Going to school for interior design is very helpful for getting a start in the industry, but it can’t cover everything. This week, we asked seven designers—Theresa Butler, Lisa Erdmann, Amal Kapen, Elizabeth Schulz, Brooke Spreckman, Lindsey Walsh and Stephanie Wiott—what important skills they don’t teach in the classroom.
Business Savvy
“Design school teaches creativity, theory and technical skills, but it rarely prepares you for what it takes to build a successful residential design business. Understanding pricing, markups, contracts, project management, client communication, budgeting and the financial side of the industry is just as important as creating beautiful spaces. Learning the business of design is what allows you to turn your talent into a sustainable career.”—Theresa Butler, Theresa Butler Interiors, Atlanta
Real-World Application
“One of the most important skills design school can’t truly teach is how to bridge the gap between great design and real life. As someone largely self-taught with a fine arts background and over 15 years of experience, I’ve found that the biggest learning curve comes after graduation. School does an excellent job teaching design theory, principles and technical skills, but experience teaches you how materials perform, what they cost, where quality truly matters, and how to apply that knowledge to a client’s budget. It also teaches you how to build trust with homeowners, guide them toward a cohesive vision they may not yet be able to articulate, and confidently present ideas, timelines and budgets. Those communication skills are just as important as creativity and often separate a good designer from one who consistently delivers exceptional projects.”—Elizabeth Schulz, Black Forest Design & Build, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
People Person
“I don’t even think design school can teach how psychology plays into working with clients. Designing for a project and working with clients are two very different things. You can be creative, but can you manage people? Connect with people? Manage ongoing expectations and be an all-star communicator? I think my background working in retail actually helped me develop some of the best human skills for being an interior designer. Standing in a dressing room with a customer shopping for an upcoming trip, overwhelmed by what to shop for but knowing they want to spend money on all of the right products—they need hands-on help and are clearly overwhelmed. All of that led to learning what it takes to ensure you’re making the design process digestible to a client.” —Brooke Spreckman, Design Hutch, Los Angeles
On-Site Experience
“Design schools often focus heavily on learning software programs and creating polished drawings, renderings and presentations. While those technical skills are important, students don’t always get enough on-site experience or direct interaction with the people who will actually use, build or maintain their designs. One of the most valuable skills a designer can develop is learning how to observe people in real environments. Being on-site helps you understand how people move through a space, what makes them comfortable, where they encounter problems, and how their actual behavior may differ from what was assumed during the design process. It also develops a practical understanding of scale, materials, construction methods, budgets, timelines, and the unexpected constraints that rarely appear clearly on a computer screen. On-site experience also teaches communication and humility. Designers must learn how to listen to clients, contractors, fabricators and tradespeople, each of whom brings knowledge that can improve the final result. Software helps designers communicate and visualize an idea, but experience with people and places teaches them how to create something that is practical, thoughtful and genuinely useful.”—Stephanie Wiott, Stephanie Wiott Designs, Carmel, Indiana
Lesson in AI
“[Design schools don’t teach] AI for operational workflow. It is, and always will be, critical that design students learn the fundamentals of drafting, space planning, color theory and so forth. Coupling that knowledge with a deep understanding of how to use AI to automate operational workflow would make them a killer potential employee.” —Lindsey Walsh, Lindsey Walsh Interior Design, Pennington, New Jersey
Put Knowledge To the Test
“I always tell new hires in interviews that about 30 percent of their time will be spent doing what they learned in design school. Important skills not taught in school include managing relationships with clients, vendors and colleagues. Additionally, designing a room, home or commercial space in school is hypothetical; while in real life, it requires budget consideration, client approval, possible reselections, correct sourcing, managing lead times for every product to meet the installation date, and extensive follow-up. The design is the creative and inspiring element, but producing the design is the hard work, and installing on time is paramount to building a successful firm.” —Lisa Erdmann, Lisa Erdmann Interiors, Palm Beach
Ears Open
“I don’t think [school] teaches you enough about how to be a good listener. As designers, we naturally want to come in with ideas, but you have to listen first—not only to what a client says they want, but to how they actually live. Understanding their priorities, their lifestyle, and even what they’re not saying is an important part of doing the job well. You also need to learn how to explain what you do clearly and succinctly. I think every designer should be able to give a short synopsis of how they work, what their process looks like, and what a client can expect from them.” —Amal Kapen, Amal Kapen Interiors, Cold Spring Harbor, New York
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