The Curious Designer
Interior design topics, trends, tips, and job hunting
Friday, July 2, 2010
Small Spaces Make Great Places!
The Ceramic Tile House is definitely one of my favorites on the site! I love the loft design, the use of the ceramic wood tile throughout the home, and just the overall contemporary look. It is very clean, simple, open and unique. I would live there! The only changes I would make are adding some pops of bright colors and black accent furniture so I feel like I was living in a pop-art painting.
What do you think? Do you like small or large spaces?
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Questions for the Professionals- Atlanta Principal
Who or what are the biggest influences on your designs?
"... I have been influenced the most in my career by Richard Meier and Aldo Rossi. Both create very rational and highly innovative buildings that shape the environment they are in."
How important do you believe LEED certification is?
"LEED certification and the green initiative will continue to be a driving force of architectural design for the next generation and beyond. Building sustainability will become more important as America finds new ways to be less dependent on foreign and domestic oil."
What kinds of design software are you using in your company? (CAP, Photoshop, Sketch-up, Revit, etc.)
"Revit and Photoshop are the two primary design and presentation software packages that our company uses. More and more of our clients are requiring that their building be created using Revit software."
He was also kind enough to share a little job advice such as to "...keep the faith and persevere through the process" (in regards to the current economy), to check out websites like Archinect, and considering becoming a product rep. On a positive note he added that the industry is seeing improvements- slow, but improving. That is always encouraging to hear!
Thanks again to the Atlanta Principal for contributing such great information to us!
For all the "Questions for the Professionals" postings I will not be including the name of those designers or architects I speak with or their company's name to protect their privacy, unless they allow me to do so.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Rabbit Swings and Pop-Up Things
In a tweet I received from Gensler, it contained an article from The New York Times about pop-up businesses. In my opinion, I too see pop-up shops as a result of the recession. It is a way to get a business idea out in the world to see if the products/services offered will sell and to make some money in the process. With so many businesses closing, it seems to be a low-risk way of seeing how well business ideas will do without having to lease a shop. It is a great concept! I think it is also a good marketing strategy to see what sells in particular areas, who is buying from it, and what they are buying. I agree with the article that after the recession we will see less of these here-today-gone-tomorrow businesses, but that it will not be the end of it entirely.
Contract magazine had a link to a rabbit swing. This is definitely a product of the nostalgia trend. It is fun and kind of quirky, something you might find from a dream or a child's imagination, but to me it seems a little on the morbid side.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Job Search Engines
Another job engine I do not care for is HotJobs. Every time I look for job openings, I tend to find some seemingly shady, non-direct listings, and training programs. Yes, there are some listings that are legit, but I rarely find any listings I would comfortably send my info to. I have not posted my resume on HotJobs so I do not know what kind of responses will come from it and I am not interested in finding out.
There are job engines I love to use because I can set up e-mail alerts that get sent directly to my in-box, have easy to use resume builders, and provide helpful hints and tips. My favorite job search sites are definitely: Indeed, Get Interior Design Jobs, Juju, Interior Design JobZone, Coroflot, and Monster. One great thing about Monster is it has handy little communities you can join to find out more about your profession, network, and see what is going on in the business world. My favorite is Art Bistro- geared towards design/illustration/art professions.
Definitely try all kinds of job search engines because not all listings will be on every one. Be sure to always check the official websites of places you want to work too, because many times they have job postings that are not listed elsewhere online. Just because those sites did not work out for me, does not mean it will not work out for you.
Here are some links you can use:
http://www.indeed.com
http://www.coroflot.com (Design professions)
http://800notes.com (Phone # comments)
http://www.job-search-engine.com (JuJu)
http://www.monster.com
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Design Job Advice
Here is some advice I complied from professionals I spoke to in the design field:
Move to the location you would like to begin my career in. I have heard this before and I admit I did consider it before graduating from college, but with the economy being unpredictable it would be too risky for me since I do not have enough funds to cover me until I find something. Currently here in MI where I live, it is tough to even find a part-time job. If the economy was in a better state I believe I would have done it. That is may situation, but may not be yours. I believe it is good advice if you can support yourself! It could be a fun and interesting experience. Who knows what will turn up or who you will meet?
Speaking of adventures, why not have an adventure? If you are currently one of the millions of Americans unemployed, this is the perfect opportunity to go somewhere or try something new. I am actually taking this opportunity to build a better relationship with my family, improve my 3D design skills, cover some topics I need to refresh my brain with, and get healthy. I am also getting ready to support my community by getting involved with volunteering. Maybe you can start a new hobby, write a book, start an emu farm, grow a garden, travel, or anything else you have wanted to do, but never really had the time to.
Other things they told me were: Network as much as possible- go to events, volunteer, etc., just try to get your name out there. Work on getting LEED certification. It can be costly, but very worth it. Try to find work anywhere you can even if it’s the job nobody else wants because those who are employed and show consistent employment are more desirable candidates. It also eliminates questions raised by potential employers as to why you haven’t been working and possibly why other employers did not want to hire you. (Of course in this economy I imagine they may be a little more flexible on that subject considering the situation.)
Finally, explore possibilities. Yes, I went to school for interior design and you probably did too, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that is what you or I will do with our lives. For example, my dad is a contract manager for a fairly well-known company, but he went to school to be a pilot and for business. He also worked in retail for 5 yrs as a manager until he decided to do contract managing and got a job with an aviation company. Remember it is ok to be open-minded about your future. Don’t tie yourself down to just one thing.
I hope this information helps or gives you something to think about!Good luck!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Trends of '10
It is wise to keep ourselves informed of what is popular and what people are wanting and buying. That way we aware of it and can think of various ways to incorporate it into our own designs and stay on top of the game.
Be careful though, because as we all know trends are trends, and some trends won't last.
If I remember correctly, I got this link from someone who posted it in a LinkedIn group I joined. Here you go! Six whole minutes of trendiness:
http://www.fastmediamagazine.com/archives/6656
Greetings!
I am currently working on asking designers from all over the U.S. questions, adivce, and tips for all of us looking for work in the interior design industry- of course this is for designers who already have jobs, or others who just want to read about interior design too! Hopefully I'll have something for everyone!
I'll create posts as I gather information. I'll also ask you all questions or views on topics and trends as I put them up.
Please let's keep it clean and fun!