The 5 Best Interior design Courses Online
You find yourself developing a passion for beautifying spaces or you might be thinking about changing your present career to Interior design. You have considered taking an online course; however, there are so many online interior design courses offered by credible institutes that this can be difficult to make a choice.
If you are an amateur, taking an online course in Interior design will give you a good foundation of what Interior design entails, from the comfort of your home. Also, if you are already a practicing Interior designer, you can further expand your knowledge by enrolling in an Interior design courses online. This is why the best interior design courses online have been compiled to make your choices easier.
How Can I Become an Interior designer at Home?
You might be thinking of becoming an interior designer from home probably due to your work, your family, or any other thing that might require your presence.
For you to become an interior designer at home here are some steps you need to take.
- Know what the profession entails
You need to know who an interior designer is. Learn about their qualities and how what their daily work looks. Also, know how much they are paid on the average and ask about the challenges they face.
- Take online interior design courses
Depending on what you want to pursue, many online platforms offer courses in interior design. Some of them also give a certificate of completion, which you can use to build your portfolio.
- Earn a degree in interior design
Most interior design firms require you to have at least a bachelor’s degree in any field. Other available degrees include a bachelor’s degree and doctoral degree.
When looking for a course, you might want to ask if it is self-paced and how long it takes. Ensure that you also check the accreditation of a program before you enrol.
- Develop your skills
You can start by practicing for free as it is normally difficult for new interior designers to get hired. Practice on your home and offer services to your friends and family. You can also volunteer at some organizations. These can help you build your portfolio, get noticed, and also develop the skills you’ll need when paying jobs come along.
- Get licensed: After you have earned a degree, some states require that you pass the NCIDQ exam. To qualify for the exam, you need to have at least a bachelor’s and two years of working experience. The application process and financial transactions for this exam are completely online.
- Build a Compelling Portfolio: Having a comprehensive portfolio is very important if you are seeking clients. Ensure that you take quality photographs of your work so that you can professionally show off your ability to potential clients.
- Take advantage of continuing education opportunities
To stay updated with trends, there are many professional certificates that you can take in specialty areas like spatial theory, sustainable design, etc. You can also attend conferences, workshops, summits, and events offered by interior design organizations.
Below we have listed the 5 best interior design courses online with detailed descriptions of each course.
Read on to learn which one is right for you!
The online Interior Decorating course from QC Design School allows you to turn your enthusiasm for home décor into a lucrative design profession. This online Interior Decorating Course is meant to provide you a simple and pleasurable learning experience while also preparing you for a successful career in home design!
This course will teach you how to design unique interiors from scratch. Involving the skills on how to analyze your client’s demands and create designs that include floor plans, wall treatments, furniture arrangements, among other things.
Angie Chapman, the course professor, will walk you through the process of developing a professional floor plan in step-by-step videos. Color theory in house design will be covered, as well as a variety of foreign and historical design styles such as Southwestern and Art Deco.
Once you’ve completed the course, you’ll receive the International Design and Decorating Professional Certificate. This certification verifies that you have completed professional interior decorator training and that you have all of the necessary skills and knowledge to design attractive and comfortable houses!
You can become an interior designer with Trendimi Interior Design & Home Styling Course. By learning everything you need to know to become an interior designer this course will allow you to take your interior design to the next level!
You may make a living as an interior designer by combining your creativity, inventiveness, pragmatism, and inspiration. All you need are the skills – which Trendimi can help you with and the motivation, which we’re sure you have!
The Interior Design & Home Styling course is for anyone who has a passion for interior design and would like to make it into a career. The course contains all the important information you need to learn how to design and how to get paying clients.
This course consists of 10 modules and each week’s module will include video tutorials along with corresponding guides and work to help you consolidate what you have learned. The course covers a wide range of topics from: what to take into account when choosing design features to running your own business.
This course begins with giving you the foundation you need to create design boards. And you can use them in your portfolio to showcase your abilities to potential clients. During the course, you will also learn how to work with rooms, color schemes and create beautiful spaces among other important topics.
The cost of the course is affordable and there are different payment plans. The course is completely self-paced, and after completing the course you will receive a certificate of completion. You’ll have everything you need to be a success in this industry and join the ranks of your favorite designers!
In this online Interior Decorator Certificate Course by IAP College, you will learn what an interior decorator does and how to decorate, how to develop your skills to succeed in an interior decorating career, how to get hired for a job as an interior decorator, and how to start your own interior decorating business!
In this course you will learn the key concepts, principles and practical step-by-step techniques for interior designing and getting started in a career as a professional interior decorator. Unlike other traditional interior decorator courses and classes, this course is self-directed, which means you may study and complete assignments at your pace from the comfort of your own home.
