Need a Short Course in Interior Design? Study Online for a Higher National Diploma (HND)

Interior layout. (Image used under license from iStockPhoto)

If you want to have the ability to create design concepts and professionally communicate your designs to clients, a higher national diploma (HND) course is the minimum qualification you must have.

With an HND in interior design, you can work on various non-complex residential projects and increase your chances of success in your career as a designer. You will have a good understanding of the elements that define interior spaces. And by the end of your 2 years (full-time) study, you will have professional skills as a designer and understand the fundamentals of plumbing, lighting, electricity, heating, and other services integrated within building structures.

Some of the vital requirements that go with the interior design profession are:
  • Project management skills.
  • Marketing skills.
Project management skills are vital requirements because, as a professional, you will be required to manage projects that involve a workforce that includes contractors, subcontractors, artisans, fitters, etc. Marketing and other business skills are also needed to complement your professional skills.

HND in Interior Design – 6 Major Topics Covered

  1. History of Design and Period Décor
  2. Construction & Structural Renovation
  3. Design Communication
  4. Design Materials & Furnishings
  5. Commercial Design
  6. Professional Interior Design Practice


History of Design and Period Décor


It is inevitable that throughout the career of an interior designer, there will be times when you may have a project where you have to recreate period interiors to various degrees of authenticity. You will learn about the main historical events and their influences on design developments and movements. Subjects covered in this class include:

Critical Analysis
How political and social circumstances in the past have influenced present-day styles.

Early Design Styles
Design styles from Egyptian and Gothic to Victorian, Georgian, Rococo, and other eras.

Turning Points in the History of Design
The turning points in history - the Renaissance, Industrial Revolution, Dark Ages and the Information Age. And how they may have impacted and influenced the way we live.

Global Design Styles
The development of regional variations in terms of Western and non-Western design styles.

Review of Design Styles Throughout History
Design styles from the Baroque to the Victorian ages and onwards will be covered in this topic.

Modernism
About modern design styles of the 21st century. And possible futuristic design developments.


Construction and Structural Renovation

This topic explores construction in detail as it relates to an interior architect. You must be able to communicate professionally with architects and contractors. Subjects covered in this class include:

Principles of Building Design
Building construction and understanding how things are done and why, from foundation to roof construction.

Interior Renovations
How to alter interiors and make minor structural changes to an existing structure while meeting legal and building requirements.

Planning Building Layouts
Working on commercial project layouts and how to plan the interior space and partitioning of such structures.

Staircases and Disabled Aspects of Design
Learn how to incorporate staircases into your interior design creations and develop access for the physically challenged.

Building Services
Plan electrical, plumbing, and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) layouts and how to do full specifications for all building services.

Lighting and Security
Learn how to design commercial lighting systems and the required security regulations that it demands.

Whole Building Design
To improve the quality of life of building occupants, you will learn how to plan your building interiors so that layouts, finishes, and systems work together efficiently and effectively.


Design Communications

This class is about specialist techniques and how to produce professional drawings, clear and detailed specifications, and contractual agreements. This ensures that projects are executed correctly without unnecessary delays and costly mistakes.

Drawings and illustrations cross all language barriers. They illustrate design concepts and ideas at the early stages of all projects. With this, and at this stage, you get the all-important feedback and the necessary approvals before the commencement of any construction work. Subjects to be covered include:

Advanced Drawing Techniques
Learn how to achieve clarity, precision, and accuracy in working drawings.

Detailed Drawings
Prepare detailed drawings to help communicate construction and installation methods.

Design Briefs and Specifications
Learn how to create specifications templates and prepare work schedules for contractors.

3-Dimensional Representations
Learn how to do axonometric, isometric, and perspective drawings and step-by-step instructions on how to do these manually and digitally with 3D software.

Rendering
Learn how to produce simple but visually stunning, impactful rendered drawings and sketches.


Design Materials and Furnishings

Interior architects and designers have a wide choice of materials for structural designs and how they can or should be used within a design concept. The design materials available range vastly and include materials such as stainless steel, granite, marble, glass blocks, mirrors, wood, and concrete. In this class, you are taught how to examine them and the advantages and disadvantages of their individual use. You will learn how these materials can be used creatively and effectively. Subjects covered in this class include:

Designing the Environment
How design choices affect our environment, and all about green living and sustainable design.

