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Setting the Standard in Design Education Since 1960
For more than six decades, Inchbald has been at the forefront of interior and garden design education, setting the benchmark for creative excellence and professional practice.
In 1958, when a group of distinguished American interior decorators visited the UK and highlighted the absence of both formal design education and a recognised professional body for the interior design profession. Recognising the opportunity to transform the industry, Jacqueline Duncan founded the Inchbald School of Design in her Chelsea home. Supported by some of the most influential figures in design—including David Hicks, John Siddeley, Jon Bannenberg and her husband at the time, Michael Inchbald, she established a school with a bold vision: to provide rigorous, professional education for aspiring designers. The response was immediate. Inchbald grew rapidly, earning a reputation for excellence and innovation that continues today. The School also played a significant role in the professionalisation of interior design in the UK, helping to pave the way for the creation of the country's first professional association for interior designers, now known as the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID). More than sixty years later, Inchbald remains true to Jacqueline Duncan's pioneering vision, educating creative, confident and highly skilled designers who continue to shape the profession around the world.
In 1965, as demand for its pioneering courses continued to grow, Inchbald moved to its current home at 7 Eaton Gate in the heart of Belgravia, where the School remains today. Building on its reputation for innovation, Inchbald expanded its vision in 1972 by introducing the UK's first professional garden design courses. Once again, the School led the way, establishing a structured approach to garden design education that helped shape the profession and set new standards for creative and technical excellence. Today, Inchbald continues to educate the next generation of interior and garden designers from its historic Belgravia home, remaining true to its founding ethos while embracing the evolving needs of the design profession.
The new millennium marked another important chapter in Inchbald's history. In 2000, the School established a university partnership that enabled it to offer a comprehensive portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications in both interior and garden design, reinforcing its position as one of the UK's leading specialist design schools. Continuing its tradition of innovation, Inchbald launched Inchbald Online in 2007, becoming one of the first design schools to deliver professionally recognised design education through a dedicated online learning platform. This pioneering initiative opened the School to students across the globe, extending the reach of an Inchbald education while maintaining the same high standards of teaching, tutor support and creative excellence. Today, Inchbald's international community of students and alumni reflects the School's enduring commitment to making world-class design education accessible to aspiring designers wherever they are in the world.
Today, the Inchbald School of Design welcomes students from across the world, creating a vibrant international community united by a shared passion for design. The diversity of cultures, experiences and perspectives within the School enriches the learning environment and reflects the global nature of the design profession. More than six decades after its founding, Inchbald remains true to its original vision: to provide outstanding design education that prepares aspiring interior and garden designers for successful professional careers. By combining creative exploration, technical excellence and close industry engagement, the School continues to inspire the next generation of designers to shape spaces, landscapes and lives with confidence and imagination. Whether studying in London or online from anywhere in the world, every Inchbald student becomes part of a tradition of innovation, creativity and professional excellence that has defined the School since 1960.
