The UK’s first degrees in Retail, Outdoor and Heritage Design start on Monday!

As August is literally on our doorstep and the British summer practically slipping through our mitts, it can all get a bit doom and gloom. But for us design enthusiasts, there’s something great to look forward to! Look over the hill and into next Monday you’ll find three new interior design courses, Retail, Heritage and Outdoor Living,  the first of their kind in the UK.  The National Design Academy in Nottingham will launch these sparkling new courses next week that will give students the chance to study a specialist area of interior design.

Retail design is becoming huge business with companies wanting their shop interiors to be more cutting edge than the competition. Window displays need to be bigger, brighter and bolder than the last to attract every last fashionista!

Want to get the most out of your Interior Design course? Check out these top tips to springboard you to success.

Former student and Interior Designer Karen Lane has created a list of her most important tips that students should do to ensure they get the best out of their Interior Design course and create a secure foundation to springboard them to a successful career.

Check them out and let us know if you have any more to add to the list.

Sourcing materials for a client brief exercise

As part of the NDA Diploma in Professional Interior Design studio course, students must understand how to effectively carry out a client brief analysis and create a design which meets their need and lifestyle.

These students chose their desired client brief and had the challenge of sourcing appropriate fabrics and materials to use for their sample boards which they will present to the client.

The National Design Academy have a huge collection of wallpapers, fabrics, accessories and carpet samples from various designers, which give the students a large range of choice. However this can make chosing one print very difficult!

The students also had a chance to see how a design practise can be set out and organised, as well as the various ways samples and work can be displayed. James Pilling, Manager of NDA Private Clients Interior Design Service, has a magnetic wall where sketches, images or sources of inspiration can be pinned up for clients to see or as references.

Modern mid-century summer trend alert

Take note of the colour palettes below because these are the hottest new colours flying around the Interior Design world. A modern take on the Mid-century look is hot this summer with Farrow & Ball, Dulux , Graham & Brown, Little Greene and Lulu Guinness showcasing stunning interiors based on this style.

Image sources: Zoey Murphy, Joel Lee, Illustrated Living

Only one day to go until the competition of the year launches!

We’re counting down the hours to the launch of the NDA National Design Award 2011 and tweaking every last detail so the launch goes as smoothly as possible. This competition set up by the National Design Academy in Nottingham, gives young fresh talent a chance to shine and take home a prize which will almost certainly be a spring-board for success within Interior Design.

Yesterday I posted that I couldn’t reveal too much information about the competition and I’m sure the little teasers I left you all with got some ideas flowing. Well, today I’m going to plant another teaser to get you so excited you socks will fall off! Click HERE to find out. EEEEEEEEEK….!

Up-cycling made easy with Interior Designer Karen Lane

It’s the hottest new trend in the design sphere and I find myself banging on about up-cycling every week. But why not, Linda Barker‘s doing it, Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and of course interior designers have been re-vamping tired furniture forever! If you’re wanting to save some pennies and transform your home don’t think you can’t have your cake and eat it, because you can!

Here are some examples of up-cycling by Interior Designer Karen lane, with a short guide of how to create the desired effect. So set aside a lovely Saturday or Sunday afternoon and enjoy being creative. If you need any advice on your project or want  Karen to sprinkle some of her magic on your furniture just  visit her website Autograph Interior Design or leave a comment.

Be quick and apply for 1000 euros a month Interior Scholarship

If you have a hunger and passion for interior design or architecture, you could be rewarded with 1000 euros a month scholarship from AIT-Scholorship of the Sto-Foundation. Their aim is to support talented students and allow them to dedicate 100% to their studies as well as professional and personal development.

All students in the discipline of Interior Architecture or comparable studies such as Interior Design, who are registered with a European University and are at least in their 5th semester can apply.

But you’ve got to be quick, the application deadline is 1st May 2011 and the scholarship will run from May 2011-April 2012!

If you think your talents can cut the butter, visit www.ait-architektursalon.de/stipendium or email stipendium@ait-architektursalon.de

Isle of Wight designer brings interior design services bang up to date with 21st Centry living

The usual practices of being a freelance Interior Designer such as; meeting clients, understanding their lifestyle, presenting sample boards, working out a design scheme and project managing, can be a little difficult to say the least, if your client lives in Durham and you’re based in the Isle of Wight.

Well, Interior Designer Jo Acheson wasn’t fazed by this hurdle and set up a clever design service which meets her clients every need without having to leave the island!

The design bug first hit Jo when she re-decorated her first home, she then started a Professional Interior Design Diploma course at The National Design Academy in 2004. After the success of her interior design business based on the island, Jo aimed for new heights and is now re-designing homes all over the country.

We don’t want to give any more away, so to find out how Jo challenges the traditional practices of  interior design and brings it bang up to date with twenty-first century living – carry on reading and get stuck in!

Taking the leap of Design – Karen Lane talks interiors

After she couldn’t resist anymore, Karen Lane took the leap of design and is now running a successful interior design business, Autograph Interior Designs. Karen left college without any qualifications, but that didn’t stop her, she was determined to become a great interior designer and started a Diploma course at The National Design Academy in 2007. After flying through the course she progressed onto the Foundation Degree qualification and is now studying a BA Hons in Interior Design. Her story is inspirational and proves that anyone with enough belief can achieve success. Kick your shoes off and enjoy her interview…

Next weeks feature preview!

After she couldn’t resist anymore, Karen Lane took the leap of design and is now running a successful interior design business, Autograph Interior Designs. Karen left college without any qualifications, but that didn’t stop her, she was determined to become a great interior designer and started a Diploma course at The National Design Academy in 2007. After flying through the course she progressed onto the Foundation Degree qualification and is now studying a BA Hons in Interior Design. Her story is inspirational and proves that anyone with enough belief can achieve success. Kick your shoes off and enjoy her interview…