NDA at Interiors UK 2012

The annual exhibition, held within Birmingham’s NEC exhibition centre has been a valuable trade resource for over 25 years. An essential event for British Interior designers, manufacturers and specifiers; a useful place to research trends, make new connections, gain design inspiration or simply soak up the creative, bustling atmosphere.

Looking around the exhibitors it is evident that trends from recent years continue to prove popular: Shabby chic, faux vintage / industrial, glamorous, deco, high street contemporary and hi tech / modern. 

Lighting is perhaps the most revolutionary area of domestic product design currently. LED and electroluminescence being two of the more prolific areas of development. Philips have developed an excellent range of futuristic looking items using dimmable, multi-colour LED’s.

The Design Village within the contemporary design section in hall two showcased fresh and innovative, new talents. This area was buzzing with excited, optimistic people busy swapping notes and hatching deals. It was truly inspirational and encouraging to see fabulous creations still being produced during these sometimes flat and difficult financial times. The combination of fine British craftsmanship, innovate material specifications, avant-garde surface pattern and joyous colour was invigorating and reassuring. James Uren, Donna Wilson, Stuart Melrose and Lucy Alice Porter were amongst some the most inspiring exhibits. 

NDA's Director of studies, Anthony Rayworth, was on the judging panel for The New Design Britain Awards 2012, which is one of the most important competitions in the UK for young design talent. Talking about the awards Anthony said: "The future of domestic product and furniture design seems safe in the hands of our bright, enthusiastic graduates." You can read more about Anthony's experience of The New Design Britain Awards 2012 and find out who the winners were in the News section of the NDA website.

There was, as always, a handful of novelty furniture suppliers.  Fusion tables were a good example. Their flagship design is a highly popular, carefully manufactured dining table that transforms into a pool table; perfect for that after dinner game of pool.

Fine craftsmanship, teamed with subtle eccentricity remains something of a British speciality. Sitting Firm presented an exquisite collection based upon this concept. The traditional Windsor chair had been given an imaginative range of twists using unexpected materials and colours such as carbon fibre.

Where are you from?

As a distance learning school our students reside all over the UK and indeed the world, but as our In Studio courses gain popularity, more and more international students are making the trip to Nottingham to study with us in the flesh.

To find out a little about the benefits of doing the In Studio course, we asked two recent international students who are doing the Diploma in Professional Interior Design why they chose to study here.

Nancy Thompson 

From Louisiana, USA - currently living in Saudi Arabia

1) How did you find out about the course?

Online searches. At first I looked at courses in the USA and found that some Interior Design diploma's were cheaper than NDA's, however, none of them offered a route whereby I could  progress onto do a Bachelors degree, which is something I think is very valuable.

2) Why did you choose to study In Studio?

The drawing aspect scares the hell out of me; my hand writing is wavy and my drawings skills are terrible. So it was really important for me to be in a classroom where I can receive tuition instead of relying on myself, which I would be if I were studying at home. What also really attracted me to do the In Studio course was the fact that the one day workshops I was interested in ran the week before the Diploma, so I could do those and the diploma during one trip to the UK.

3) How did you become interested in Interior Design?

I love to decorate, to transform something or someplace. I've designed and had made a variety of items ranging from sofas, bedspreads and curtains to chandeliers for friends and acquaintances. I've not been paid for anything I've designed so far, so I hope that with the confidence I gain from the course I will be able to turn my passions into paid work.

4) How are you finding the course?

It's going very well, at first I was very intimidated by the drawing class, but after two days I learnt so much and the teachers are so kind and approachable that I began to relax and gain confidence in what I was doing.

5) What are your hopes for the future?

I don't like to speculate, but I would say that drawing is my weakest skill and if by the end of this diploma I feel I have made good progress with it and I have confidence to do the degree, then I probably will.

 

Sophie Borg

From Malta, Southern Europe

1) How did you find out about the course?

There are no Interior Design courses in Malta, so me and my father, who is an Architect searched for courses online. When we found the NDA my father asked his Interior Designer what he thought about them and he recommended them.

2) Why did you choose to study In Studio?

Staying at home studying on my own wasn't really appealing, I thought I would learn more by being around others and being able to ask questions directly to my tutors in class.

3) How did you become interested in Interior Design?

I am influenced by my father, who as I said is an architect; we have moved house 14 times and I have been close to many of his projects which have inspired me. So interior design has always been a part of my life and something I am interested in.

4) How are you finding the course?

So far so good, for me the technical drawing is the hardest but with my fathers architectural firm I'm sure I will be able to get a lot of practise if I need it.

5) What are your hopes for the future?

I go on to do the Bachelors degree as soon as I finish this diploma, which was one of the main reasons I chose to study at NDA as I can progress through the course much faster than in other Interior Design degrees.

New studio guides students to the light

Over the Christmas period the NDA studio had a complete refit ready for the run of new courses in 2012. Along with sprucing up the place with new carpets and wallpaper, some new lighting features were installed to demonstrate emerging technologies and show how important light is when planning Interior Design projects.

NDA has embraced the LED revolution.  It's a simple fact that over the next few years LED lights will become prevalent in Interior Design. But its not just a matter of replacing one kind of light bulb with a new kind, LED lights are are so versatile, so small and produce so very little heat that they can be used in ways that have not been seen before; the only limit is your imagination.

The main lighting in the new studio has been installed in an overhanging ceiling unit that uses 600mm square  panels that are 15mm thick, each one edge lit by LED's creating very clear bright light for students to work under. Around the edge of the ceiling unit are self adhesive strip LED's to add extra sparkle.

