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I am a recent graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. I have a Bachelors of Science in Interior Design and was our student chapter ASID President. As editor for the Art Institute's Interior Design Department quarterly magazine, I learned a lot about the school, the department, and the profession. I interned for three very different companies my senior year of college. The first, No Good Riding Hood, was a start up residential design company. The second, The Tile Collection, was a tile design showroom that designed tile layouts for most of the clients who came in the door. Finally, the third internship was with The Blind Side, a well-established, high end residential, smaller commercial projects design firm. At all three of my internships I learned very different aspects of the business and enjoyed each one thoroughly.
The Tile Collection, Intern
I learned the most about working with manufacturers while at The Tile Collection. I dealt a good deal with calling the manufacturers for order numbers, freight, and detailed product inquiries. I designed display walls and boards for the showroom as well as working with clients to design their own projects. I did a lot of administrative work with the phone, paperwork, and organization. Learning the process of shipments was a key lesson from this internship. From the beginning when an order is placed to arrival, unpacking, checking, counting, and repackaging for pickup, the whole process was interesting.
The Blind Side, Intern
The Blind Side was my most hands on experience in terms of design. I did a lot of AutoCAD drawings for clients, from floor plans to detailed elevations. Also, I worked on the textile and finish selections for the spaces. Calling reps and dealers to order samples and memos was one of my main tasks. I also worked on organization, sorting through discontinued materials, and MSDS for clients. One time, I did the store layout for the front studio. I went on house calls to field measure and assess the work being done by the contractor at the time.
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Editor
As editor of the department's quarterly magazine, I used InDesign to create a graphic layout of the articles I had gathered and edited from faculty, students, and professionals.
No Good Riding Hood, Intern
The company was just opening when I started working for April McBain. I helped with the grand opening, store layouts for the store, and projects for the clients April obtained through her design boutique. I learned a lot about starting a company, inventory, organization, people skills, retail, and how to order things for the floor. I spent a lot of time working with April to come up with creative ways to advertise, update the website, and keep up with online sales.
