Student Spotlight: Amy Costi

Creative people are born creative, and it is safe to say that basically all creative-minded people have an insatiable, unwavering and oftentimes obsessive appetite for some kind of artistic release. Amy is one of those innately design-minded people who has always been on the low-key lookout for a creative outlet.

Having studied textiles in college, she was first considering a career in costume design but, as happens to so many of us, time, options, and life responsibilities led her in another direction. As she made her way to university, it was marketing that piqued her interest. Perhaps there was a glimmering hope that through marketing, she would have opportunities to flex her creative muscle? While marketing can often provide space for more innovative thinking, it can also be quite a corporate and strategy-based field.



Following 9 years working full time in marketing, Amy genuinely enjoys her work but that creative voice is still there, and its chatter was becoming impossible to ignore.

Over the years, Amy had found herself mentally rearranging rooms and envisioning colour combinations and patterns. She realised that one of the areas of design that has remained constant on her radar is interior design. Some people can view their life choices with a sense of certainty and decisiveness, and others are more cautious and analytical about making major decisions. Amy seems to lean towards the latter, but it doesn’t stop her from exploring her options and testing the water for herself. The ideal option to dip the proverbial toe was to enrol in the home study Diploma course in the National Academy of Creative Arts. This way she can study in her own time and at her own pace while maintaining her marketing career and working full-time.





Amy has loved the course and found she really embraced the technical drawing aspect of the program. Her favourite experience was the kitchen diner assignment where she could really explore her own design style all the while discovering the joys of detail!

The course has shown Amy that there is so much more to interior design than colour and décor and she is now seeing the world through the eyes of a designer. She is on the cusp of moving into her new home and can say with confidence that the experience of house-hunting has given a new, deeper appreciation for elements she would not previously have considered. She found herself looking at the light and space of a house and was suddenly considering symmetry and functionality as well as the aesthetic. Her creative mind has opened up, and so too has her palette. Amy is excited about the possibilities of a home full of colour and pattern. In her own words, she “will never go back to beige and grey”.



Learning is of course a fulfilling and exciting experience but nothing that is worth doing comes easy. While Amy appreciates the value of learning about the history of interior design, she was eager to get back to rolling up her sleeves and designing. But again, she is acutely aware of the calibre of diploma she is earning, and in order to live up to the standards of the diploma, the learning must be of the highest level. No great education begins with expertise; it is the basics that must inform the student and only then can they progress to become a professional.

After all, how can you break the rules if you haven’t even learned them? Amy described the history section of learning as being akin to “learning Shakespeare”. It’s painful for some, music to the ears of others, but either way, it is the classics that inform the contemporary.





There are many types of students and many approaches to learning, and while Amy may not have a clear vision for a career path in interior design, her approach comes with great maturity. She has taken a step into the world of design and is coming face to face with her inner designer. And just as importantly, through practice and indeed theory, she is discovering whether or not interior design is for her. As she builds on her skills and gains more experience, Amy will know firsthand how it makes her feel and if she truly wants to take that leap and make a career change. She began with an open mind, a toolbelt of DIY skills, and an inner creative just itching to emerge. As she weighs up her next move, Amy’s curiosity has been piqued, and as often happens to students, the unexpected has surprised her and she finds herself drawn towards commercial design. But it’s just a glance for now.



There is an option for Amy to progress to the next course and she certainly has the talent and skills to qualify, but Amy doesn’t rush into things and when the time is right, she will make an informed decision. Amy looks at her past self on the first day of the course and compares her to her current self who has grown in confidence as an interior designer and is putting together a portfolio of work. She may not take the leap tomorrow but with friends and family already asking for interior design advice, a new home on the horizon, and thoughts of what to do with this great body of work - perhaps the design world should - quietly – watch this space!