The Interior Designer Certificate Course includes topics that are critical for anybody interested in pursuing a career as a professional interior decorator, including:
Introduction to Interior Decorating
- Interior Decorating vs. Interior Design
- Benefits of Being an Interior Decorator
- How to Get Interior Decorating Experience
How to Decorate
- Design Elements
- Decorating Styles
- Room Elements
- Interior Decorating Instructions
Getting Hired as an Interior Decorator
- Finding Job Openings
- Who Employs Interior Decorators
- Interior Decorating Jobs with Retailers
- Interior Decorating Jobs with Home Builders
- Interior Decorating and Design Firms
Starting Your Own Interior Decorating Business
- Where to Get Help
- Interior Decorating Franchises
- Setting Up Your Interior Decorating Business
- Setting Your Fees as an Interior Decorator
- Working with Suppliers and Contractors
Working with Clients
- Finding Interior Decorating Clients
- Identifying Client Needs
- Client Consultations
- Preparing for Your Follow-Up Meeting
- Preparing Interior Decorating Project Budgets
- Meeting to Present the Decorating Plan
This all-inclusive Interior Decorator Certificate Course also provides you with personal teaching assistance to help you succeed in the course and advice to help you succeed in the career. Upon completion you’ll receive a certificate and you can start your career right away!
Approved by the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Certification service, the Interior Design Course at New Skills Academy has everything you need to know to be able to work as an interior designer. You will learn both fundamentals and the practical side of interior design.
One of the benefits of taking this course is that it is self-paced. You can learn anywhere, at any time, at your speed. All that is required is an internet-enabled service. Anyone who has an interest in gaining more understanding in this field is encouraged to take the course as there are no entry requirements.
The course consists of a total of ten brief modules which begins with an introduction to interior design – the day-to-day tasks carried out by interior designers and the qualities necessary to succeed as an interior designer. Then it covers interior design topics, thereby enabling you to understand interior project management. The module also looks at color, furniture, among others and it ends with “running your own interior design business.”
Each module takes between 30 and 90 minutes to study; however, this can vary depending on your speed. After the completion of all the modules, there will be a test that will be on a range of topics within the modules. Once the test is completed, you will be awarded a certificate.
This course will make you understand the key issues that govern the design and this will give you the confidence to build your own style while helping your client have their ideal space. The Interior Design Course is at an affordable cost and during the course, you have access to an online support system that is ready to answer all your questions at any time.
Start your interior designing career with the International Open Academy! In this course you will develop the ability to come up with amazing interior design ideas and concepts that result in elegant, stunning house decorating.
Interior design is a career that is both stimulating and gratifying. This course will help you build your creative process so you can produce visually acceptable design choices that meet your clients’ practical and personal design requirements by working through the layers and phases of interior design and home style.
This course is divided into 10 modules that will help you transform a bare area into a spectacular place that exceeds your clients’ expectations.
The 10 modules of learning are:
Module 1 – Introduction To Interior Design
Module 2: Design Principles
Module 3: Project Overview
Module 4: Principles Of Design
Module 5: Design Elements – Specific Design Elements
Module 6: Room By Room Design
Module 7: Popular Interior Styles
Module 8: Sustainable Design
Module 9: Presenting Your Ideas
Module 10: Managing Interior Design Business
This course will show you how to graphically express your thoughts to your clients, teach you how to create environmentally friendly designs, and most importantly: How to run a professional interior design firm!
How Can I Learn Interior designing Online?
Interior designing is becoming more popular these days than before and the demand for interior designers is relatively high. More people – individuals and organizations – now prefer to hire interior designers to help them professionally beautify their spaces at:
- Home,
- Office,
- School, etc.
Therefore, an interior designer must have a keen interest in interior design. You must be creative and have a great eye for detail. You must also be ready to learn and be up to date with the latest interior designs so that you can be a sought-after interior designer. You can learn everything you need to know about interior design and become a professional, from the comfort of your home, but how?
You can learn Interior designing online by taking interior design courses that are available. Depending on your choice of earning a certificate or not, there are so many courses available. All you need to do is find the course that best suits you. If you want to learn Interior design without getting a degree, you can find online courses on portals like:
- Udemy: Udemy offers a wide range of Interior design courses to help you learn the principles of Interior designing.
An example of such courses is the Intro to Interior design course which will give you a good foundation of what you need to know about interior design. The knowledge you get will also be enough for you to start designing a few projects on your own.
- Skillshare: You can also learn Interior design at Skillshare which offers courses like Interior design Basics to help you learn the four basic principles used by Interior designers to create beautiful spaces.
In the course, you’ll learn how to identify your own design style, unleash your creativity, and transform your space.
- Study.com: At Study.com you can learn interior design at no cost. One of the courses offered is Interior design Basics & Principles which covers introductory topics in design, such as color theory and space planning. The course has ten chapters and there are lots of quizzes you will take within each chapter.
Also, if you want to be a certified Interior designer, you are not left out as there are full online degree programs – bachelor’s or master’s degree. Certification can give you an edge because it helps you build your portfolio. Also, most people look to hire a certified Interior designer for their projects.
(If you are looking for a place to start, this article has some great modern interior design tips for you to check out!)
What Kind of Education Is Required to Be an Interior designer?
