Interior designers… fly your creative flags with pride

The cry of ‘no one understands us’ comes bleating once more from yet another sector of the design industry. Am I the only Design Week reader who thinks that the only way to make yourself heard in this world is to collectively speak up for yourselves and make a big noise?

Taylor Hammond’s letter is extremely valid (DW 17 March). The interior design profession is undervalued. As someone once said ‘Interior design is a bastard profession because every bastard around thinks they know how to do it!’

It would be unfair of me to comment on the winners of the interiors categories in the Design Week Awards, but what I can put money on is that very few judges actually visited any of the sites. Great interior design should be about experiencing the space as well as how good the entry photograph is.

So what is our sector doing to gain recognition? Who is acting as the voice of the profession we care so deeply about? The Chartered Society of Designers (RIP) used to claim that it represents the largest majority of interior design practitioners in the UK. I personally find more soul mates in the branding and packaging design world.

In my opinion it’s about time interior designers shed their jobsworth image, stopped pretending to be shopfitters and proudly flew their creative flag to the world. Prove that you are capable of being pro-active and e-mail me if you would like to take part in the next Interiors Forum.

Callum Lumsden

Lumsden Design Partnership

callum@ldp.co.uk