How did I become an interior designer in Harpenden?
For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a fashion designer. When I was little, it had been my dream to become a fashion designer, as I used to make my own clothes and spent hours sketching and designing clothes too. I even won a national Fashion Designer competition and my prize was to visit Barbara Cartland for afternoon tea. Now, that really was an experience!
Studying to be a fashion designer
Fashion designing had always been a hobby and passion of mine that I had hoped would become my career. I could not wait to leave school and become a fashion designer. I went to art college and studied fashion and textiles. It was a great experience; I had the best time and I really did love every minute of my time at art college.
However, after two years of studies and achieving excellent grades, I remember in my final review, I was told I was far too shy and nice to survive in the fashion industry. I felt heart-broken, confused and unsure what to do next. I half-heartedly applied for another fashion course, but consequently dropped out, as my heart was not in the right place.
From fashion design to interior design
It was during this time when I left college, that I decided to get a job. While I had been at art college, many external companies sent their interior design projects to our college for us to work on. I realised after I had finished my art college course when I was unsure of what to do next, that my highest grades had been on projects based on interior design. Now I wasn’t going to become a fashion designer, I had free time and was unsure of which career to pursue, so I got a job at Laura Ashley in St Albans.
Interiors became my passion
While working at Laura Ashley, I realised that I really hated selling clothes, but I loved the interior aspect of the work! I loved creating the beautiful window displays.
Unfortunately, one day at Laura Ashley, I was dragging a box of wallpaper into the stockroom and had a freak accident. The trapdoor to the cellar had been left open by a colleague and I accidentally fell down it, hitting a ladder and landing unconscious on the concrete of the cellar floor. I had to be taken by ambulance to hospital and have had problems with my back ever since.
Establishing Deborah Fitz interior designer business in Harpenden, Hertfordshire
It was during my time recovering, that I realised that becoming a window dresser for Laura Ashley was no longer attainable. I decided instead to embark on a new career path into interior design. While recovering from the incident at Laura Ashley, I started my degree in interior design at home and I established my own business – Deborah Fitz Interiors.
I have been working as an Interior Designer based in Harpenden for 25 years and I love my job.
Over the 25 years I have worked in interior design I have enjoyed the opportunity to work on various interior design projects. My work has been predominantly in private homes; however, I have also undertaken the refurbishment of commercial properties.
Working with clients to transform their interiors
Many people have the impression that interior designers impose ideas upon their clients, but this is not the case! I always take on board client requirements and preferences. I love to work with a client’s ideas and help them transform these ideas into practical and beautiful interiors in their homes. My services include many different aspects of interior design, and as I work with a team of tradesmen, my services are very affordable.
How I can help you with your interior design project
My services are varied, as I work on every aspect of interior design. My projects range in complexity, as from working on a single blind I can also work on transforming a whole house and its interiors.