Consumer Response
What people choose and believe in, and the psychological associations attached to individual client choices.

Design Methods
Learn how design decisions are based on production, installations and general maintenance.

Performance versus Cost
How well, how long, and how suitable the choices of materials are in the long term.

Mass Production
How the scale of projects and the demand of consumers has an influence on modern design approaches.

Regulation and Standards
Legal standards and ethical standards, and how they should conform to the selections of materials made.


Commercial Interior Design

Helping clients choose styles relevant and appropriate to their corporate identity and business strategies. You will learn how to create/achieve themes that will excite and impact corporate staff and customers and help increase their business profits.

The many stages of commercial design are identified in this class, and you will be able to produce effective results for your clients without compromising on your own creativity. You will also learn about the latest in neuroscience and architectural fields and know how these can be incorporated to produce more beneficial designs. Subjects covered include:

Ergonomics and Universal Designs
You learn how to create great designs for individuals and the community at large.

Business and Design Psychology
Finding out what works, how, and why.

Designing for Industries
Learn about designing for industries and identifying the common design requirements of the various industrial sectors.

Establishing Goals
Your clients will have goals that you have to adapt to and work around.

Commercial Design Cycle
Learning how to create effective designs for medium and large-scale projects.

Teamwork
How do you work as a team member to achieve success in a design project? Learn how to identify your role and coordinate with fellow team members.

Effective Selling
Creating designs that sell you and your client’s products and/or services.


Professional Practice

As a professional interior designer, to successfully plan and organize your tasks and schedules, you require project management skills. With the HND interior design program, you will discover the various ways you can use your talents as an employer, employee, or freelance designer.

Additionally, you possess the ability to market yourself as a professional interior designer and go out to the world confidently pursuing your chosen career. Subjects covered include:

Define your Role
Identify the services you wish to provide and how to implement turn-key projects.

Project Management
Schedules, work orders and time management of projects. Learn how to use all the effective templates and techniques required for designers.

Budgeting
Learn how to prepare a workable budget and avoid/prevent unwanted cost hikes.

Project Monitoring
Oversee a successful design execution with progress reports and amendments.

Marketing
Learn to research simple ways to help you get the clients.

Contracts and Pricing
How to use legal documents and work with contract agreements to protect yourself and your clients.

Professional Responsibilities
A code of ethics must meet ethical and legal obligations.

Career Paths
You will learn about the various niches available to choose from.

Presentations
How to have a good portfolio that sells you and presents your works to a variety of audiences.

Building Contacts and Resources
This subject teaches you the basics of building up a good database of a core team of contractors, sub-contractors, and suppliers.


(Article originally published at https://hubpages.com/@viryabo)


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Some of the Best Career Opportunities for Interior Designers
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Some of the Best Career Opportunities for Interior Designers

Taking a closer look at interior design employment opportunities.

This is for you if you plan to study interior design and wish to learn about employment opportunities in this exciting industry. And, if you are a beginner designer, fresh out of college and trying to decide which interior design niche you’d love to specialize in, you will find this post beneficial.

(Image used under license from iStockPhoto)

Numerous Career Opportunities

There are numerous career opportunities in the interior design industry, and if anyone claims the industry is saturated, take it with a pinch of salt. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Deciding on a niche is much better than being a jack-of-all-trades interior designer. If you plan to start your own business, don't restrict yourself to what every other interior designer is doing. There are many sides to interior design. Think carefully and observe areas of the market where you feel you can fit in without being in fierce competition with thousands of other designers and decorators.

Employment Opportunities to Consider

Interior design has many branches, sub-branches, and niches within niches. Just think of the hundreds of things that come into play in residential and commercial interior design and décor. The possibilities are vast and many have high earning potential.


1. Real Estate Industry

Job opportunities in the real estate industry can involve working for professional home builders, real estate companies, and property developers. Having an interior designer on board is an added plus for property firms because their professional design skills are essential to the property market.

It helps (in no small measure) to ensure quick sales to prospective buyers. A designer knows precisely what buyers want and how to give it to them.


2. Home Improvement Stores

There are great job openings for interior designers in home improvement stores and home decor departments in large retail stores. Designers can work with manufacturers of home design elements and fixtures like bathroom wares, kitchen cabinetry furniture, lighting elements, and other interior design-related products.

