Inspiring Young Designers: My Past, Present & Future

You know that saying your past has a way of catching up with you! hmmmm, well that's exactly what just happened in the most delightful, creative way. As you all know I'm currently knuckling down to complete my Diploma in Interior Design at KLC. But what you didn't know was that young HOP studied at St. Thomas More School in Chelsea (or so it was called back in the day). I was always fabulous at art (tooting my own horn) and even from those inspiring days I always had that creative spark. So it was a pleasure to discover that as part of KLCs fabulous 30s (anniversary that is) they had teamed up with my old secondary school to inspire young designers. Alongside the fabulous architects at the Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands (LDS) studios, in corporation with the Higher Education Links Manager Gill Cumberland, students had to design a brand new bedroom space for a sports personality. 

I took the opportunity to interview Tommy More's Head of Art Russell Carter to discover how, what & why he decided to get involved and how the students have taken to interior design.

HOP What was the project brief and how have you helped the students get to grips with the interior design process

RC The project brief was to design and develop a sketchbook for a bedroom space for a sports personality. The pupils developed ideas in their sketchbooks before applying them further to mood and development boards. The pupils have all selected a different sports personality to base their room around taking into account the clients likes and country of origin. They will then present their sketchbooks and boards at the architects offices.

HOP What inspired you to become involved in such a creative project with KLC

RC The reason we became involved in the project was due to our Higher Education Links Manager (for the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea) Gill Cumberland who had been approached by the KLC School of Design to develop a borough wide partnership project. Many schools across the borough were approached but only one other and ourselves took up the offer.

HOP What have students enjoyed most about the project so far
RC I am undertaking the project with my year ten GCSE class and they have really enjoyed working on this project as they have been able to develop and learn new skills.

HOP How has the partnership between KLC helped the students along with the project
RC Julia Begbie and her colleagues have seen much of the students sketchbook work when visiting the school to assist our students. She was very impressed with the quality and the maturity of much of the work.

HOP Do you think that interior design should be introduced into the GCSE Art syllabus

RC The project has allowed our students to come into contact with practising interior designers and they have seen that art and design can lead to a variety of different career paths in the creative world. Through doing this project I would most definitely develop a scheme of work based around interior design as our students have thoroughly enjoyed undertaking this project.


Through my visit I couldn't help but wonder... if I had this opportunity during my time at Tommy More would I have become a creative interior designer....