Interior Design
Discover the best information, whether you’re a new Interior Design student starting your first assignment, or delving into a research project.
Library essentials
Reading Lists
These are set up by your tutors to guide you to good quality, relevant and useful materials to help you with your studies. They're a great starting point before doing your own research.
Library Search
Did you know? The citation tool in Library Search can help you create references! Learn how to make the most of Library Search through our short, interactive guide: Use Library Search to find academic information for your assessments.
Subject specific resources
Key resources for interior design students
Databases
Databases are searchable collections of good quality, academic material, particularly journal articles. They can be small subject specific or large collections covering a wide range of subject areas. Most databases provide access to full-text items.
| Digital buildings archive containing drawings, images, articles and projects. | |
| Art and architecture magazines dating from 1895 - 2005. The issues are presented as full-colour page images. | |
| A database of more than 3,000 projects and buildings from the last 30 years. | |
| Information on all aspects of the human impact on the environment and includes extensive content on global warming, green building, and much more. | |
| A great place to start a search on most subjects. Access to book chapters as well as articles is especially useful. | |
| Collection of indexed journal articles, books, drawings and other types of resources in architecture. |
Market Research
Use these resources for:
- market trends and sizes
- consumer research
- analysis of industries and the companies operating within them.
| Predicts consumer, lifestyle and product design trends. It’s a key industry resource for designers working in a wide range of areas, from fashion, beauty and home interiors to hospitality, travel, finance and more. | |
| A trend forecasting company. You can follow upcoming trends, get inspiration, and build concept boards, and colour palettes with their workable tools. | |
| Visually interesting and inspiring. Helps designers understand markets and consumer attitudes, behaviours, and decisions. | |
| Market research reports on a range of UK sectors. Also includes access to Mintel Trends which provides evidence-backed insights on how today's consumer thinks, feels and acts. |
Industry Websites
Industry websites provide information, resources, and updates related to a specific sector or type of business.
They can be valuable resources for staying informed about:
- industry trends
- accessing research materials
- organisations and industry professionals.
| Information about artists and exhibitions, research reports, reviews and campaigns. A really useful way to keep up-to-date on what's going on in the visual arts. | |
| An inspiring selection of images, free for use in education, from a huge variety of art and design collections. |
Magazines
The library subscribes to many high-quality physical and digital magazines which you can use to strengthen your assessments. Magazines are a unique source of information, containing state-of-the-art professional perspectives, practitioner insight and creative works.
For guidance finding and using magazines in the library, look at the Magazines webpage.
Here are magazines for your subject area:
| A digital library that lets you read thousands of global newspapers and magazines using your local library membership. It provides full-content access to over 7,000 publications from more than 120 countries. | |
| Architecture and interior design magazine from Milan showcasing contemporary global design, projects and interiors. | |
| A professional architecture magazine published monthly. Each issue features in-depth coverage of current affairs in the sector, together with profiles of recently completed buildings. | |
| Photography magazine featuring both historical and contemporary photographic work and essays. | |
| Munich based architecture and interior design magazine presenting international building projects, structural and interior design techniques. | |
| Italian architecture and interior design magazine exploring contemporary architecture and interior design trends. | |
| San Francisco based architecture and design magazine covering modern interiors, homes and design culture. | |
| British interior design and lifestyle magazine featuring contemporary homes, design culture and decor trends. | |
| Interior design and architecture magazine exploring what's next in spatial design | |
| Internationally recognized design and architecture magazine with a strong focus on ethics, innovation and sustainability | |
| Interior design magazine that also showcases stage, screen, literature, fashion, travel and the visual arts. |
Newspapers
Newspapers are a great source for reviews and comment on:
- film
- television
- theatre
- performances.
The Library gives students and researchers access to wide-range of Newspapers.
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning offers more than 9,000 professionally produced online courses covering a wide range of technical, creative and professional skills.
Always use our institutional link to log in. You'll need your University email address and password. The first time that you log in, you'll be taken through a setup process to discover courses tailored to your interests.
Inclusive Collections
Expand your research with diverse voices and perspectives using our Inclusive Collections initiative. Explore school-based collections to find high-quality, inclusive resources.
Develop your skills
Finding information skills
Developing information skills saves time and gives you stronger sources for your assessments. Finding information covers everything you need to learn how to search for resources effectively.
Further support
The Skills website has eLearning to help you achieve your study goals. We cover:
- academic writing support
- referencing guidance
- help with presentation skills
- using generative AI
- time management and much more
You can also attend our academic skills workshops. Contact the Academic Skills Team to ask a question or request a one-to-one appointment.