A lot of times the shows on HGTV will label an interior decorator as an interior designer which are obviously to separate and very different professions. Because of this, people commonly believe that interior designers simply add color to walls and place furniture in a room. On top of that, the media wants the general public to believe what they put out. Some subject matter can be twisted or exaggerated simply to pull the viewer into their story so that they gain from it. Often times because of this, TV programs do not show what an actual interior designer does behind the scenes when approaching a project. We only see a projects' beginning and completion within a 30 minute segment.

Because of the the media's negative take on interior design, it is important as students and professional's to educate those who believe that we simply add splashes of color to a room, and adorn a space with decorations and beautiful furniture. We do much more, and it is only fair that the general public know this. So if the television programs are not going to change how they portray our profession, then we need to change how we display our profession to the public.

The Future of Interior Design

Interior design, although it is commonly confused with the interior decoration profession, has a bright future ahead. I think that interior design programs will grow larger in schools that feature them, and will be introduced to schools that do not offer such a program. This could also mean interior design being introduced to high school level education. I believe that innovation and different technologies will only further enhance the unique qualities of interior design.
I see the expansion of "green" technologies and products within the profession, which will only be more attractive to prospective clients. Also with a lot of our technology switching to digital touchscreen interface, I believe that design professionals will have their hands on new design technologies that will be easier to use. With touchscreen technologies, it may be possible for a professional to design a space with their fingertips, literally.
I believe it is in the hands of educators and design professionals to further the success and knowledge of the profession. With the proper education and promotion of interior design, it is possible that those who are made aware of the profession may be inspired by it and may pursue. Of course this is only speculation, but it is not exactly an unrealistic theory.  Current design professionals, educators, and students have the power to change the general public's perception of interior design, and can also inform them of how to attain a license in interior design.

Moral Issues within design

As an interior design student, I have learned a lot about the profession and have found it to challenge me in different ways. For the past few years that I have been studying interior design, I have never thought of some of the moral issues that come into play when approaching/or approached with a project. What if I am offered "X" amount of dollars to design a space that I do not feel comfortable designing? What if I am asked to step out of my box and do something entirely different than what I am known for or used to doing? I realize that I might be faced with these type of issues and more. I believe it is my responsibility as a professional to maybe overlook some of my personal beliefs so I can carry on professionally with a project, within reason. I also think that it is a good idea to have a grasp on universal design qualities so that I can perform to the best of my ability in situations where I may have to think creatively outside of the box. I think this subject has challenged me the most thus far and once I experience it in the real world, I will have to face my greatest challenge within the interior design profession. I believe that those of us who have been made aware of the moral challenges we may face, will in result be more prepared to deal with them. I do not know if I will accept every morally challenging issue, but I at least know that I will be ready to face those decisions when they are presented to me. What would you do if you were asked to design a space in a place that you do not want to be in? What would you do if you were asked to design differently than you ever have?

The Interior Design Profession

    Education is required if one is interested in pursuing an interior design career. To often do people assume that interior design is simply the decoration of an interior. It is much more than just decorating, interior designers create safe, functional, and visually appealing spaces. To create a safe space interior designers must go through years of schooling to learn how to design spaces that are safe for the public. During the education process, students also learn about the steps they must take during the design process in order to create an efficient and functioning space. During this process students will learn how to conduct research, think critically, analyze spaces, propose new ideas; and at the end of this process they will learn how to present their creation. This design process that students learn during their four years of education is the key element that decorators lack.
   
    Different from interior designers, decorators do not need an education to pursue their profession. Decorators generally are not concerned with the functionality or environmental impact a space has on their clients day to day life, for they are literally only decorating a space which is something that everyone could do. The TV networks tend to call decorators interior designers but they do not have the education nor the licensing or skill set that is required of a true interior designer. Interior designers must have a minimum of four years of college education, two years of experience under a licensed interior designer, and must pass the NCIDQ exam in order to become a licensed interior designer.

    In order for the interior design profession to be recognized as is its own separate profession and not grouped with decorating, I believe it is important that design professionals reach out to the general public and educate them about the differences of the two professions. I think this can be done by using social media outlets such as Facebook, blogs, Twitter, forums, etc. I think one of the most important changes that need to be made is to stop decorators from using the interior design title. I believe that if decorators continue to claim to be designers this confusion between the two professions will continue and the general public will keep associating interior design with decorating.

What Interior Design Means to Me...

     Before starting school I was just like the average person, not fully understanding the difference between designers and decorators. I thought that interior designers had basically the same job as decorators, only picking out things like paint colors, pillows, or window treatments in an attempt to make a space look nice; I never realized all that the job of an interior designer entails. After starting school and studying more about interior design I now realize how wrong my assumptions were. Although interior designers are involved with the work mentioned above, there is much more time, thinking, and planning that needs to happen before a designer goes to a store and picks out all of the final finishes-and this is the part that most people do not realize.

      Interior designers must know how to plan and layout a space that will work best for the client’s wants and needs. Interior designers must also know about the materials and products that will be used to create and furnish the space, and how texture, color, lighting and other factors interact within a space. Although designers have freedom to design almost anything they want, they also have to keep in mind the structural requirements of their plans, the health and safety issues, building codes, and many other technical aspects. Even though this part of a designer’s job is a lot of work, most people would rather just have the responsibility of picking out the final finishes and going to the store to spend their client’s money, rather than being a part of the actual design process; this is the part I enjoy the most-the part where design is created.

     To me, one of the most exciting parts in the design process is the very end of the project. When you get to see the final product, all of your hard work has paid off and you finally are able to have the satisfaction from transforming a space that has come from nothing into something that has style but is still functional, is remarkable. Whether you are designing someone’s home or office, you are a part of that person’s everyday life through the design decisions you had made, and that is exciting. I thrive on this excitement and use it to motivate my creativity.