Choose your language
Interior Decorating Course
More than 2 million students worldwide

Interior Decorating Course

Transform any room with confidence using proven design principles, colour theory, and space planning techniques. This Interior Decorating Course takes you from foundational concepts to room-by-room strategies, covering lighting, textiles, furniture styles, and client presentations. Whether you're launching a decorating business or elevating your own home, you'll finish with the skills and portfolio-ready deliverables to make it happen.

Dedika for businesses

What you'll learn:

This course covers every core skill a working interior decorator needs, starting with design elements and principles and moving through colour theory, space planning, lighting design, and material selection. You will learn how to read and draw floor plans, develop layered lighting schemes, and build cohesive material palettes. Room-by-room modules address living spaces, kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, and home offices with targeted strategies for each. You will also master client communication, project scoping, budgeting, and professional presentation techniques. Supplementary content introduces digital design tools, sustainable decorating practices, universal design, business setup, and trend forecasting to round out your expertise.

How you study in practice Interior Decorating Course

How you practise Interior Decorating Course

For businesses looking to train their team

With Dedika for businesses, the course includes exercises and examples tailored to your own business and the way your company needs.

Click here

Course content

8 Chapters • 33 LessonsDuration between 4 and 360 hours (you decide)

Chapter 1See details

Foundations of Interior Decorating

  • Lesson 1 • Core Design Elements

    Introduces line, shape, form, texture, and pattern as the building blocks of every interior. Mastery of these elements enables deliberate, cohesive decorating decisions.

  • Lesson 2 • Fundamental Design Principles

    Covers balance, emphasis, rhythm, proportion, and unity as organising principles. Students use these principles to evaluate and improve any room composition.

  • Lesson 3 • Understanding Client Needs and Lifestyle

    Teaches needs-assessment techniques to align design decisions with how clients actually live. This client-centred approach underpins every project in the course.

  • Lesson 4 • History and Evolution of Interior Design

    Traces decorating from ancient dwellings to contemporary styles, establishing cultural context. Students connect historical movements to current trends they will apply throughout the course.

Chapter 2See details

Colour Theory and Application

  • Lesson 1 • The Colour Wheel and Colour Relationships

    Explains hue, value, saturation, and the relationships between primary, secondary, and tertiary colours. This framework is the basis for every colour decision in later sections.

  • Lesson 2 • Applying Colour to Real Spaces

    Translates theory into practice by addressing lighting, surface area, and finish effects on colour. Students create sample boards and test palettes before committing to a scheme.

  • Lesson 3 • Colour Schemes and Harmonies

    Covers monochromatic, analogous, complementary, triadic, and split-complementary schemes. Students practise building palettes that feel intentional and visually balanced.

  • Lesson 4 • Psychological Effects of Colour

    Examines how colour influences mood, perceived room size, and occupant well-being. Students match colour choices to the intended function and atmosphere of each space.

Chapter 3See details

Space Planning and Room Layout

  • Lesson 1 • Small-Space and Challenging-Layout Solutions

    Addresses awkward proportions, low ceilings, and limited square footage with proven techniques. Students adapt standard principles to maximise livability in constrained spaces.

  • Lesson 2 • Furniture Selection and Arrangement

    Covers furniture sizing, visual weight, and arrangement strategies for common room types. Students practise multiple layout options before selecting the most effective solution.

  • Lesson 3 • Traffic Flow and Functional Zones

    Analyses how people move through spaces and how zones support distinct activities. Students apply clearance standards to ensure safe, comfortable circulation paths.

  • Lesson 4 • Reading and Drawing Floor Plans

    Teaches measurement, scale conversion, and standard drafting symbols used in residential plans. Accurate floor plans are the foundation for every layout decision that follows.

Chapter 4See details

Lighting Design for Interiors

  • Lesson 1 • Natural Light and Window Treatments

    Examines how orientation, window size, and glazing affect daylight quality and glare. Students select window treatments that control light while enhancing the room's aesthetic.

  • Lesson 2 • Bulb Technology and Colour Rendering

    Compares LED, incandescent, and fluorescent sources by colour temperature and CRI. Students choose bulbs that preserve intended colour palettes and meet energy standards.

  • Lesson 3 • Artificial Lighting Types and Fixtures

    Distinguishes ambient, task, and accent lighting and the fixture types that deliver each layer. Students match fixture styles to room function and overall decorating scheme.

  • Lesson 4 • Creating a Layered Lighting Plan

    Integrates all lighting types into a cohesive plan with switching and dimming zones. Students produce a lighting layout that complements the floor plan developed in Chapter 3.

Chapter 5See details

Textiles, Materials, and Finishes

  • Lesson 1 • Building a Cohesive Material Palette

    Guides students in combining materials by texture, sheen, and tone to create visual harmony. The resulting sample board becomes a key deliverable in the course project.

