My name is James Lambrou, I am 32 years of age. I have been a permanent resident in the UK (London) for 8 years and was born in Adelaide, Australia. I had always been interested in design throughout my life. My passion had me accepted into a design college in Australia, to study Industrial Design however after much thought and deliberation, I instead decided to complete a Bachelors Degree in Management/Marketing. I pursued this career for a number of years, both in Australia and the UK, before accepting a job working in the management team of a cable TV Channel. Here, I found my way into the more creative side of the industry, getting involved in production allowing me to release some creative energy. I continued my career in TV working for a major broadcaster. Throughout this time, I continued to explore my love for interior design, offering my self taught knowledge to friends and family, designing a number of homes. This is when I knew that I was in the wrong profession. I resigned shortly after and went full time as a student at Limperts Academy of Design, taking on odd jobs in interior retail and design throughout 2006. I have now completed my Diploma in Interior Design with Distinction and continue to study for my HND in Interior Architecture. I have started my own company called Begin Design, specialising in residential interior design in South East London. It has been the most challenging few years but the most rewarding. Being paid for something you truly have a passion for is unbeatable.

James Lambrou

I used to work as a systems analyst for Diageo Ireland, this entailed working with and maintaining a computer package that planned the production of Diageo’s products. It was a complex system that needed constant monitoring, so I was pretty much a computer “geek”. Before that I worked for Colgate Palmolive as a Logistics Planner, in short I ensured that all the products for the Irish market were at the agreed levels needed to maintain Colgate’s customers. While working for Diageo Ireland, I finally got around to starting an interior design course. I did some research and felt that Limperts Academy offered me the accreditation and flexibility that I wanted. I sent in my first assignment, received back very helpful feedback and was hooked from that moment on. Before I even finished the course I knew it was the area I wanted to work in and I learnt so much from the course. At last I had found what I was looking for! I made the scary decision to start working for myself. It was a big jump, going from a salary every month to nothing initially but I haven’t looked back and work is flying in. It’s great! There are up’s and down’s no doubt, but if you are prepared to work hard then there are no limits to what can be achieved. Making the decision to take this course has offered me a completely new career, I am finally working doing something I love. I highly recommend it!

Carolyn Ruth

I qualified as a graphic designer in 1988 when I graduated from Wrexham College of Art and Design in North Wales. Since then I have worked as a graphic designer in Scotland and Ireland. Over the years I have developed an strong interest in interior design, in 2002 I took the decision to go back to college and further my training in interior architecture and design. As an designer I enjoy working with shapes colours and styles. My work is strongly influenced by designers past and present. Architect Frank Lloyd Write and designer Eileen Gray, are just two example from whom I have drawn on for inspiration I enjoy seeing my ideas take shape on paper, when I get the opportunity I render my drawings as perspective illustrations creating images for visual communication and presentation.

John Hibbert

Graduate Interior Designer of the year 2006
Gold Winner in the Student Category
Nature’s best
Autumn Dining Room  

I was delighted to be awarded Gold Winner in the Student Category at the Digiweb Ideal Homes Exhibition. I have just graduated from a Diploma in Interior Design and Decoration which I studied at Waterford Institute of Technology. Interior Design was something I’ve always wanted to work at so I’ve decided to start my own business called “Inside Spaces” and having a Room Set at the Ideal Homes Exhibition was a great experience because I got a lot of good advice from some very interesting people in the design industry.

Teresa O’Keeffe

“I wasn’t really sure if the course would meet the standards here in the US but it has surpassed them all. I receive continued praise for my work and my portfolio, and several people I know are now enrolling with you. Normally education here (in the US) is so expensive and you have provided a real opportunity for people to achieve their dreams and a standard that surpasses any work I have seen in colleges here. I’m so glad I enrolled with you, it has changed my life.”

Phil Harnell

Winner of the Interior Designer of the year competition 2006

I have always had a keen interest in art and design and when I left school I studied animation for a couple of years. I had always been looking up local college courses for an Interior Design course and when finally one came to W.I.T., I jumped at the chance to study this by night, as it has always been my passion. I graduated from Limperts Academy with a first class distinction, which was such an achievement to me personally. From here I set up my company, which I named “Designer Instinct”. I have found it tough enough to get off the ground but am gradually branching out and getting busier everyday.

Yvonne Hutchinson Smyth

My name is Luciana Mazza and I am a freelance Fashion Stylist working in TV. I was born in Montevideo, Uruguay and I spent part of my childhood living in Belgium where I worked in fashion retailing for several years. Here in the UK, I realised the fashion industry is quite complex and segmented into different areas. I thought about what I wanted to do and in 2005 I decided to study with two leading fashion schools: Central Saint Martins College and Limperts Academy of Design. The variety of academic qualifications I achieved allowed me to take my career in the direction I wanted and gain professional credibility. This experience significantly improved my career’s perspectives and changed my life. Fashion Styling is a very specific area and it is still a relatively new subject with regards to fashion training. The skills I learnt helped me to secure my place in the industry and I think anyone can do it!

Luciana Mazza

I was a Vice President of a large American bank, managing the international personal banking division in Luxembourg. I was responsible for a team of 45 staff - which included multi-national teams of client relationship managers, operations staff, a treasury team and Compliance staff. Together with the Managing Director, I was legally responsible for the entire bank in Luxembourg which consisted of three separate divisions totalling more than 200 staff. I now write a monthly column on image and fashion for the local English news magazine, read by the international community in Luxembourg. I have been given a free reign to write on any subject of my choice and have free use of the magazine’s photographer. It has proved to be excellent advertising for me, since my name, business and email address is listed at the foot of each article. I have also established myself as an Image and Fashion Consultant and deal with private, individual clients and with companies. The work is really exciting and highly varied - for example, I have just been approached by a large company to write and present a course on business dress code. They market to a variety of countries and wish to ensure that their sales staff dress accordingly. I would never have believed it possible to change careers as I did at the age of 45 !

Wendy Casey

Simone Hathaway

"I have always wanted to run my own business and with over 14 years of experience in business and marketing knew that I could do a good job. I have always been interested in fashion and shopping and friends have always come to me for style advice. So when I found out about Limpert's certificate in image consulting I found the perfect career for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and found it hugely beneficial in developing the tools to take me to a professional level. The nature of the course in being assignment lead meant I could gradually build up a client base while I was learning the trade. Now I have set up Ruby Seven my image consulting business and am about to leave my full-time job in telecoms to focus on being a professional image consultant. I have a whole new lease of life and a career which is not only rewarding and interesting but allows me to make a difference to people's lives."

Mary Holmes