They may also have to interact with customers who will eventually become clients by helping them with space planning projects, makeovers, renovations, using the store's branded products, etc.


3. Building Industry's Associated Firms

There are job opportunities for interior designers in architectural firms, engineering companies, interior design businesses, home builders and contractors. There are also building-related consulting firms that employ interior designers on contract.

Designers can serve as junior partners or heads of design departments in such firms. Because designers are skilled in creating functional and aesthetically pleasing interior environments, their services are in demand for consulting, developing design concepts, and producing the required drawings for the firms' clients.


4. Project Management

Interior designers can work in building project management firms as a medium to large-scale commercial design project managers. These kinds of projects are more medium to large-scale commercial design projects. While employed as an interior design project manager (or assistant), the designer will be responsible for all facets of project planning, budgeting, scheduling, and execution of projects.


5. Freelance Designing

If an interior designer wishes to be self-employed, it's best to work as a freelance interior designer. Freelance designers can work directly with private clients, private firms, consultants, or even the property development industry. Services provided may be anything from designing custom furniture to consultancy or supervisory tasks.

Freelance interior designers also provide consultation/advice to clients regarding space planning, organization, layout, and utilization of furniture and decorative pieces. The attraction of freelance jobs is the independence from the restrictions of permanent employment and the freedom to decide which jobs to take.


6. Lighting Design

An important sub-category of interior design is the enhancement of interior spaces with both functional and aesthetically appealing lighting systems to help create an ambience and mood in any living space.


7. Journalism

A career working as a journalist or writer involves writing articles for design magazines, blogs, journals, student books, and electronic media publications.


8. Hospitality Industry

In the hospitality sector, interior designers design and construct hotel lobby layouts, resort guest rooms, hotel restaurants, and related public spaces while considering guests' overall comfort and user experience.


9. Building Interior Design Models

Building three-dimensional interior design models is a lucrative career that brings many benefits to consultants, clients, and the workforce. It helps speed up the design process and quickens the decision-making procedure while helping to identify and solve potential design problems that may arise before project commencement.


10. Studio Design

For recording studio interiors, every project is unique, but the common factor is that space must be comforting and motivational aside from being functional and aesthetically pleasing. In terms of design, what sells a studio goes beyond a good price and varying technical gear. It’s the vibe and ambience that mostly sells a studio, and this can only be achieved through a well-planned interior design concept.


11. Exhibit Design

Career exhibition designers create fixtures, fittings, and display stands for public (or private) exhibitions, conventions, conferences, trade shows, museums, art galleries, and other spaces that require themed attractions. This niche goes relatively unnoticed, but some interior designers work in it and make good profits for their businesses.


12. CAD (Computer-Aided Design) Software Specialist

Today, every interior designer has no excuse for not being design software savvy. But many, at least, know the basics of designing with simple CAD programs, and that’s good. A career path can be created by technically inclined designers to create 2D and 3D drawings and presentations.


13. Creative Painting

This career path is best for the artistically inclined interior designer who loves sketching, painting, and illustrating. Working as a creative painter for interior walls and ceilings is lucrative because it is like selling art. Creative paint techniques include stencilling, drip painting, faux wood and marbling, distressing, texturing, and stamping.


14. Teaching

Teaching interior design is a route that many interior designers disregard, but it is a niche that is both profitable and fulfilling. Even practising designers who have extra time on their hands can teach in higher institutions. Interior design education can be through online courses, on-campus lecturing, and high schools. It is a great way to invest one’s expertise which others would learn from.


15. Stage Set Design

Set interior designers create scenic settings for the entertainment industry by designing and furnishing the interiors we see in the film, theatre, television, and advertising industries. This is referred to as creating atmospheres of scenes through interior design.

The scope of service varies and may be as easy as designing the set for a stage play or as complex as recreating locations like the interior of a ship or a great hall of a Gothic structure.


16. Kitchen and Wardrobe Design Specialist

These are some of the top profitable niches in the residential design category, and many designers work as kitchen and wardrobe design specialists and fitters. Proficiency in the use of CAD interior design software is required for layout planning, material selections, colour schemes, textures, lighting, storage solutions, and mechanical systems required for kitchen and wardrobe designs.


