Skipping School For The Sims

How I got Into Interior Design...from the beginning.

I always noticed interiors growing up. I think my first real moment of admiration was in my auntie’s lounge—she had this metallic purple peacock wallpaper and a seashell ashtray, and I thought it was the most glamorous thing I’d ever seen. So I was always paying attention to interiors, especially when I demanded a dolphin themed bedroom with matching inflatable furniture. I think that’s when they knew.

Back in the day, one of my favourite shows was “Changing Rooms.” I absolutely adored it, Handy Andy creating magic with a jigsaw and some MDF. Linda Barker adding stripes to everything (I bought her wallpaper from B&Q when I was 11, and the pattern repeat was mismatched and I’ve still never forgiven her) and of course, Oliver Heath. Piece. But then came The Sims. I was so obsessed with that game that I’d skip school just to play it, coming up with every excuse from leprosy to “I think I’ve come on…” just to try my luck to stay home and design virtual houses. In the end, that passion stuck with me into adulthood and designing became something I knew I wanted to do, it just took a while.

For me, interior design is more than just cushions, wallpaper, and paint—that’s the final layer. It’s really about understanding how a space is used, how to improve it, and how to maximize it. Then you get into the fun part: the hardware, the lighting, the atmosphere, the embellishment. But you have to learn the basics first, and that’s why I wanted to study in a bit more depth than just a crash course.

I worked in retail for about 15 years in creative roles like visual merchandising and marketing, and then left in 2019 to pursue my own path. It was tough. I freelanced, did some shifts in a pub, did painting and decorating—basically anything to get by. Then, when 2020 hit and the world shut down, I lost my work overnight and decided it was a now or never situation and I applied to 4 university’s to study interior design.

But 3 said no, very quickly, so I didn’t get my hopes up too quick. Because despite being a mature student with a previous career, work portfolio, mortgage, side business, and willing to pay £9,000 a year for the privilege of attending, a basic maths and english was required, and I don’t have that. I can spell FUDGE with my G.C.S.E results so yeah, academically, thick as two short planks.

At the very last minute the week before enrolment, Teesside University finally accepted me after I pleaded with them to let me on. I want to say it’s because of my impressive application, but it’s definitely because the intake number was very low because of Covid.

So two things to takeaway already readers - lie about your G.C.S.E results because nobody ever checks, and persevere if you are told no.

I studied for 3 years, and hand on heart, technically working full time whilst renovating and studying - it was fucking awful at times. Education always makes me sweat as I was never considered clever or had any qualifications to back me up, so the pressure felt heavy. Balancing learning new skills, research, writing, and experimenting, whilst just being an adult was tough. But I also found a mate who loved the pub so that made it easier and I absolutely rinsed that student discount at every opportunity.

Anyway long story short, I graduated in 2023 with First Class Honours in Interior Design. Proudest day of my life and a huge achievement. Whilst I knew I needed to up-skill to really be the best I could be professionally, this was more of a personal thing to prove that I could do it… and to the family and friends that didn’t think I’d stick it out. Jokes on you lads.

After I graduated from uni—actually during my time there—I started using my platform on Instagram to become a content creator. That was honestly a lifesaver for me because it helped me get through uni. I could work part-time, still keep a roof over my head, and really focus when I needed to. I know people sometimes knock influencers, but for me, content creation was a lifeline and sometimes my biggest source of income during that time.

And through content creation, I had some amazing opportunities. I got to design lighting for a brand I loved, I even helped create a paint colour, and I did some edits for department stores I adored. It really opened doors for me and gave me a profile, and I ran with every opportunity that came my way.

At the time I’m telling you this, I have about 38,000 followers on instagram, which is a bit mental, but it’s also this lovely community of people that are like minded. Supportive. Encouraging. Most of them, very funny too. But I’m not naive enough to think that without this online platform, I probably wouldn’t have gotten my first clients as easily. So it was really that online presence that helped me get started.

I was warned by my professors in uni not to go it alone when you graduate, but I was already working as a consultant whilst at uni for myself, so the day after I graduated I technically started full time. I launched my website, defined what services I offered, and then began taking bookings. I began on individual spaces, then full houses, working virtually and on local projects, and through a mix of instagram and word of mouth, I had full books. I know this could come across as a brag, but this was a shock to me.

And now, two years in, running my own business full-time, I can say it’s been a lot of plate-spinning, a lot of hard work, and definitely not as glamorous as TV makes it look. But it’s also been really rewarding. I’ve had some great clients who I have loved working with, I’ve got some great projects in the pipeline, and I’m just really enjoying being an Interior Designer and growing my business.

It’s really hard to give advice about how to get started as everybody has their own set of circumstances, and I don’t necessarily think that you need a degree to practice as most of the designers I look up to don’t have formal training. But what I do think people need to do and I say this time and time again - research the role properly.

The majority of people, myself included, get into it because we love the pretty stuff - the fabrics, the art, the feeling. Which is the lovely creative side, but the realistic side of managing, buying, scheduling, invoicing, budgeting, surveying, marketing, clients, social media, and actually doing the job you are hired for which is designing - it’s far from the stock images of lattes and a farrow and ball swatch books.

I think one of the biggest things I have learned in the last 5 years is that you have to have confidence in what you are doing. It’s quite a tough industry, it takes time to build yourself up, but it’s a really great job if you are committed. Because if there are people out there with the confidence to sell farts in jars, you should be confident enough to at least give it a go if you really want to.

And you never know, it could go better than you ever thought.