Nathaniel Said:

Can someone give me a professional overview, based on experience, for a “Interior Design” degree?

We Answered:

i havent got experience but i did work at a sematic (kitchen specialists) showroom. they prefered that a person knew how to have taste, calculate precisely the kitchens, and have an experienced designing knowledge. so im guessing getting a degree will help.

the problem you will have is finding work, theres a HUGE influx of designers out there, so its dog eat dog, and the people we make it are the ones who have experience. so its best to take a sandwitch course and work at a designers after your second year of the degree.. then go back to uni after a year of working. that way... you have experience, you got your degree.. and you can go back to the same job you had or get a new one. but its very random, you have to be different from the rest, show the employeer that YOU are different and that you are what they need. and they most likely need proof of that.

i know of one guy, who has no degree, but started of designing at the age of 20... and got his first proper job at 30... and he's earning 40k+ for designing kitchens, but thats after 10 years of learning without a degree. so i recommend the degree, it'll get you your mental skills, physical aspects will come with experience..

hope that helped.. good luck.. ;)

Jimmie Said:

Do I have to have an interior design degree to get a discount?

We Answered:

Most of the time you need a resale number or tax ID number to get the discount, even when you do get your degree. A lot of businesses also want to see a business card. Since they vary, you need to check with each one. Check out Pier 1 and Ballard Designs as two to check with (they have Designer programs).

Herbert Said:

Am I qualified for studying a Master degree in Interior Design?

We Answered:

in my experience your work and potential are infinitely more important than your degree.

if you're looking for a position in a firm you need to communicate some fundamental things:

your interest, knowledge, and passion for the field
your willingness to work hard (in the beginning maybe for free or for a painfully low salary)
your past experience, presented well. (you may have to re-do your original presentations to make them slicker than they originally were. invest the time. eliminate work that does not hold up to the level of the firm, even if it means reducing the size of your portfolio.)
if you don't have enough actual work invent some- something that always impresses me is a portfolio that is full of extra work done without a client- done because you are curious and interested. for example, i hate seeing student portfolios that have only assigned, school projects.
your creativity
your usefulness to the firm (ie, your ability to use the standard computer programs, your capacity to interpret the ideas of others, your capacity to create effective presentations, your knowledge of what is going on in the field (not just in hong kong but all around the world), your ability to work in a team...)

my suggestions are these:

first, know where you REALLY want to work and why.
inform yourself of the work of the firm and be prepared to comment on it.
adjust the presentation of your past work to conform to the work of the firm where you are applying.
prepare a portfolio with each project presented in the same, standard format- don't show up with odds-and-ends.
offer to do a stage- work for free for a period to prove your worth without asking the firm to risk hiring somebody that may not be a good fit. (when i hire someone i insist on a stage of at least a couple of months- i want to see whether they are useful and compatible with the rest of my office.)

if you can get your foot in the door and communicate the above, then you will succeed.

good luck- it's a tough business. but (mostly) a satisfying one.

Harold Said:

Do you know a good college for an interior design degree or fashion degree?

We Answered:

I wouldnt go in to fashion. Your a dime a dozen, pay is bad, its not as creative as you might think and it gets boring. If you go on the princeton review website it will give you the summary of the job. Note that it says most people leave the industry in two to five years. All my friends that went to college with me for fashion design have all left the industry or are in the process of. If you can live off 30k then do it