17. Residential Interior Design

Residential interior designers provide services for clients that require home design tasks like interior space planning, design and furnishing, upgrades, and renovations. They can work freelance with architects and estate developers, be in a partnership, or work on a contract basis with other interior design firms.


18. Commercial Interior Design

This niche involves consulting with prospective clients, designing and producing the design concept drawings, and supervising the implemented tasks. Commercial projects cover restaurants, hotel interiors, bars, clubs, and other recreational facilities.


19. Institutional Interior Design

Institutional interior design involves in-depth programming, planning, design, and management of interior spaces used by public and private organizations. It is based on the concept of “designing for the people first”. An institution in this context can be anything from a hospital and school to a museum, a residential care facility, a religious building, or a courtroom structure.


Conclusion

From all indications, the services provided by professional interior designers go beyond interior decoration and simple home décor tasks. For employment opportunities, it is good to dig deeper because each niche can be further broken down into sub-niches. It is amazing how limitless the options are.

For example, in the hospitality design niche, interior designers can custom-design and supply branded linen or tailor and install window treatments for hotel bedrooms and lobbies. In lighting design, there is the option of selling uncommon floor, wall, and table lamps. As a stage lighting expert, a talented designer can transform a simple event into something spectacular.

These are examples of sub-niches within an interior design niche and are areas any interior designer can fit into when charting a career path.

According to statistics, employment opportunities for interior designers will increase by 19% between now and 2020. Designers will be in higher demand and will be required to respond to consumer expectations of today and that of the future.

Residential and commercial interiors must meet certain conditions, such as being more functional, downsized, environmentally friendly, and efficient. This only implies that the interior design industry will continue to flourish.


Professional Association to Join

The NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Qualification) is the highly coveted credential of choice for interior designers, so if you are a beginner designer, a student of interior design, or a practising designer that is yet to sit for this professional exam, you must plan towards taking the NCIDQ Examination.

However, you must complete a formal program of study and go through a period of supervised work experience in the industry before being eligible to take the exam.

The examination comprises three sections: Interior Design Fundamentals Exam (IDFX)
Interior Design Professional Exam (IDPX)
Interior Design Practicum (PRAC)

If you are preparing for your professional registration examination or plan to set up your interior design firm, you may find this book, Professional Practice for Interior Designers, recommended by the NCIDQ for exam preparations, extremely valuable.

This book has remained the leading choice for educators teaching interior design business practices and for interior designers pursuing advancement in their establishments.


(Article originally published by me at https://hubpages.com/@viryabo)


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Educational Requirements Necessary for a Degree In Interior Design

Becoming a professional interior designer requires a qualitative interior design education. It is not enough to have good taste, be creative, or have a flair for decorating interior spaces.

A good interior decorator can achieve all these, but interior design goes beyond all that. You must have an accredited interior design education, and an associate or bachelor's degree is a requisite for working in the field. Today's building industry seeks professionalism, so if you desire to be a part of this lucrative industry, you'll need a proper education.

(Image used under license from 123rf.com)


The minimum qualification required to become a professional interior designer is an Associate Degree in interior design. This course takes about two years to complete and will provide you with the practical skills you'll need to build a successful career.

While the associate degree is the minimum qualification needed to get into the industry, the highest degree required is the Master's Degree. However, you should have a Bachelor's Degree in Interior Design, Interior Architecture, or Architecture to qualify for the MA study.

Once you've earned your degree in interior design and worked for a year or two, you should apply to sit for the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam, which qualifies you for licensure. With this, you will become a certified interior designer.

Interior Design Education: What You Will Study

To become a professional interior designer, you do not need any mathematical, technological or science-oriented skills. Taking an interest in art and creative subjects is a great advantage. If you appreciate the unusual, or if you are “remotely creative”, fashionable or even flamboyant, you will most likely make a great interior designer.

The basic courses you should expect to study in most interior design schools are listed below. These courses, which may vary slightly from one college to another, are the foundation required for a successful interior design career.
  1. Style and Design
  2. Colour
  3. Surfaces and Surface Finishes
  4. Soft furnishings
  5. Lighting
  6. Presentations


Style and Design

As a professional interior designer, you will have the ability to create schemes that are almost timeless with a striking appeal.

The enduring quality of style is usually a good testimony to the skill of an interior designer, whether it's their personal style and taste or not.

