Research

            I came into HMP not knowing what to expect. I thought I would have to be extremely professional and I would be tested about how to be a good employee. The area I chose to study, interior design, allows me to be comfortable with the people I'm around and ultimately be myself. My essential question deals with what justifies an appropriate relationship with clients. This is important to me, and something I need to know, because I have to determine the way I act and maintain myself with others. This will benefit me in life today because I can help people with the right amount of attention and personal support. I love getting to know people and helping in any way that I can, this area of study can open up so many doors to success and self-identification for me.

            Interior design is a common yet complex field. I know that it is as simple as satisfying clients but so much planning and effort is invested in order to do so. This job is all about helping people find what they are looking for, enabling people to reveal themselves and giving advice that people seek. The knowledge I have accumulated within the course of HMP has enlightened me and brought attention so much I didn't know. I know that this field doesn't require a large amount of schooling, nor does it limit those with little training. People who work in fabric stores, paint stores, etc. are considered interior designers because they deal with working on renovating a person's space. I'm not an expert on this field, there is still so much more I need to learn and want to learn in order to be completely involved and content with interior designing.

            All the information I've obtained had to come from somewhere. The Great Cover Up is the first place that I interned. Rudy was an incredible mentor and taught me much that I know now. He always talked about how it's all about what the client wants, not what I want. I've interviewed him many times for my assignments and ask him for guidance on my hands-on activities. Gainesville Design Center is the place I intern now. I shadow many people, mainly Jasmine, during my time there. I learn something new from her every time I'm there and she shows great support for me and the work she does. A lot of the other information I find is from books, magazines and other websites. One website I find convenient is Pinterest, it never fails to find what I'm looking for and has great ideas that I can pull from.

            I discovered, as I've mentioned before from Rudy, that it's all about what the client wants, not what I want. Something I like or appreciate could be totally different from someone that walks into the store looking for wallpaper. I have to be patient and learn to not criticize. This field is about meeting interesting people and helping them make interesting choices when in comes to the space they are designing. I know that I can take away a lot from my experience in interior design and apply it to everything I do. I discovered that being honest, supportive and patient aren't only things that I have do when helping someone decorate, but also in my everyday life.