Student Profiles
Full Time - Professional Diploma in Interior Design
Paul Broadley 
KLC offered the most ‘real world’ approach to tutoring and project work. On top of that the location in Chelsea Harbour put you right in the middle of where interior design is happening.
I spent 13 years as a Marketing Director in the beauty industry and was beginning to run out of steam – I needed a new and more creative challenge. I found that the design process was what got me really excited, be it on advertising, and direct marketing campaigns, packaging design or shop and counter fits. So I knew that I wanted to incorporate this in a career change. At the same time I started renovating a 300-year-old cottage in Somerset, having already developed a number of apartments in London. It took two years and a lot of graft, but was immensely rewarding. It didn’t take much to see that interior design brought together these two passions and I haven’t looked back since. I believe that interior design has a massive impact on the way that we live, that we carry out our business and that we enjoy ourselves – and being able to have an input into that has the potential to be immensely rewarding.
Formerly a Marketing Director, I now run my own business together with Gerda Caner who I met on the Interior Design and Decoration Diploma course at KLC. That was over a year ago – probably one of the most demanding but rewarding years of our lives! Gush Design has already completed residential and commercial projects both in London and Berlin and we are currently working on projects in London, Linz, Tokyo and New York. We now employ 2 other designers and plan to grow the team further this year.
The key thing about having our own business has been to develop a unique design ethos and see it work for our clients.. Our approach is pragmatic and we believe that often the simplest idea proves to be the most creative solution, uncomplicated but detail driven. To that extent we design everything from chandeliers to furniture to artwork, ensuring that the end result has a truly individual style.
I often use the college as my first port of call if I need a contact and also use the CPD courses for the whole team.
After leaving KLC I joined Candy and Candy. Working at the very highest end of the interior design world was a remarkable experience and also gave me a sound commercial grounding. However setting up my own design business was always the goal and, realising this so soon after graduating, I see as a real achievement.
Working internationally has produced particular challenges. The Berlin office project was a 1000m2 shell and we had to work closely with our consulting architects to develop a scheme that not only worked functionally but also met the numerous workplace and safety requirements demanded by German legislation. Delivered last month on budget and on time, this was a real achievement of communication and co-operation.
The KLC diploma course provides you with a framework within which to develop your skills. Of course you need to know the fundaments of building structure & building regulations, planning, ergonomics etc. etc., but what I gained more than anything was the ability to communicate my ideas. From rough sketches through to 3D CAD models, I have seen my schemes develop from concept to reality. The other key lesson was just how much administration and project management is involved. It’s a real balance between creativity and organisation - you have to focus on the details and time planning at all times! Finally, I learnt as much from my fellow students as from the course tutors. It always amazed me how 62 students would all come up with 62 different solutions to a simple brief! So bouncing ideas of each other was always the fun part. Unequivocally I would recommend the Interior Design and Decoration Diploma course as I enjoyed it so much.
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