Stylish interior design theme - (Image used under license from 123rf.com)

A successful designer must be able to design functional, practical and stunning interiors in various styles, with each and every style reflecting the tastes and ideals of each client. Topics covered include:

  • What Makes Style: You are taught how to analyse the key elements of designs and how to identify a variety of styles.
  • Categories of Style: You will learn about all the major designs and styles around the world through the times.
  • Eclectic Designs: You'll be taught how to work and design for individual clients by going beyond style, including how to blend styles and designs of differing times.
  • Elements and Principles of Design: Shape and Form; Pattern and Texture; Rhythm and Harmony; Art and Origin—these are the building blocks of design that you will use to optimal effect in spaces and interiors.
  • Achieving Visual Balance: Balance, symmetrical and asymmetrical aspects of designs will be covered in this class.
  • Space Planning and Design: You'll learn about open-plan designs and how to plan spaces effectively. This is a major aspect of this class.
  • Finishes and Accessories: You will create stunning and up-to-the-moment designs using decorative details.

Colour

In this section of the diploma course in interior design education, you will explore important aspects of colour. You will learn how to apply it in interiors, as these topics will be covered in great depth.

One of the main reasons many design areas fail is the inability to use colour successfully. This is the most valuable tool interior designers have at their disposal.

Getting the right colour balance is paramount to the success of any interior space. For example, clashing colours will give you a garish and cheap look.

Whilst designing, the colour scheme is very important to your client, so you can’t afford to get it all wrong.

Some people are naturally gifted and can get creative with colours, but in most cases, the ability to use colour is a skill that can be learnt using powerful yet simple tools and techniques.

Successful interior designers use this time and time again to produce winning colour combinations for their interior design tasks. Topics covered under colour include:

  • The Science of Colours: Learn about the relationship between light and colour, what light is, and how it is formed. You will also be taught how the relationship between the two works.
  • The Theory of Colour: Learn about the natural laws of colour and how to use them effectively.
  • Colour Combinations: Acquiring skills with successful colour combinations and making any colour look great is the emphasis in this class.
  • Characteristics of Colour: Using colours as an illusion in interior schemes, to disguise, emphasise or accentuate.
  • Psychology of Colour: Why do colours affect us, and is it true that they have an effect on our emotions? You will also learn the importance of colour psychology to an interior designer.
  • Colour Notation: Learn to understand colour so that it can be communicated confidently in design decisions.

Surfaces and Surface Finishes

In interior design parlance, the surfaces referred to here are the floors, the walls, and the ceilings. They undisputedly are the largest surface areas in any interior space.

The finishes chosen for them are of extreme importance and have an impact on the overall design when completed.

There are many possibilities and choices available, but practicality and functionality must be addressed so that the overall design can stand up to the wear and tear of everyday use.

Classes include:
  • Walls and Ceilings: Find out about the available varieties and options. Learn about all the installation techniques and the impact of the materials used on your designs.
  • Flooring: The most wear and tear occurs on the floor. Your choices as an interior designer will be determined by their practical implications. You will learn about soft floors, semi-hard floors and hard floors.
  • Wall finishes—painting and wallpapering: Learn about calculating requirements and the use of guides. These two finishes play a predominant role in the final works of an interior.
  • Specialist Finishes: Murals, Trompe l'oeil, faux finishes and other unique finishes to achieve dramatic looks.
  • Kitchen Designs: Learn how to plan out the kitchen. The various layouts, such as the L-shape, the U-shape, the work triangle, etc.
  • Bathroom Designs: Learn how to create and use space effectively in the toilet and bathroom areas.
  • Storage: How to squeeze out space for storage facilities is always essential. Learn how to maximise space for improved living.
  • Practical Planning: Learn about creating a schedule and order of work. Know how to form a logical work pattern.


Soft Furnishings

In interior design and decoration, soft furnishings refer to curtains, cushions, sofas, rugs, window treatments, etc.

Window openings determine the view and the amount of natural light that permeates the room. You will know as an interior design student that the window is really about framing the outside view as well as adding style to the interior.

(Image used under license from 123rf.com)

You will be taught how drapes and curtains are made and fitted and how you can use simple techniques to achieve a beautiful and successful interior. You will learn about fabrics and their varied construction.

