Graduate Spotlight: Ronja Lindstrom

Since her school days, Ronja Lindstrom was a high achieving straight-A student with lofty standards and hyperopic aspirations. While this sounds like a person who knew exactly what they wanted and indeed how to get it, Ronja’s academic successes were somewhat shadowed by an inner creative urge that had not yet been realised. It was her inner artist’s voice that simply would not rest until she found a creative outlet.



Image credit: Assignment work by Ronja.

The artist within  Creative minded people are generally highly intelligent with problem solving skills and ways of seeing that can translate to many areas of life. But this busy curious mind can sometimes become cluttered with the chatter of ideas. For Ronja, her chatter involved singing, playing her guitar, drawing, painting, knitting and pretty much anything that involved creating stuff!

By the time she was out in the world earning money, Ronja knew she would need to shift her gaze to something that would respond to her creative urge. Like many young Europeans, Ronja had left her home in Helsinki and found herself in London, so she channeled her energies into Visual Merchandising and found herself working in homewares and dressing windows. It was fun and dynamic, but soon that inner creative was beginning to feel frustrated. Something wasn’t quite right. It just wasn’t creative enough. Perhaps it was the constraints of merchandising that gave her itchy feet, or perhaps Ronja is simply too curious to stand still?

So, she enrolled in the National Academy of Creative Arts to pursue her Higher National Diploma.



Image credit: Assignment work by Ronja.

Work, learn and live… But Interior Design was no accident. She had always been interested in interiors and used to glue herself to renovation and make-over television shows. The practice of interior design is a delicate balance of creativity and problem solving and it was the art of finding solutions while creating functional, beautiful spaces that spoke to Ronja’s duality of intellect. She is both academically excellent, and a free-spirited artist.

Following a successful internship in Dubai and lots of experience with both residential and commercial work in Britain, soon she was working full time as a designer. But again, Ronja became restless. She was doing well and was enjoying her work, but she knew she needed more. High-minded people tend to need the full complement of credentials and while work experience is hugely valuable, she felt the need to elevate her skills and enhance her education. But she had a dilemma. How could she pursue further education and commit to learning and studying, without sacrificing her already thriving job? The perfect solution was the Academy’s flexible study modes. Some of the most attractive aspects of the academy are not only the academic accreditations, but also the costs and the flexibility of the course structures. Ronja chose the Classroom-based study mode which meant she could continue to work mid-week and go to class on Saturdays. She enjoys interacting with people and finds working with peers and tutors both reassuring and inspiring. She felt part of a community.



Image credit: Assignment work by Ronja.

Where creativity and intellect unite. Ronja excelled in her coursework and as her work continued, she began to think of home. While her heart was in Finland, her mind was on the plans and preparation for another big move. She began to think about the cultural and professional differences and the fact the Finnish people place a very high value on university achievements. But Ronja didn’t have to look far. The National Academy of Creative Arts offered an opportunity to further progress in her academic pathway. By the time she completed her studies, Ronja had experienced both the Classroom-Based and Home Study options. The latter meant she was somewhat bereft of the camaraderie of the classroom, but it also meant she could continue her studies and move back to Finland without any major upheaval.

Today Ronja is home in Helsinki with an internationally recognised qualification in interior design and a portfolio of work. Her time in Britain and the relationships she formed have led to some freelance work but the team player in her is on the lookout for a design company to call home. Ronja understands the value of carving out strong working relationships with people. Not only does it make for a more pleasant work environment, but when you practice some respect and kindness, people will pay it back in spades.

This academic pathway was more than just a qualification for Ronja, it was a learning curve for her CAD skills, and it helped her as a practicing designer to continue to see things in new ways and to avoid becoming too single minded in her approach. It was an injection of confidence and made her feel validated as a designer.

Ronja’s dream project would probably be a boutique hotel where she could really spread her creative wings. Hospitality projects can be exciting and dynamic and while she loves the scale and freedom of commercial design, there is nothing quite as satisfying as seeing the joy in the faces of the people whose homes she has transformed.

The academy has taught Ronja so much more than the skills and knowledge of an interior designer. She now walks with the confidence of a true designer. And yet it is still more than just swagger. Ronja now knows that as long as she continues to design, she will continue to learn. And what a wonderful way to live!?