Interior Designer
Name: Stephanie Austin
Career stage: 5-10 years' experience
Working: Office
High School Subjects: English Advanced, General Mathematics, Dance, Hospitality, Community and Family Studies
Favourite: I have always been an individual that thrives in a learning environment and quite simply can’t get enough of it - for that reason I thoroughly enjoyed my time at school growing up. My two favourite subjects were English Advanced and Hospitality. English allowed me to push myself beyond what I knew I was capable of – I had an extremely encouraging and what some would say intense teacher in Year 12. The way she taught and her drive to ensure her students succeed allowed me to flourish under her guidance. Cooking is one of my favourite hobbies, it also allows me to push myself, but I can have a lot of fun doing this. As such, Hospitality was more of a fun subject for me to choose at school, I knew I would enjoy it and do well.
Further study: University
where and what: UNSW - Bachelor of Interior Architecture (Honours)
"I played the sims and to be completely honest I think this was an 'ah ha' moment!"
the inside scoop…
What does an Interior Designer actually do?
As an Interior Designer I take projects from concept to completion – turning an idea into a physical form, being a building. Think of me as an architect that has a strong focus on how the individuals use, move through, and feel within a space. This comes in the form of the following:• Planning spaces for their intended functions and the user
• Picking finishes within the space • Picking furniture within the space • Designing joinery – think of your kitchen cabinets and all the elements within.
• Ensuring the building has adequate services (aircon, lighting, plumbing, fire systems) and they are as hidden from the human eye as possible.
• Making 3D renders to give clients an idea of how the space will look.
• Undertake construction documentation to ensure the design is buildable – this comes in the form of drawings.
• Lots of problem solving
• Lots of communicating to ensure we make spaces as functional as possible.
What does a day in your life at work look like? A typical day in my life is office based. I leave home at 7.30 and arrive at the office before 9am. I typically will have a team meeting in the morning to ensure we all know what we are aiming to work through or achieve that day. It is also a time to raise any issues or concerns we have found – be with our planning, modelling, or things that need to go in the building. As I mentioned before our role entails lots of problem solving. I then will dive into a program called Revit – if you have ever played Sims, think of Revit or Mindcraft like that but with a lot more detailed features! Within Revit I am documenting – in the form of 2D plans, elevations and sections. This is where I make my ideas buildable and what a builder would utilise as a reference. This is a small glimpse of my day but one that is most typical. Pending the project stage, I often get to go on site too and see how things are progressing!
What's the best part of your job? I love that I get to be challenged daily, I am constantly learning and evolving and I am really proud of how far I have come. I also love that I have turned my passion into a reality. Ultimately, I think the thing I love the most about my role is that I get to have a positive impact on how an individual utilises a space.
What made you realise construction could be for you? I was quite fortunate to have a strong desire to pursue architecture growing up – from around 10 years old I knew this is what I wanted to do. I would often ask to look at houses around the neighbourhood and when I became older I would go out to project homes such as Masterton and spend hours going through each home to see how it was planned out! I also played the sims and to be completely honest I think this was an 'ah ha' moment – I would love to know how much time I spent playing this game and by playing… I mean building the homes!
I am an extremely observant and detail orientated individual – I enjoy documentation and the technical element of my role; I think is because I know there is endless amount of learning and I can constantly evolve. I also enjoy human psychology, being able to design environments that ultimately have a positive effect on individuals and how they navigate the boundaries of a space.Do you have any advice for young women picking a career? I have always said to friends do what you love and do it well. But the reality is not everyone knows what they want to do when they leave school and there is no real timeline as to when you need to. What is important is that you enjoy what you do because work is a big part of your week. Give a few things a go, try your hardest and reflect on how it makes you feel.
What do your friends and family think about working in construction? My friends have enjoyed watching my journey as they knew this is what I have always wanted to do. I always had a desire to work in high end residential (I am yet to do this) but they are always saying, please design my house one day! You get asked this a lot.
Tell us about a time you made a difference in your work. This may not be directly related to my job but for my graduate project in my final year of university I focused on a reimagined mental health facility. One that was not clinical and something we have not seen before, it may not have made an impact on a grand scale but I hope one day we can see something like what I mapped out come to life in the world.
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