What It Is Like to Be an Interior Designer | Machteld Oosterbaan

This compelling lecture, organized by the Faculty of Architecture of the Universidad Francisco Marroquín, features Machteld Oosterbaan, creative director, who draws on 15 years of professional experience to explain what it truly means to build a career in interior design without a formal architecture background. Oosterbaan walks through her personal portfolio, using each project to illustrate a lesson learned. By blending practical advice with personal reflection, she offers a grounded look at creativity, entrepreneurship, and resilience in the design profession. Oosterbaan begins by tracing her own path into design, explaining that she originally studied business administration and worked in advertising and fashion before an Oscar Wilde quote inspired her to pursue what she truly loved. After moving to Guatemala and becoming a mother, she decided to formally start her interior design practice, despite lacking architectural training. “I really love creating and working with other people that create from this love and this passion.” — Machteld Oosterbaan Subsequently, the Oosterbaan remarks on the importance of curation in design. She explains that being a good designer means constantly studying art, architecture, and photography, and staying aware of new creators and movements in order to bring authentic value into every project. She also stresses contrast, both stylistic and tactile, as a way to give spaces depth, citing examples where spiky and soft textures, or warm and industrial materials, were placed side by side deliberately. Another important aspect Oosterbaan discusses is the practical and often unglamorous side of the profession, including the value of hiring skilled photographers to document finished work, the need to verify architectural measurements repeatedly during construction, and the reality that most projects require far more revisions than initially expected. She describes one ambitious lighting and textile project that took dozens of failed iterations before succeeding, underscoring patience and craftsmanship as core professional values. “Make sure that you keep on being inspired, not only because it makes you a better designer, but also because it makes your job a whole lot more fun.” — Machteld Oosterbaan Furthermore, according to Oosterbaan, personalization is a major theme. She mentions that her strongest projects, from a Victorian-style home in Los Angeles to a custom-built house in Denver, were built around deep conversations with clients about their identity and story, translating personal narratives into design concepts before any physical work began. She also speaks about working within real budget constraints, encouraging designers to mix high-cost statement pieces with affordable finds rather than assuming quality requires unlimited resources. Finally, Oosterbaan reflects on imposter syndrome, admitting that for years she doubted her legitimacy as a designer without formal architectural credentials, but eventually learned to trust her instincts and creative vision. She closes by encouraging designers to remain curious, describing her habit of marking hundreds of locations on maps whenever she travels, simply to absorb new sources of inspiration. To continue exploring how creativity, freedom, and personal initiative shape professional life, we invite you to watch The Architecture Language | Oliver Uszkurat. Organized by: Facultad de Arquitectura https://arquitectura.ufm.edu/ A production by UFM Studios http://newmedia.ufm.edu Follow us on social media Facebook @ufmvideos Twitter @newmediaufm Facebook @UFMArquitectura | @UFMDesign Instagram @ufmdesign