Shobana Veeramani is currently studying her RTO Diploma at the Australian Academy of Interior Design. While she has always been interested in design, it was not a straight path to the course. With an education in Computer Science engineering and a career in IT, Shobana took a massive pivot to enrol in the course. Taking a sabbatical from your professional life is not an easy choice for anyone. It involves risk, support and a bit of a leap of faith, which is why choosing the right course is so important. Shobana found the Australian Academy of Interior Design while searching online. She didn’t want a fully online programme and was drawn to a more in-person, classroom environment. But “what stood out about the academy was the structure of the course, the flexibility to study while managing my personal life and the emphasis on practical, industry focused learning. It felt like the right balance between professional training and a supportive, human learning environment, so choosing this academy became an easy decision.”
Now that she is deep into assignment and project work, Shobana is reflecting on the impact this new knowledge has had on her creativity and indeed, her everyday perspective on things. Once the mind has opened to inspiration, ideas can spring from anywhere. Shobana’s currently working on a design concept based on the humble dandelion. It all began when she was walking her dog. She spotted a dandelion and “I picked one up, ready to blow the seeds away, but instead I stopped and really looked at how each delicate strand connects back to a single round centre. I imagined that centre as a light source and suddenly it became a floor lamp in my mind, then a chandelier. That moment has grown into a full design exploration, and I am now working on developing the 3D concept for a dandelion inspired chandelier.”
But when Shobana first enrolled, she didn’t have a clear vision of the path she would take. Having always been drawn to interior design, it seemed like a logical step to take but like many new endeavours, it isn’t always what you would imagine. Shobana found the technical aspects like the standard of drawing and learning the language of design a little tough to begin with. But piece by piece she began to see how everything is connected.
“Now, I feel much more comfortable and confident in expressing my ideas in the language of design. It’s been a gradual process of discovery, not just of design, but of myself.”
The beauty of studying design is not just the skills that are developed and the knowledge that is gained, but many students embrace a new way of thinking and uncover new parts of themselves they had yet to meet. Shobana says her “perspective has changed almost 180 degrees.” Where she would have simply viewed a beautiful object as something to enjoy, now she sees “lines, circles, planes and proportions that can be broken down and rebuilt. What once felt intimidating now feels like a series of steps and decisions. That shift has been the biggest change for me. Interior Design has moved from something I admired from the outside to a language I can actually read, understand and start to speak.”
But the thing that surprised her most is how much Interior Design is about storytelling. “It’s about connecting the client’s needs, the functional requirements of the space and the aesthetic choices into one clear, meaningful story.”
And not just in the story your design tells, but how that translates as communication with the client; “it’s a story about their life, their habits and how they will feel in that room.”
As Shobana continues through her coursework and enormous learning curve, her mind is not far from her future.
“After graduation, I definitely want to pursue a specialisation in Interior Design, in light and colour psychology. Understanding how light and colour affect mood, behaviour and wellbeing is where I feel most drawn, and I’d like that to become my core area of expertise. I haven’t completely decided whether I will start my own practice or work within an established studio, and I’m intentionally keeping that open for now.”
And Shobana’s advice for those thinking about enrolling is to prepare yourself for hard but gratifying work and to “stay curious through the discomfort of being a beginner.”
So, with these parting words, Shobana’s experience is so far, nothing short of inspiring.
“As I move through each assignment and share ideas with my classmates, I can feel my thinking opening up. I am starting to see everyday objects and moments as potential concepts for future spaces.”
