Student Experience: Andrew Gonzales

“I started out in fashion design, but I got a job working with wall coverings and was exposed to the local interior design community. I had taken some classes at Brookhaven, but had already come to El Centro and was right here to start the Interior Design program. 

“El Centro is so centrally located, so close to the design district. There are other schools that are more remote — we’re so fortunate to be in the middle of everything here. I like the small classes, and our program has great equipment and facilities such as the design library and the CADD Lab — it’s all to our benefit. 

“Some of the best things I’ve learned are professional practices in the second- and third-year classes and the CADD courses we take every day. My ultimate goal is to open my own firm; I see myself as a project manager and residential designer. My personal favorite style is a mix of old and new; I don’t like super modern or really heavily traditional, more of a clean aesthetic. 

“We have a lot of freedom in third-year classes. We complain about that sometimes, because we have to get out there and research and develop our skills. It’s sometimes overwhelming, but it’s also like the real world. You have to find your inspiration and develop it into a workable design that you can present to your client.” 

Andrew works as a showroom manager at Gracie Studio in the Dallas Design District. He attended classes at El Centro and Brookhaven and went to fashion school in Los Angeles.

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