You will enjoy this interior design subject tremendously. Class topics include:

  • Curtains and Drapery: Curtain headings, bodies and edges and how to vary each of the three elements to make curtain designs
  • Valances and Pelmets: Learn about the many types and styles of valances and pelmets and how to use them effectively to enhance windows.
  • Fabrics: Practical considerations and the ones to avoid
  • Poles, tracks, and accessories: Learn which one works for what style of curtains and pelmets
  • Soft furnishings and curtains (ready-made): Learn how to use them successfully.
  • Ways of using fabrics: Which fabric to use for soft furnishings, such as beds, upholstery, chairs, etc...


Lighting

Lighting is used primarily to light up a place but also skillfully to draw attention to decorative details. It is also a great way to create mood and ambience. Studies have proven that proper interior lighting enhances health and well-being.

In interior design education classes online, you will learn the different approaches to lighting and the appropriate choices and types.

At the end of your lighting course, you can successfully incorporate lighting into your interior scheme while possessing the tools to communicate professionally with electricians and architects.

The following topics will be covered in the diploma class:

  • Natural and Artificial Lighting: Learn to create effects using natural light on mirrors, glass, stainless steel, etc. See the varied effects of lighting and how to use them effectively.
  • Quality of Light: About bulbs, light fixtures, and fittings
  • Adaptation Levels: How to choose appropriate levels of light for different requirements
  • Technicalities of lighting: The relevant lighting used in commercial and residential spaces
  • Wiring and Switches: Practical and safety considerations
  • Electrical Planning and Specifications: You’ll learn how to prepare instructions that are clear for interpretation by electricians and contractors.


Presentations

A presentation illustrates your skills as a professional interior designer.

After an interior designer develops the design concepts, it has to be communicated to their clients. The means of communication used to be strictly through drawing plans, working drawings, specifications tables, mood boards, etc. These are then presented professionally to clientele and contractors.

(Image used under license from 123rf.com)

Today, interior design software is greatly encouraged and learning how to use it has become a part of interior design education's curriculum. Presentations can now be seen virtually, with walkthroughs possible, all on a computer screen.

Presentations are important because they allow you and your client to experiment with different layouts, design options and colour schemes before making final decisions.

This class will teach you how to create impressive presentations that help put your ideas forward and sell them. Topics covered should include:

  • Design Preliminaries: You are taught about meeting with your client and defining their design requirements. This is more of an in-depth dialogue period to know exactly what goes on in your client's mind as per what needs to be done.
  • Visual Communications: Exactly what this means - using your mood boards or computer interface to enable clients to flow with your design ideas
  • Site Measurements/Surveying: This teaches you how to do site measurements and record relevant details you will need during the development of your concept.
  • Scale Drawings: Step-by-step drawings, to show you how to produce scaled plans, elevations and sectional drawings.
  • Briefs and Specifications: How to present clear and detailed instructions for contractors so they can easily interpret and produce your designs.
  • Contracts: You will learn how to deal as a professional interior designer with clients, suppliers and contractors
  • Pricing: Learn how to charge your clients for services rendered.

The presentations class is one of the most important in interior design diploma courses because it doesn't matter how good a designer you may be. Only professionally put-together presentations will  "land" you the job!


(Article originally published by me at https://hubpages.com/@viryabo)


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Interior Design Moodboards and How to Create One for a Project

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Gift Ideas for Interior Designers



Are you looking for a nice gift to give your interior designer?

Do you wish to gift something practical and beneficial that an interior designer will love?

Do you seek a gift your designer will happily use as often as possible?

Finding gifts for creative people is not that hard, but many don't believe so. Most feel that design-savvy individuals are hard to please. Although interior designers are creative and work with stylish and attractive things, their personal preferences and tastes are not necessarily on the high side. Rather, they appreciate gifts they can use in their homes or while carrying out their duties.
 

Gifts to Consider

Keep an open mind when deciding on what to gift. Consider these points:
 
Will it serve a purpose?
Is it practical?
Is it pleasing?

Artwork, artsy elements, curios, sculptures, and décor accents are great, but so are software programs, flea market finds, Interior design-related workbooks, and magazine subscriptions that keep them up-to-date with industry trends.
 

Magazine subscriptions

A magazine subscription will make a great gift for any interior design professional, including beginners, students, and design enthusiasts. The choice publications include House Beautiful, Elle Decor, Better Homes and Gardens, and Country Living.
 