At the front of the studio and in the main hallway colour changing self adhesive LED srips have been installed. These lights are dimmable and can change colour using the RGB spectrum to set mood and atmosphere.

At the front of the studio a new wall has been built to create extra storage space behind it, but also to allow three light boxes to be built. Using fluorescent tube lighting, these light boxes demonstrate how different colour temperatures affect how the colours in different materials can appear, for example two different coloured fabrics can look like the same colour under a certain light, but as soon as the colour temperature of the light changes, the difference in the fabric colours becomes more pronounced.

The top light box is set to 6500K which is toward the blue end of the colour spectrum and replicates bright daylight, as used for the main studio lights. The middle box is set to 4000K which produces a warmer, more orange light. The bottom box is set to 3000k creating an even warmer colour. Being able to see how light affects materials, finishes, textures etc helps students to choose appropriate materials for different rooms, for example a bedroom or dinning room is more likely to use light in the 3000 to 4000k range because of the light bulbs commonly used, whereas a conservatory will have lots of natural light so will mostly be in the 6500K range.

The colour temperature of light doesn't just affect how colours appear, they also affect peoples mood and behaviour. Look at how fast food restaurants are lit using warm lighting near the counter to make the food more appealing, then bright cool blue lighting in the eating areas to encourage patrons to move on quickly after eating. Compare that to a more expensive restaurant, where the lighting is warmer and dimmer in the eating area to make people feel cosy, relaxed and more likely to stay for dessert and coffee.

For more information about how the use of light affects people in interior design visit the Philips Innovation stories web page for an excellent collection of interviews with interior designs and achitects on the subject.

Say hello to our new tutor, Jenette

NDA extends a warm welcome to Jenette Sefton who has recently joined our tutor team.

Jenette's experience with Interior Design and teaching is extensive and she will surely be a huge asset at NDA.

She has a BA (Hons) and  Master’s Degree in Philosophy and another Master’s Degree in Interior Design (with Commendation) from Birmingham Institute of Art and Design. Jenette also has a Post Graduate Certificate of Education in Art and Design and has been teaching at numerous colleges and universities for the last nine years. Proir to becoming a teacher she was a Graphic Designer.

Jenette’s research interests have focussed on solutions to the current housing problems in the UK through the redevelopment and refurbishment of dilapidated housing in urban areas. The use of space and how it can affect psychological well being as well as the long term sustainability of such developments in terms of economic and environmental costs are major concerns in her research.

Current developments in her research interests look at the Philosophy of Aesthetics and the contrast in Western and Eastern philosophical thought on this subject.

Along with other subjects, Jenette will teach the new Masters course when it is launched in the summer.

And the winner will be...

NDA's Director of Studies, Anthony Rayworth, will be one of the judges at The New Design Britain Awards at this year's Interiors UK event at Birmingham NEC.

Running from 22 to 25 January, Interiors UK is the UK's largest trade interiors exhibition and provides a unique opportunity for Interior Designers, Retailers, Architects and Contractors to witness the latest in traditional and modern furniture, lighting, flooring, soft furnishings and accessories.

The New Design Britain Awards, being judged on the 23rd January, are one of the most recognised competitions in the UK for young design talent, giving recognition to students for innovative and ground-breaking work.

Will Anthony be judging you?

There are four categories, each with its own panel of judges: Fabric, Furnishing Accessories, Furniture, and Surface Covering. Anthony will be on the judging panel for the Furniture category, looking forward to the event he said: "I'm very pleased to have been asked to be on the judging panel this year, I've been going to Interiors UK for several years now and have always found it to be a great place to see both emerging talent and established companies involved in interior design."

In a bid to get people thinking about design prior to the show, Interiors UK have launched a Facebook game. Designed to test your knowledge of design classics, Do You Know Your Design? offers prizes to everyone who plays the game. To find out more and play the game visit: http://on.fb.me/tv5Azf.

For those who can't attend the show, NDA will be reporting on it in this blog, so stay tuned!

January at NDA

Welcome back to NDA Interior Design News for a new start to a brand new year.

January is a busy month for us as we have lots of workshop courses taking place, here is the complete list:

9th January - Hand Drawing Workshop
10th January - Hand Drawing Advanced *NEW FOR 2012!*
11th January - Rendering Workshop
12th January - Visual Presentation Workshop *Useful for: Diploma in Professional Interior Design/ Diploma in Professional Curtain Making & Soft Furnishing/ All Foundation Degree and BA Honours Modules*
23rd January - AutoCAD Workshop *Useful for: Degree students only*
24th January - AutoCAD Advanced Workshop *Useful for: Degree students only*
25th January - SketchUp Workshop
26th January - Photoshop 1 Workshop
27th January - Photoshop 2 Workshop

All the workshops will be taking place in our brand new re-fitted studio! Which we can't wait to to show you when it is fully finished.

To book onto one of the workshops you can book online or call us on 01159 1234 12.

Our Workshops have been specifically created to provide a focussed short learning experience for absolutely anyone who wants to attend. Some Workshops are directly relevant to specific Courses or Modules as noted next to them.

Workshops run from 9.30am - 4.30pm. An NDA Certificate is awarded on completion.

National Design Academy Workshops are open to all NDA students for a fee of £69 and to non-NDA students for a fee of £85.

We also have an Open Day coming up on 28th January. To attend you can book online or call 01159 1234 12.