Diploma in Interior Design -

Mairead Collins

Interior Designer

What was your background before you started at KLC?
I studied International Business & languages at University, and I was educated in several different countries. I ultimately chose to pursue a career in fashion.

Why did you decide to study interior design?
I grew disenchanted with the disposable trends of the apparel industry and the shift towards a focus on quantity over quality. I wanted to apply my passion for art and design to something less ephemeral, and be involved in creating something that would live and grow with the owner.

What did you think of the course?
I really enjoyed the course.  I found it to be incredibly challenging, to the extent that I would never have imagined, but I was lucky to have the support and guidance of a talented group of tutors that challenged me and pushed me out of my comfort zone, so that I could grow and develop as a designer.

What are your design interests/strengths?
When the workload piles up and the finish line seems miles away, it can be easy to forget that design is supposed to be fun. If my design scheme involves opulent finishes and ornate details, I always introduce an element of quirkiness and a dose of humour, as interiors are to be enjoyed and not just admired.

I am inspired by…
Art, science, and the overlapping of fantasy and reality.

My favourite interior is…
To me, good design involves breaking a few rules, and Marcel Wanders does this beautifully in the Mondrian Hotel in Miami. I also love Gerard Butler’s New York loft, which was designed by film-set designer Elvis Restaino. It has a theatrical medieval feel but with all the perks of modern conveniences.

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