Interior design is a creative and fascinating field that entails enhancing living and working spaces for people to make it more beautiful and pleasing to them. An interior designer is someone who executes such enhancement projects. Interior designers work closely with contractors and architects to determine the interior space requirements, in line with the desire of their clients.
To be a professional interior designer, a good amount of experience and formal education is required and this is what distinguishes an interior designer from an interior decorator. Interior design and interior decorating cannot be used interchangeably. An interior decorator requires no formal training. They only furnish a space with beautiful and fashionable accessories, while putting into consideration, the use of the space.
Most interior design firms require designers to have at least a bachelor’s degree. A bachelor’s degree in interior design is preferred; however, a degree in any other field is acceptable, once it is accompanied by coursework in interior design, such as drawing and computer-aided design (CAD).
A bachelor’s degree requires about four years of coursework and qualified graduates are required to enter a formal design apprenticeship program at an architecture or design firm, to gain more experience.
Other degree levels in interior design that are available include:
- Associate degree: To get an associate degree, there are no formal requirements and qualified graduates work as an assistant to an interior designer. It also provides a good foundation to enrol in the bachelor’s degree program.
- Master’s degree
- Doctorate
Many major colleges and universities, as well as specialized art and design institutes, offer accredited programs in interior design. There are also quality degree certificate programs that can be found online so, it is important to check the program’s accreditation before enrolling.
Many professional associations are involved in accreditation and one of them is the Council for Interior design Accreditation (CIDA) which accredits about 200 interior design programs that lead to a specific degree, diploma, or certificate. Also, the National Association of Schools of Art and Design Commission (NASAD) since its inception, accredits approximately 360 schools, colleges, and universities.
Licensure and Certification of Interior Designers
After you have received a degree, some states require licensure of interior designers. While some states might allow both licensed and unlicensed designers to work, some prohibit unlicensed designers from practicing or using the title of “interior designer.”
You can get licensed by passing the National Council for Interior design Qualification (NCIDQ) examination. To be eligible to take this exam, you must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and two years of work experience. Also, California designers must take the California Council for Interior design Certification (CCIDC) exam to be licensed.
There are different areas of services where interior designers can specialize. Some of the areas of specialization of professionals in the interior design industry include
- Lighting design
- Residential design
- Kitchen design
- Living space design
- Bathroom design
- Commercial interior design
- Set design
- Healthcare design
Essential Qualities for Every Interior designer
Apart from the education required, some skills are helpful to be an Interior designer to have a smooth career. These skills include;
- Good communication skills: Every designer must be able to communicate and interact effectively with their clients and the other people they work with on ongoing projects.
- Management and Planning skills: An interior designer must be able to prioritize, organize, and effectively manage different stages of a design project.
- Creativity and attention to detail: Interior designers need to be highly creative. They must be imaginative in selecting the appropriate furnishings and fabrics for spaces, in line with the desire and lifestyle of their clients. They must also have a very good eye for detail.
- Spatial visualization: A good interior designer must have a good sense of proportion to be able to estimate spaces and understand how pieces of a design will fit together.
Can You Be a Self-Taught Interior designer?
You might have a passion and talent for beautifying spaces and might be thinking of going into interior design. You might have also heard about all the requirements needed to be called a professional interior designer, but you don’t know if it is possible to skip all the processes. You might not be sure if it is possible to succeed in the design world without studying interior design or passing the NCIDQ exam.
Education, degree, and certification will give you an edge in the business world so if you have the opportunity to go to a design school, then do so. However, if you don’t have such an opportunity and you are confident in your talent and ambition, then you can be a self-taught interior designer.
There are top interior designers who were self-taught, and they are well-known in the world of interior designers. Some of these designers, among many others, are:
- Nate Berkus
- Jonathan Adler
- Ryan Korban
- Max Humphrey
Here are some tips that can help you become a self-taught interior designer
- Learn all the basics you need to know about interior design to build your skills. Here are the basic concepts that you can learn.
- Principles of Interior design: This includes the principles of color, light, space and space design, etc. Understand how to use light and color functionally.
- Learn to create sketches of your ideas.
- Learn Computer-Aided Design (CAD), a tool that helps you render your design ideas in 2D or 3D models with fine details.
- Have a basic understanding of architecture and design history. Ensure that you understand different furniture styles and design forms.
- Visualize using a mood board to communicate and project your concepts and ideas.
- Prepare and plan the floor space by measuring it.
- Start designing spaces for yourself and other people. You can even design for free for more experience and to build your portfolio.
- Know your worth and don’t settle for less when charging for your services.
- Believe in yourself and your talent.
Taking Interior design Courses Online
As much as interior design courses are taken by the traditional method of going to a school, they can also be taken online. And today, you can find infinite opportunities through online learning. From pattern making online courses to learning microblading online, and countless more, you can become an expert from the comfort of your home!
Most of the online courses don’t make you feel like you are missing out. They teach you everything you need to know to become a professional interior designer, while you learn at any place, at any time and at your own pace.
