Kyle - Designing Dream Spaces
Kyle Broughton-Frew
Creative Director at KBF Design
BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design*
Kyle’s dreams of studying interior design at university were set aside when he had to quit college to work at the age of 17. Years later, he reignited his passion for design and pursued university study. Kyle has gone on to star in BBC’s ‘Interior Design Masters’ and run his own design studio.
“I've always been a creative person and had a love for decorating - once I even stayed up until 4am painting my parents' hallway! I was really interested in the space around me and how it could impact my mood. I was on the right path to becoming an architect and I was looking forward to attending university. Unfortunately, at 17 I had to drop out of college to get a full-time job, so university was no longer an option.
I worked full time for a few years and whilst I was earning enough to make a living, I wasn't happy. I decided to see a life coach who reignited my creative spark and encouraged me to pursue a fulfilling career in interior design. After doing some research on what was necessary to become an interior designer, I quit my job and enrolled on a foundation year at college to gain the qualifications I'd need for university.
The Interior Architecture and Design course at BCU was perfect for me, it was local to home and the course covered everything I wanted to learn before making my way in the industry. The course unlocked the creative part of my brain again and it was the first time I'd felt fulfilled in years. As a student, I was encouraged to gain work experience. I designed the interior of a restaurant in Birmingham and renovated a five-bedroom house. They were both very different projects that challenged and interested me, it was great to have such varied experiences at the start of my career.
My lecturers really helped me make a start in the industry. One of my tutors encouraged me to apply for Interior Design Masters, a competitive interior design show that aired on BBC and can now be streamed on Netflix. I started filming the day after graduation and had the time of my life! Working on the show was a baptism of fire, we were challenged with designing all sorts of spaces, so it gave me a lot of valuable experience. Plus, I got to learn invaluable lessons from others in the industry. The show gave me lots of exposure and got my career off to a great start.
I moved on to work for an interior design studio, where I gained experience and confidence to start my own business. I'm now the Creative Director of my own studio - KBF Design. I work with multiple clients on small scale projects, such as home renovations. It's a challenging and demanding job, hundreds of hours go into each renovation but seeing the joy on someone's face once their new home is complete is worth it.
The interior design industry is a competitive one that requires a lot of confidence in your abilities. Studying at BCU helped me build a design mentality, it's not just about the things that you put in the space, but the space itself. The knowledge and experience I have set me apart from others in the industry and have led to my success. Studying at BCU has changed my life and allowed me to have a meaningful, fulfilling career.”
*This course was previously called BA (Hons) Interior Design