  • Lesson 2 • Fabric Types and Performance Properties

    Covers natural, synthetic, and blended fibres with attention to durability, cleanability, and texture. Students match fabric choices to room use, traffic level, and client lifestyle.

  • Lesson 3 • Hard Flooring and Wall Finishes

    Surveys wood, tile, stone, laminate, and vinyl flooring alongside paint, wallpaper, and panelling. Students evaluate each material's visual impact, maintenance needs, and cost.

  • Lesson 4 • Upholstery and Soft Furnishings

    Teaches upholstery fabric selection, pattern matching, and yardage estimation for furniture. Students specify soft furnishings that unify colour, texture, and pattern across a room.

Chapter 6See details

Furniture Styles and Decorative Objects

  • Lesson 1 • Accessories, Plants, and Styling

    Introduces the rule of odd numbers, layering, and vignette styling for tabletops and shelves. Students practise editing and arranging objects to achieve a polished, intentional look.

  • Lesson 2 • Evaluating Furniture Quality and Construction

    Teaches joinery, frame materials, cushion construction, and finish quality as selection criteria. Students assess furniture value beyond price to ensure long-term client satisfaction.

  • Lesson 3 • Art, Mirrors, and Wall Decor

    Covers selection, sizing, and hanging strategies for artwork, mirrors, and wall arrangements. Students use wall decor to reinforce focal points and add personality to a scheme.

  • Lesson 4 • Major Furniture Styles Through History

    Surveys traditional, transitional, mid-century modern, and contemporary furniture movements. Students recognise style markers to make informed selections and avoid stylistic clashes.

Chapter 7See details

Room-by-Room Design Strategies

  • Lesson 1 • Home Office and Specialty Spaces

    Designs productive, ergonomic home offices and adapts principles to nurseries and hobby rooms. Students demonstrate flexibility in applying core skills to non-traditional room types.

  • Lesson 2 • Bathroom and Powder Room Design

    Addresses tile selection, vanity styling, fixture finishes, and moisture-resistant materials. Students create cohesive, spa-inspired or functional bath concepts within compact footprints.

  • Lesson 3 • Living and Dining Room Design

    Addresses seating arrangements, entertainment needs, and dining table sizing for social spaces. Students integrate colour, lighting, and furniture principles into a unified public-zone concept.

  • Lesson 4 • Kitchen and Dining Area Aesthetics

    Covers cabinet finishes, countertop materials, backsplash design, and hardware selection. Students work within fixed architectural constraints to elevate kitchen and dining aesthetics.

  • Lesson 5 • Bedroom Design for Rest and Function

    Focuses on bed placement, storage solutions, and sensory comfort for restful environments. Students balance aesthetic goals with the practical needs of sleep and personal organisation.

Chapter 8See details

Project Management and Client Presentation

  • Lesson 1 • Scoping and Budgeting a Design Project

    Teaches how to define project scope, estimate costs, and build a realistic client budget. Accurate scoping prevents scope creep and protects both client and decorator throughout the project.

  • Lesson 2 • Creating Professional Design Presentations

    Guides students in assembling concept boards, mood boards, and specification packages. Polished presentations build client confidence and reduce revision cycles.

  • Lesson 3 • Sourcing, Procurement, and Vendor Relations

    Covers trade accounts, lead times, purchase orders, and managing vendor relationships. Students build a sourcing workflow that keeps projects on schedule and within budget.

  • Lesson 4 • Installation, Styling, and Project Closeout

    Covers installation day co-ordination, final styling, punch-list management, and client handover. Students practise the final-mile skills that determine client satisfaction and referrals.

Certification

Your valid completion certificate

This course is for you:

  • Homeowners: eager to redesign their living spaces with real expertise.

  • Career changers: ready to turn a passion for interiors into paid work.

  • Real estate stagers: wanting a structured design foundation to boost listings.

  • Freelance decorators: seeking to formalise self-taught skills with proven methods.

  • Renovation enthusiasts: tired of guessing and ready to make deliberate choices.

  • Small business owners: aiming to create a polished, client-welcoming environment.

What our students say

Your lessons are perfect. I purchased the one-year package and finally have the opportunity to follow various topics of interest without needing to change platforms... I'm grateful for everything you do, I've already recommended you to other people...
Giulio Carlo
Giulio CarloDigital Marketing Student
I like how the lessons are straight to the point and how I can change chapters and skip content I don't need.
Mariana Ferres
Mariana FerresPhotography Student
I like the content and the way videos are presented and transcribed, which speeds up the process!
Luciana Alvarenga
Luciana AlvarengaNail Design Student
The platform is fast and simple to use. The diversity of content and complementary videos really help with learning.
André Felipe
André FelipePrompt Engineering Student

Top upskilling courses

FAQ

Who is Dedika?

Is the certificate valid in Australia?

Are the courses free?

What is the course workload?

What are the courses like?

How do the courses work?

What is the duration of the courses?

What is the cost or price of the courses?

What is an EAD or online course and how does it work?

PDF Course