Heritage School of Interior Design

I am a recent graduate of Heritage and cannot adequately underscore how excellent my experience was.
I am a 40+ year old woman who was looking for a career change. I have a bachelor’s degree plus and had a long and successful career in PR. I did not have the time or interest in a two or four year program. Heritage’s accelerated certificate curriculum was fast-​paced, thorough, engaging and has given me the tools I need to launch a successful practice.
The founder and her staff are genuinely invested in the students and the program. If you’re just starting out or like me, looking to pivot your career, I heartily recommend considering the Heritage program.

I was so excited when I discovered Heritage! A condensed 12 week program at an affordable price?! Yes please!
I signed up the first day I met with Stephanie. She was so caring, supportive and could see the potential in me instantly! Throughout the school program, Stephanie has given so much of herself! She is not just a business woman, she is nurturing and caring with each and every individual!
The teachers are just as amazing! They have such patience and they’re knowledge is so inspiring. The method of teaching was easy to follow, even at times that were really intense with learning new information.
I have people asking me how my experience was and I can’t tell them enough how much it has helped me grown with design and even as a person. Please, if you’re interested in design school, call Stephanie TODAY!

Heritage Interior Design is a very good school. Teachers are experienced and informed in the field of design. They teach the methods in a way that is easy to understand and take the time to answer students questions. The director Stephanie Plymale and the rest of the staff is very supportive and accommodating to the needs to students — it feels like a family. I’m very happy that I studied here and it exceeded my expectations.

I am familiar with this school because I speak to their students about picture framing and artwork through my business, Bradshaw Frame & Gallery, Inc., and have done so for many years. Although I understand they are not a traditional 4 year college I am not really familiar with the specifics of their curriculum. As a custom picture framing company that markets heavily to the interior designer trade I have the pleasure of working with many of the designers in the Portland area. What I can tell you is that some of the most successful designers I work with are graduates of Heritage School of Interior Design. Although one can never discount a traditional 4 year college experience, I do not think that receiving that traditional degree guarantees you success. By the same token, graduating from Heritage School of Design does not guarantee you success. What I can tell you is that I see a lot of success coming from Heritage so they must be doing a really good job at providing their students with the knowledge and tools to go out and make a good living for themselves.

As a professional interior designer that graduated from a Fider Accredited school in San Francisco, I can appreciate the points that Smidgen addresses. My education in the past mirrored the curriculum of a spectacular school (The Academy of Art College) and I cherish that experience.
One can look at the distinction between interior decorating and interior design as a significant difference. And I will not diminish the years of education that I and my coworkers and fellow designers have accomplished. What I will say is that there are a variety of careers within the design industry and the Smigen review doesn’t address that fact.
One only has to take a look at HGTV to see many aspects of design from flipping houses, staging homes, designing on a budget and many more. Many of the «stars» of those design shows have little or no formal training. I wrote a book «Interior Bliss — How to Decorate Like A Pro Without Breaking The Bank» as a primer on design as it relates to residential interiors — focusing on retail sources to finish a home. Which represents a very important area of design. To say that design should only be relegated to a subset within a structural aspect dismisses the many subsets within our industry where an education will benefit an individual interested in this field.
As a matter of full disclosure, I have been invited to be on the Board of Advisors for Heritage School of Design. I have personally reviewed the curriculum and can state that it meets the requirement for certification required by the Oregon Higher Education Coordination Commission. Furthermore, the students attending receive a practical education to learn the basics of the design industry to further their careers with a tuition that is affordable.
The course offerings are designed to create a «tool box» for the graduating students who will then move forward to the area of interest that best suits their desires and aptitudes. To be clear, an education does not end with graduating a program and receiving a certificate. At Neil Kelly where I work, we continue our education through a number of programs the company offers. I also have taken courses to learn areas that I may need to re-​learn especially in this age of technology.
While I believe in the Fider Accreditation, and successfully passed the NCIDQ exam many years ago, it has not played a significant part of my career as a design professional. In fact few clients care about my certification and have not asked to see it. I know many designers that are solid, professional, talented and extremely successful designers in the Portland area. The Fider programs are perfectly suited for a small division of interior design as it relates to commercial, hospitality and architectural design firms.
I suggest anyone interested in a career as a design professional to look at the curriculum at Heritage School. I also invite them to consider that there is a high standard of competency the school must prove to be accredited by Oregon’s Higher Education. Finally, I recommend anyone interested in following their dreams and their passions to interview with the school and determine if it is a good fit for you. That is what I did many years ago when I dreamed of being a designer, and have never regretted it!