ALUMNI

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The students of Ivy House Design School are as diverse in their backgrounds,as they are in the way they pursue their new careers. Interior Design offers so many different opportunities and areas of specialism. Our past students are working across the breadth of the industry and have told us that having been trained within a working design practice undoubtedly helped speed up their integration into the world of interior design.

Some students have gone on to work with conservation architects and historic interiors. Others have been working with developers designing showhomes, whilst others have designed interiors specifically for the rental market – holiday lets as well as long term city rentals. Interior design for the residential market is still strong as some clients decide to wait for the market to re establish itself, they are employing interior designers to design and reassess their existing properties. Many of our past students have established their own design practice and are taking advantage of this current market as well as working on some exciting renovation projects all over the U.K.

With the skill to draw accurate plans and elevations, lighting and electrical layouts our Diploma students are leagues ahead of interior decorators who are just 'good with colours'. The creativity and flair of our students with colour and texture is a given and greatly enhanced by their breadth of technical knowledge and attention to detail which underpins a truly professional interior.

Below is a selection of comments from the Alumni of Ivy House Design School.

Inspiration and support “The inspiration and support of Sheila, her team and my fellow students was absolutely invaluable during this incredibly intense five-week period. The course at Ivy House Design School not only gave me the knowledge and tools to build up my own business, but also gave me the self-belief I needed to do so. Sheila is very generous with her information and experience and it is quite clear that she has “been there, done that” and wants to give her students all the help she can as they make their way into the big wide world of interior design. The professional courses are really intense and I found the thought of homework every night and at the weekends a daunting prospect. However, I amazed myself and all my friends and, most importantly, my incredibly artistically talented husband was a little bit taken aback by what I achieved!”. “While the courses are certainly not inexpensive, they are worth every penny – I have made and saved the cost of all three courses several times over since graduating”. A. Baller		Estate Agent to Interior Designer “Having spent seven years working in estate agency and renovating property in and around the Bristol area I decided it was time to look into pursuing what I had always dreamed of doing – running my own business as an interior designer. From the moment I stepped foot into the school I had no doubt that I had made the right decision in enrolling to do the diploma and business courses designed and run by Sheila Dunlop. From the first day Sheila told us of the intensity and hard work that the course would demand. I appreciated her honesty and from experiencing the strict structure of each class and lesson I attended, I was not only overwhelmed and excited by what I was learning but fascinated and inspired.” C. Langley
Wonderful portfolio “Completing the course at Ivy House Design School run by Sheila Dunlop was a most inspiring and enjoyable experience. The course has given me a confidence in interior design that I thought I would never have, along with a wonderful portfolio completed during this time. The compact nature of the course enables you to gain maximum skills in a minimum timescale. This is ideal for anyone wishing to venture into this field and really gain skills and experience from a wonderful teacher with such hands on knowledge”. H. Threlfell		I decided to change careers “Whilst I have always had a passion for interior design my early career had been very different. After studying chemistry and contract law I spent 17 years in a commercial environment negotiating agreements for trading commodities. After the birth of my second daughter I decided to change careers and studied interior design and decoration at Ivy House Design School. The course was hard work but extremely practical. It covered everything from the technical aspects of lighting to the more everyday aspects of presenting your designs to a client. Sheila, the course director, openly shared her wealth of experience and knowledge which I have since found invaluable. Burleigh Interiors is now in its second year, our biggest market has been large country properties, mainly overseas clients... I have met some lovely people and enjoy the challenge that each new project brings”. J. Jones
New clients “I’ve had three new clients in the last two weeks and I’ve got quite a few jobs coming to fruition at the moment as well. My work still seems to be soft furnishings, furniture and surfaces based but I’ve got a refurbishment in London and I’ve been involved with a large 1920’s house in Budleigh Salterton that’s being stripped back to its shell and remodelled. Luckily I love the soft furnishings aspect – anything to do with fabrics – so I don’t mind at all. It just means I spend a lot of time scheming!” P.Woodward		I’m working for architects “I am working for a lovely architects company in Richmond and I am their interior designer. They mainly specialise in the restoration of historic properties and do a lot of work for the Royal household. I have been working on an amazing Elizabethan property near Guildford since I started at the company in January 2008 and am about to start on a Regency property in Hampstead. I was unsure as to whether I wanted to work for a company especially as I had literally just finished my course at Ivy House. I was really ready to set up on my own! However, I went for an interview and as soon as I saw their portfolio I knew this was to be my ideal job.” L. Wrisdale
Thank you so much “I just wanted to send you a quick email to thank you so much for the courses. The courses are very professionally run and full of useful information, which I plan to use to set up my own company in the New Year. I have already bought my train tickets to visit Chelsea Harbour at the beginning of January and have a long list of “to do” things waiting for my attention”. H. Gordon		The whole Ivy House experience “I have felt so positive and energised by the whole Ivy House Experience. It is an amazing concept ….. and it is only now that I am really able to evaluate and process what it has meant to me. I have taken away a great deal from the total experience – more than just “Design!” P.Nile

