Have a Creative Business or Hobby? George Lois Has Some Advice for You ...

An interior designer friend of mine shared a book with me that he said "changed my life," and I feel it's my duty to tell every Sheffield student - and everyone in a creative profession or with a creative hobby - to pick up a copy of Damn Good Advice (for people with talent!) by George Lois. Mr. Lois was the ad guy behind the rise of popular brands like MTV, Tommy Hilfiger, and VW, and his graphic design background (think the classic covers of Esquire magazine that are in MOMA's collection).

The book is wonderfully simple and jarring, with 120 great tips that are actually mini wake-up calls to become more creative and to work better and smarter with our talents. Here are a few nuggets.

• Most people work at keeping their job, rather than doing a good job. If you're the former, you're leading a meaningless life. If you're the latter, keep up the good work. 
• When you're presenting a Big Idea, be prepared to answer dumb questions. There's usually somebody in every meeting that just doesn't get it. Before the last word comes out of their lips, tear their doubts to shreds.
• You can be Cautious or you can be Creative (but there's no such thing as a Cautious Creative). A creative thinker must be fearless. If you're more tentative than decisive, if you're more cautious than creative, you'll never be an innovative business leader, and certainly not a great visual communicator. A Cautious Creative is an oxymoron.

If you're pursuing a creative hobby or a creative profession, you need the inspiration of books like this one to help give you a jolt and replenish your "juciness." Lois, whom many refer to as the original Mad Man (as in the TV show Mad Men), rankles at the comparison because he believes in a much better work and personal ethic than shown in the TV show. I highly recommend this book. You'll come away inspired and ready to create great work!

If you're interested in learning more about creative pathways for hobbyists and professionals, we encourage you to explore the Sheffield School, New York, NY. Sheffield began as an Interior Design school in 1985, and then expanded our course offerings to train people in other design-related fields, including Feng Shui, Wedding and Event Planning, and Jewelry Design. With thousands of active students and more than 50,000 graduates, Sheffield has trained more design professionals than any school in the world.

Request a free Sheffield School catalog describing our distance education courses.

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Interior Design Advice from Judy Sheridan: Staying Within Your Budget

If you don't know about interior designer Judy Sheridan's invaluable book How to Work with an Interior Designer, I can assure you that you need to get hold of a copy and learn all about home decorating, from A to Z, and the unique perspective of what a professional designer can do. Sheffield School was fortunate to have Judy give our students advice on camera; she'll be one of many interior design industry experts we'll be featuring in our soon-to-debut updated DVDs for our Complete Course in Interior Design. Here are some of Judy's gems of wisdom on how to maintain control over an interior design budget - and we all know how important it is to stay within budget on any design project!

Project a figure that will be your budget. Add 20 percent at the outset to make it more realistic.

• Decide the timing of your project.
• Allocate your funds into percentages based on the scope of work.
• Keep reviewing your documents and adding up the figures.
• Be aware of any rapidly climbing expenditure.
• Be prepared to make comprises (call them "executive decisions").
• If you have to, revise the early percentages. An allocation for construction 40 pecent/furnishings 40 percent/accessories 20 percent may have to be changed to 50/40/10.
• Do not let one area move beyond a 10 percent change without sitting down and rethinking your objectives.
• Stop saying yes to changes, add-ons, and upgrades.

 Sheffield School began as an Interior Design school in 1985, and then expanded our course offerings to train people in other design-related fields, including Feng Shui, Wedding and Event Planning, and Jewelry Design. With thousands of active students and more than 50,000 graduates, Sheffield has trained more design professionals than any school in the world.

Request a free Sheffield School catalog describing our distance education courses.

Subscribe to the Sheffield Designer newsletter.

New Year's Resolution: Read More Good Books (Maybe Even Write Some!)

Editor Thessaly Le Force and illustrator Jane Mount have created a fantastic book for holiday gift giving, and any writer or booklover would be tickled to receive it. In My Ideal Bookshelf, literary figures have contributed their favorite book titles to the project, and their spines have been lovingly illustrated by Mount.
 

James Franco's ideal books

These are books that are "love to read" and life-changing titles as well as those that contributors have chosen to display in their homes. You'll even get some peeks at the bookshelves of book-loving celebrities, too (like foodie Mark Bittman and rocker Patti Smith). 
 

Want to learn more about fiction and memoir writing, and how you can improve your writing and delve into traditional and self-publishing options for your work? Explore The Complete Course in Fiction & Memoir Writing from NYICD, Sheffield's sister school.

Video Inspiration - Interior Designers and Social Media

Ever wonder if some of your favorite Top Tier interior designers - those talented folks whose work we've all come to drool over online and in shelter magazines - use Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and other social media? A recent Donghia sponsored seminar featured some great designers and social media experts, and we're featuring a great video that should inspire you and other creative professionals to be more social and use all media outlets to best advantage. You have a brand to build (whether you're an interior designer, a jewelry designer, or an event or wedding planner), and it's important to take the time for social media. 

As mentioned in the video, designer David Scott has a nifty book we can recommend to you. Outside the Box shows you the factors that inspired David's top design projects. Very inspirational.

If you're interested in learning more about interior design and decor, we encourage you to explore the Sheffield School, New York, NY. Sheffield began as an Interior Design school in 1985, and then expanded our course offerings to train people in other design-related fields, including Feng Shui, Wedding and Event Planning, and Jewelry Design. With thousands of active students and more than 50,000 graduates, Sheffield has trained more design professionals than any school in the world.

Request a free Sheffield School catalog describing our distance education courses.

Subscribe to the Sheffield Designer newsletter.

Our Winner in the Venetian Interiors Rizzoli Book Giveaway Contest

Happy July 4th! We hope you're enjoying your day off, your BBQ fun, and your annual dose of fireworks. We know that Sheffield Says reader and Complete Course in Interior Design student Katy Hahn will be having a good time today because she just won our recent contest, and she's the recipient of the new Rizzoli book Venetian Interiors by Giuseppe Molteni and Roberta Motta, with text by Nicoletta Del Buono. (Visit Katy's website for her blog and interior design services.) Here's Katy's winning comment, a description of why the following room was her favorite (and the favorite of most people who voted in our Venetian Interiors - Pick Your Favorite Interior contest).  

I loved Venetian Interiors 5. I appreciated the architectural detailing and how the different textures gave depth to the room. I liked the spash of color on the neutral backround. I found the mood of the room to be calm and sophisticated yet warm and inviting. I loved the patina styled doors and the bust of the woman juxtaposed at the doorway as if to greet her guests. What I love most about this room is the wall with patterned glass doors and windows that goes all the way to the ceiling. I love how it floods the room with natual light and brings the outdoor beauty in.

These next two interiors gathered the second and third highest vote tallies in our contest.

Thank you to everyone who voted and left comments on their favorite rooms, and congratulations again to Katy!

If you're interested in learning more about interior design and decor, we encourage you to explore the Sheffield School, New York, NY. Sheffield began as an Interior Design school in 1985, and then expanded our course offerings to train people in other design-related fields, including Feng Shui, Wedding and Event Planning, and Jewelry Design. With thousands of active students and more than 50,000 graduates, Sheffield has trained more design professionals than any school in the world.

Request a free Sheffield School catalog describing our distance education courses.

Subscribe to the Sheffield Designer newsletter.