Name: Wendy Goodman
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
QC courses you’ve taken: Interior Decorating Course, Color Consultation Course
Website: www.etsy.com/ca/shop/WendyJoyCreations
Facebook: Wendy Joy Creations
Meet Wendy Goodman, QC Design School student and owner of Wendy Joy Creations. Wendy completed her Interior Decorating course, and is now starting her Color Consultation course. We caught up with her to learn more about her passion for interior design, how it compliments her love for fabrics and sewing, and her advice to those who wants to start their career in design!
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
Right now, I am currently not working as I am focusing on schooling. I did open up my Etsy shop in June where I sell tote bags and baby blankets that I created and sewed. I was an elementary school teacher for the past nine years but I have walked away from the profession as I was having difficulty finding a teaching job.
Why did you decide to go into design?
During my first few years of university, I found myself watching design shows when I was taking a break from homework and studying. I found learning about design and decorating very interesting and 13 years later, I am still watching design shows and taking notes so that I can create my dream home down the road! Also, three years ago, I had to learn how to sew for my post-graduate degree in teaching as I was studying to be a textiles/sewing high school teacher. I never did end up teaching high school but I did learn how to sew and sewing has become a hobby – and now a side job with Etsy.
What are your career goals?
I am thinking of how to find a niche on Etsy combining the knowledge I have gained from QC Design School and the knowledge I have from sewing. I would like to be a color consultant or an interior decorator for a company. I do plan on moving to a bigger city once I finish schooling as there are no big name decorating companies or stores in the city I currently live in.
How important is color, and what have you learned so far in the Color Consultant Course that can be applied in your career?
Color is very important to me, not only from a designing aspect, but also from a sewing aspect. I constantly have to match up fabrics and colors for all my sewing projects. I have made tote bags for friends and they all say that I have an eye for detail in choosing fabrics that go so well together. One of the things that I was interested in learning was about undertones in paint colors as I do not have any knowledge about how to recognize the slight differences between colors and the undertones that colors, especially greys and beiges, have. I did not even know that undertones can affect furniture, accessories or flooring colors.
Have you enjoyed your experience with learning design online?
Yes! I have really enjoyed my experience with learning design. Last year, I completed my Interior Decorating program and although I enjoyed the program, I was hoping to learn more about color theory. I was really excited to see that there was a new color consulting course because I wanted to be a color consultant, but did not know where to study to become one. Also, Jane Lockhart is my favorite designer so I was thrilled to see that she was going to be featured in some of the videos.
I also want to point out that whenever I have had any questions about an assignment, I always got a prompt response back from someone at QC Design School. The support staff are friendly and very helpful. Even though this is an online program, I have felt that I was never really alone because I knew I could seek help with an assignment if needed. Finally, the feedback the tutors provide are detailed and the constructive feedback helped me become a better decorator/color consultant.
What are you some tips you would give to those looking to start their design career?
Since I have not really started my design career yet, I don’t think I have some tips to pass along! That being said, if you love design and decorating, I would consider taking courses because they are affordable (plus 50% off a second program if you choose to complete more than one program) and the programs are self-paced so you can complete the course while working and raising a family.