Inspiration and support

“The inspiration and support of Sheila, her team and my fellow students was absolutely invaluable during this incredibly intense five-week period. The course at Ivy House Design School not only gave me the knowledge and tools to build up my own business, but also gave me the self-belief I needed to do so. Sheila is very generous with her information and experience and it is quite clear that she has “been there, done that” and wants to give her students all the help she can as they make their way into the big wide world of interior design. The professional courses are really intense and I found the thought of homework every night and at the weekends a daunting prospect. However, I amazed myself and all my friends and, most importantly, my incredibly artistically talented husband was a little bit taken aback by what I achieved!”.

“While the courses are certainly not inexpensive, they are worth every penny – I have made and saved the cost of all three courses several times over since graduating”.

A. Baller

Estate Agent to Interior Designer

“Having spent seven years working in estate agency and renovating property in and around the Bristol area I decided it was time to look into pursuing what I had always dreamed of doing – running my own business as an interior designer.

From the moment I stepped foot into the school I had no doubt that I had made the right decision in enrolling to do the diploma and business courses designed and run by Sheila Dunlop. From the first day Sheila told us of the intensity and hard work that the course would demand. I appreciated her honesty and from experiencing the strict structure of each class and lesson I attended, I was not only overwhelmed and excited by what I was learning but fascinated and inspired.”

C. Langley

Wonderful portfolio

“Completing the course at Ivy House Design School run by Sheila Dunlop was a most inspiring and enjoyable experience. The course has given me a confidence in interior design that I thought I would never have, along with a wonderful portfolio completed during this time. The compact nature of the course enables you to gain maximum skills in a minimum timescale. This is ideal for anyone wishing to venture into this field and really gain skills and experience from a wonderful teacher with such hands on knowledge”.

H. Threlfell

I decided to change careers

“Whilst I have always had a passion for interior design my early career had been very different. After studying chemistry and contract law I spent 17 years in a commercial environment negotiating agreements for trading commodities. After the birth of my second daughter I decided to change careers and studied interior design and decoration at Ivy House Design School. The course was hard work but extremely practical. It covered everything from the technical aspects of lighting to the more everyday aspects of presenting your designs to a client. Sheila, the course director, openly shared her wealth of experience and knowledge which I have since found invaluable. Burleigh Interiors is now in its second year, our biggest market has been large country properties, mainly overseas clients... I have met some lovely people and enjoy the challenge that each new project brings”.

J. Jones

New clients

“I’ve had three new clients in the last two weeks and I’ve got quite a few jobs coming to fruition at the moment as well. My work still seems to be soft furnishings, furniture and surfaces based but I’ve got a refurbishment in London and I’ve been involved with a large 1920’s house in Budleigh Salterton that’s being stripped back to its shell and remodelled. Luckily I love the soft furnishings aspect – anything to do with fabrics – so I don’t mind at all. It just means I spend a lot of time scheming!”

P.Woodward

I’m working for architects

“I am working for a lovely architects company in Richmond and I am their interior designer. They mainly specialise in the restoration of historic properties and do a lot of work for the Royal household. I have been working on an amazing Elizabethan property near Guildford since I started at the company in January 2008 and am about to start on a Regency property in Hampstead. I was unsure as to whether I wanted to work for a company especially as I had literally just finished my course at Ivy House. I was really ready to set up on my own! However, I went for an interview and as soon as I saw their portfolio I knew this was to be my ideal job.”

L. Wrisdale

Thank you so much

“I just wanted to send you a quick email to thank you so much for the courses. The courses are very professionally run and full of useful information, which I plan to use to set up my own company in the New Year. I have already bought my train tickets to visit Chelsea Harbour at the beginning of January and have a long list of “to do” things waiting for my attention”.

H. Gordon

The whole Ivy House experience

“I have felt so positive and energised by the whole Ivy House Experience. It is an amazing concept ….. and it is only now that I am really able to evaluate and process what it has meant to me. I have taken away a great deal from the total experience – more than just “Design!”

P.Nile