From intern to employee | Meet graduate Natasha Kravchenko

It’s the dream scenario – you work hard and win a Most Outstanding Student Award including an internship with BN Group then you turn that opportunity into your first design job. We caught up with the Diploma student who did just that…

“Being an Interior Designer means I never feel like I’m going to work. I love creating new spaces and great experiences for people.”

Natasha tell us about how you came to work at BN Group…

“It all started with an internship awarded by Sydney Design School, which turned into a full-time role as a Designer. Being a boutique architectural firm, BN Group provides me with an opportunity to work on all stages of design from architectural reviews to concept development and architectural design, to finishes and interiors. We primarily work on large-scale commercial projects such as shopping centres and office spaces. At the moment, I’m focusing particularly on 3D visualization and photo realistic rendering to create inspirational designs and convey them in the best possible way to our clients and their partners. “

Why do you love being an Interior Designer?

“Being an Interior Designer means I never feel like i’m going to work. I love creating new spaces and great experiences for people making the surroundings more beautiful, and functional in the details. Being part of this creative design world means seeing things with different eyes – every project is like embarking on a journey without exactly knowing the destination, which makes it so exciting and you never want to stop! “

Tell us about your experience at Sydney Design School… did you feel prepared for the industry?

“Looking back now, Sydney Design School definitely has provided me with a perfect foundation of skills I was able to build upon in a very short amount of time. I use AutoCAD, SketchUp, Photoshop etc. all the time, and was able to hit the ground running from week 1. We’re discussing design concepts and I’m looking back at some classes now realising why they were important. It’s still only the beginning, and I’m trying to challenge and push myself a little further every day.“

How do you stay inspired?

“For me, inspirations come in all sorts and shapes – the nature and environment around me, new people I meet, new places I travel to, creative food – often times its about the little details that go unnoticed for many, but spark new thoughts for me. Next to that, travelling is a great source of inspiration – it’s just so enriching to see different cultures, different spaces, different concepts and think about their context, reason and sense. I definitely now look differently at every restaurant, museum or shopping centre we go to – noticing interiors, thinking about the effectiveness of the layout etc. Ever since I’ve started into this space I’m addicted to it – and I absolutely love it! “

Find out more about studying our Diploma of Interior Design & Decoration online or on campus here.