A Career Revelation
For some, interior design can feel like a living breathing entity. For Michelle Eaves, the entity introduced itself when she least expected it. While working in a marketing role for a sports brand, the time came for a new shop fit. As Michelle observed designers working out problems and creating design solutions, she heard the call. It was her Eureka moment. It was the calling of her inner interior designer.
“I thought, actually, I want to be the one designing the space, not just branding it”.
Today Michelle Eaves is a student of the British Academy of Interior Design, she runs Colour Brave Interiors and operates as a freelance marketing consultant with Middlesbrough Council. There she works with a regeneration team, attracting visitors and supporting the businesses in the area.
“I'm the founder of Colour Brave Interiors, a boutique interior design studio based in Ingleby Barwick, Teesside, working across residential, commercial, holiday let, and serviced accommodation projects. Before enrolling at the Academy, I spent over 20 years in marketing, branding, and retail, including a senior role at Teesside University. I still work as a freelance marketing consultant alongside running the studio, so I bring a strong commercial and branding background to my design work.”
When a person finds their passion, oftentimes it comes with a new level of enthusiasm, energy and somehow, time seems to stretch farther than previously imagined. Michelle is already running an interiors business, but as her business grew, she began to realise there is still much she needs to learn.
“It was important to me to have the formal credentials to back up the work I was already doing. I thought this would simply be a hobby or a side hustle at best, alongside my full-time role, but the more I worked in interiors, the more hooked I became! This will be my career for the rest of my life now; I have no plans to retire from it.”
Finding Balance
As a professional, Michelle understands the sacrifice and commitment of running a business. While it is a passion and she loves what she does, it is still hard work. Michelle needed to find a way to balance all the responsibilities of her busy professional, personal and family life.
“I read lots of student reviews and was struck by the flexible online approach as well as the affordability at the time. I thought, I will follow my dream, and BAID can help me do it!”
As she progresses through her coursework, Michelle is learning that she is a natural born designer. Having an instinct for an aesthetic is a strong starting point, but as a designer grows both professionally and academically, they also learn to harness those instincts and apply them to real world projects.
“Given I'm balancing my course work alongside running Colour Brave Interiors and my freelance marketing work, the biggest challenge is applying new technical and theoretical learning in real time to live projects, like the development of five apartments I’m working on or commercial briefs, while still meeting client deadlines and raising a family. What I find most interesting is seeing how the design theory validates, and sometimes reshapes, instincts I've built up over 20 years in branding and retail.”
One of the major differences between design and fine art has a lot to do with problem solving. An interior designer will approach a space as a problem that needs a solution. This is not a negative approach, on the contrary, it is a design challenge, and it is in this environment that a designer will thrive. Fine art is without boundaries, design lives within boundaries.
“I have become braver in my decision making, not to mention my colour and pattern choices. I feel that I can do anything I put my mind to. I've learned to trust my creative instincts, and my instinct for colour especially is very strong. It feels like a gift that I need to share.”
All Roads Lead to Design
When it comes to a creative career, people are often surprised at how influential their previous “non-design” work experience can be. Designers in general have a constant radar that is on high alert for ideas. Inspiration is everywhere, and when a mind is wired for design, that inspiration is easily absorbed.
As Michelle continues her design evolution, her work is covering a broader spectrum of specialist areas.
“I’m already running Colour Brave Interiors full-time, working across residential, commercial, holiday let, and serviced accommodation design. My current projects are helping me specialise in commercial interiors and holiday let/ serviced accommodation design, where my marketing and branding background gives me a strong advantage.”
For those lucky enough to not only find their dream career, but to have the opportunity to pursue it and actively live it, life on the surface can appear fulfilled. And while this can be a truly fulfilling situation, there are other areas of life that need to be considered. A happy life is largely viewed as a healthy balance between work, family and social life. This can, however, be very difficult to achieve. But Michelle Eaves, it seems, has found the secret.
“The business I have is a good life business. I have two small boys and my husband, and I enjoy campervanning in the school holidays with them. I take on freelancers when I need to scale up so I’m not detracting from family life too much. I like the idea of having a small showroom with kitchen, bedroom and bathroom sets on display to show off everything I can do. I'm also looking to take on more commercial projects — bars, restaurants, and funky offices with a focus on the wellbeing of the employees who use the space. That would be fantastic!”
Are you ready to explore your own Creative Future?
Whether you’re looking to change careers, develop your creative skills, or turn a passion for design into something more, the Interior Design Courses are designed to help you build practical, industry-ready skills from home with personalised tutor feedback and flexible online learning.
Explore now and discover where your creativity could take you
