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Inchbald has set the standard for structured education of the interior and garden design professions
The Inchbald School of Design was founded in 1960 with the objective to position interior, and later garden, design as a serious career option.
In 1958 a group of distinguished American decorators visited the UK and expressed their concern at the lack of either a training centre or a professional body for the interior design profession in Britain. Jacqueline Duncan, the present Dean and founder, harnessed the opportunity to launch the Inchbald School of Design from her home in Chelsea with the support of David Hicks, John Siddeley, Jon Bannenburg and her then husband, Michael Inchbald. Its success was immediate, growing exponentially in the early years and becoming influential in the inauguration of the UK's first professional association, now the British Institute of Interior Design.
In 1965 the school had outgrown its original home and it moved to 7 Eaton Gate where it continues today. In 1972 Inchbald added garden design courses to its offering, pioneering professional training in the UK.
A significant development in 2000 was the recognition of Inchbald by the University of Wales, and subsequently, Glyndwr University, which enabled it to offer a full programme of degree and post-graduate courses across both interior and garden design. In 2007, Inchbald once again demonstrated its pioneering approach, launching InchbaldOnline and consequently growing its international influence.
Today the Inchbald School of Design welcomes students from a vast diversity of global cultures and it is as committed as it was in 1960 to providing the very best design education for aspiring professional interior and garden designers.