Interior Design Sketchbooks and Workbooks

Interior design-specific books - client activity books, sketchbooks, yearly planners, mood board books, and portfolio book journals. These are excellent gifts for beginners and practising designers.
 

Graph Grid Drawing Books

Graph grid books are excellent gifts for interior design students and beginners. They are useful for developing design concepts, drawing art forms, floor plans and elevations, working drawings, and 3D illustrations.
 

Notebooks, Planners, and Journals

Notebooks and journals are great gifts for designers, especially when they are industry-specific. They come with methodically laid-out book interiors and beautiful book covers. Dated and undated planners, diaries, and journals also make fantastic gifts.
 

Colouring Books (for wannabe designers)

Who says colouring books are only for kids? Adults with a feel for Interior decor and home styling will enjoy colouring hand-drawn home and office interior spaces. From kitchens and bedrooms to bathrooms and office interiors, gifting awesome colouring books to interior design enthusiasts is a wonderful idea. They can also inspire ideas for interior design students.
 

Mechanical and Technical Drawing Tools

All designers love all types of drawing and drafting tools. From mechanical pens and pencils to sets of markers, fine-nibbed drawing pens and digital measuring devices, Interior designers love these tools and often use them while carrying out their professional duties. Gift-boxed brass and copper mechanical pencils and brush pens will always be purposeful gifts for students and beginner interior designers.
 

Inspirational and Lifestyle Books

Many interior designers love to read non-interior-design and motivational books. Examples are At Home with Dogs and Their Designers: Sharing a Stylish Life for pet-loving designers who share stylish lives with their precious pets, and Herding Tigers: Be the Leader That Creative People Need, a book that motivates and teaches how to lead by influence instead of leading by control.
 

Software Programs

Technology has allowed interior designers to utilise software programs to create design concepts through 2D and 3D visual drawing presentations. These drawing software are great gifting ideas to beginner designers especially. Today, using software for interior design drawings distinguishes professionals from amateurs. Popular software program choices are SketchUp, SmartDraw, RoomSketcher, and 3D Max.
 

Uncommon and Unusual Gifts

There are some not-so-common gift ideas that designers may live to be gifted. However, knowing the recipient’s hobby (or interest) will go a long way in helping to make an informed choice. Some of them are:



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How to Create Interior Design Moodboards in Portfolio Books

Mood boards are visual presentation tools and integral aspects of the interior design profession. While developing an interior design concept, a mood board will help designers working on a project communicate their vision and ideas with clients, contractors, and other stakeholders in the industry.

A mood board must include illustrations, swatches, colour schemes, textures, sketches, notes, and other elements. These will help to capture the style and mood of interior styling projects.

Image source: viryabo@polyvore.com



What purpose does it serve?


For inspiration, feedback, or presentation purposes. A mood board can also help to:
  • Clearly define the design concept, theme, style, and finishing.
  • Describe the scope of work through illustrations, notes, and finishes.
  • Explore different options and possibilities
  • Narrow down and refine material choices.
  • Present and pitch the outcome to prospective clients, employers, builders, and other stakeholders in the industry.

How to create a mood board


As a professional interior designer, the initial approach is to narrow your focus by asking yourself the following questions. With that, you will be able to have a clear direction for the task and choose the appropriate elements to create a mood board.
  1. Who are you designing for?
  2. What are their expectations?
  3. What are you trying to achieve with the project?
  4. How do you intend to accomplish your goals?
  5. What message do you wish your concept to convey?
After providing answers to the questions, it is time to:

1. Collect the required materials that match the theme, style, and ambience. These include images, photos, objects, samples, swatches, etc.
2. Arrange all elements methodically. Use boards, portfolio books, or design software.
3. Review and refine the collection. To create balance and harmony, enhance the features and elements where necessary (styles, colour schemes, finishes, and the like).
4. Share your mood board presentation with prospective clients, your work team, or other stakeholders to communicate your vision and get their contribution or approval.



Use grids, collages, or freeform layouts to organise your elements. Add labels, annotations, or hand sketches to explain placements, selections, and design layouts. Remember that your mood board is your reference point and guide for any interior design project.

Interior Design Mood Board and Imagery Collection Journal



Related articles:
How to Create a Work-from-Home Office Workspace
Downloadable and Printable Worksheets for Interior Design Projects

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