Designing America’s interior
Everyone has different tastes when it comes to style. Some prefer bright, bold colors while others prefer toned-down patterns. But it takes professionals to create spaces that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional. That is where USU’s interior design students come in.
Of the 60 freshman who will apply for the program this year, 20 will be offered spots as sophomores in the studio. These students will spend the next three years taking classes together and spending hundreds of hours on projects. During their last semester here, they’ll be able to show off their hard work by putting on the annual senior exhibit.
Steve Mansfield, a lecturer in the program and licensed architect, said spending so much time together unites the students.
“Each year as sophomores they meet as total strangers,” Mansfield said. “By the end of their junior year they’ve become best friends. Then by the time they’re seniors they’re a family.”
Though many interior design students are from Utah and the surrounding states, some come from far away places to join this “family.”
Linnea Saine, senior in interior design, came four years ago from her home in Helsinki, Finland, to be a part of this design program.
“I was looking at schools in the states,” Saine said. “This one was on the cheaper side, and I’d heard they have a really good program. There’s only one interior design program in Finland, and only about 2 percent of the people who apply get into it.”
Saine said it was hard to live away from her family. She’d never had school in English, and expected to hate it but actually loved it.
Saine said when her dad built their house in Finland, she became interested in the profession.
“I helped him pick things out for the house,” Saine said. “And I knew I wanted to do it.”
Saine’s classmates, like senior Jessica Watts from Salt Lake City, Utah, had similar experiences that got them interested in the major.
“My dad was an architect,” Watts said. “I loved design, but instead of designing the exterior, I wanted to do the interior.”
Senior Kylee Groskreutz from Draper, Utah, said there are many people who do not understand the demands of interior design.
“There are misconceptions that we just pick paint,” Groskreutz said. “But it’s so much more than that. I’ll be working for an architect in Salt Lake after graduation, and because of this major, I know building codes and construction documents. It’s basically like being an architect without a degree in architecture.”
Andrea Jones, a senior from Weston, Idaho, said the senior exhibit currently on display in the Twain Tippetts Exhibition Hall has been helpful to demonstrate how much work interior design is. Her family was able to visit the gallery, and she felt it helped them get a better grasp on her major.
“Some family members don’t understand what we do,” Jones said. “I’ve shown them a few things here and there, but it’s nice to let them come to the exhibit and see how time consuming it was. I like that it shows what all we do – not just pick out paint colors or throw pillows on couches.”
Groskreutz said the exhibit shows the versatility of the senior students.
“We have pretty pictures, but it all goes down to the basics,” Groskreutz said. “The floor plan, the space plan, functionality – it’s more than just eye-candy.”
Rebeccah Hardman, a senior in interior design from Ogden, Utah, started working with design in high school. She already earned her associate degree in interior design at Weber State, but said she came to USU for more.
“At the time when I came, Utah State was the only accredited program in the state,” Hardman said. “It’s so much superior here. There’s a different quality to the program, and the higher standards appealed to me.”
Saine said sometimes she gets discouraged as she does work in the major but seeing progression is motivating.
“Just looking back and seeing how much you’ve progressed helps,” Saine said. “There are times when you get really involved in projects and you start hating everything you do, but looking back gives you that much needed kick.”
Groskreutz said the time spent together creates a closeness within the major that you can’t always find in other departments.
“Our department is just so close with the professors and each other,” Groskreutz said. “We rely on each other, help each other and it’s a nice little community.”
Groskreutz said before she came she didn’t realize how time-consuming it would be.
“It’s a great sacrifice in time and energy,” Groskreutz said. “We spend nights and days in the studio and the professors do too. You have to love it. Otherwise you won’t last.”
Mansfield said he loves working with the students and bringing technical skills that make them employable.
“I love seeing the level of joy and satisfaction when they accomplish something they thought was impossible,” Mansfield said. “Not only is it demanding time-wise, but it’s an expensive major, too. They’re required to buy their own laptops and do internships that often are not paid.”
He said the end of the year is always a bittersweet time.
“I’m glad to see them succeed, but I will miss them after graduation,” Mansfield said.
Groskreutz agreed that it’s hard to leave.
“I won’t mind not having homework and sleepovers in the studio,” Groskreutz said. “But it’ll be hard not being with the people I’ve known for all these years. I’m so glad I chose this. It’s been the best thing for me and opens so many doors.”
Watts said the major has prepared her for the future.
“It’s made me more hard-working,” Watts said. “I’ve learned time-management and to be self-motivated. It’s not really about grades. It’s about your portfolio and if you’ll get a job. It makes us more well-rounded.”
Hardman said the people majoring in this do it because they love it, not because of the money.
“You don’t get a ton of financial pay, and it’s a lot of work,” Hardman said. “My family told me I picked the hardest job, but it’s an amazing career.”
– m.noble@aggiemail.usu.edu