Interior Design from Start to Finish Course

Lesson 1 • The Interior Design Profession

Outlines career paths, professional associations, and ethical responsibilities. Students understand the scope of practice before entering applied coursework.

Lesson 2 • Core Design Principles and Elements

Introduces balance, rhythm, emphasis, proportion, and unity as foundational tools. Students apply each principle to simple room diagrams to reinforce understanding.

Lesson 3 • Professional Vocabulary and Communication

Defines terms used across design documents, client briefs, and contractor conversations. Accurate vocabulary reduces miscommunication on real projects.

Lesson 1 • Color Schemes and Harmony

Teaches complementary, analogous, triadic, and split-complementary schemes. Students practice building harmonious palettes for varied room types.

Lesson 2 • Psychology of Color in Interiors

Examines how color affects mood, perceived space, and occupant behavior. Connects psychological research to practical specification choices.

Lesson 3 • Specifying and Presenting Color

Covers industry color systems, sample boards, and digital presentation tools. Students deliver a complete color presentation for a sample residential project.

Lesson 1 • Reading and Interpreting Floor Plans

Teaches architectural drawing conventions, symbols, and scale interpretation. Students accurately read existing plans before creating their own layouts.

Lesson 2 • Regulatory Compliance in Space Planning

Covers building accessibility requirements, egress rules, and safety clearances relevant to interior layouts. Students annotate plans to demonstrate compliance awareness.

Lesson 3 • Understanding Space and Human Scale

Introduces anthropometrics, ergonomics, and clearance standards that govern livable space. Accurate human-scale data prevents costly layout errors.

Lesson 4 • Space Planning for Specific Room Types

Addresses unique planning requirements for kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, and open-plan living areas. Builds room-specific expertise on top of general layout skills.

Lesson 1 • Flooring Materials and Selection

Compares hardwood, tile, stone, carpet, vinyl, and concrete for performance and cost. Students match flooring to room function and client lifestyle.

Lesson 2 • Creating a Finish Schedule

Teaches how to organize all material selections into a professional finish schedule document. Students complete a full schedule for a multi-room residential project.

Lesson 3 • Countertops, Cabinetry, and Hardware

Evaluates stone, solid surface, laminate, and wood countertops alongside cabinet construction grades and hardware finishes. Builds specification confidence for kitchens and baths.

Lesson 4 • Wall Finishes and Treatments

Covers paint, wallcovering, paneling, tile, and plaster as wall finish options. Students select treatments based on durability, acoustics, and design intent.

Lesson 1 • Fixture Types and Technologies

Surveys recessed, surface, pendant, track, and architectural lighting alongside LED and smart technologies. Fixture knowledge enables accurate specification.

Lesson 2 • Producing a Lighting Plan

Guides students through placing fixtures on a reflected ceiling plan and writing a fixture schedule. The completed plan serves as a deliverable in the course portfolio.

Lesson 3 • Natural Light and Daylighting Strategies

Covers window orientation, glazing performance, and shading devices to optimize daylight. Integrating natural light reduces energy use and improves occupant well-being.

Lesson 4 • Layers of Lighting

Introduces ambient, task, accent, and decorative lighting as complementary layers. Students analyze existing rooms and identify missing layers.

Lesson 1 • Concept Development and Mood Boards

Guides students from initial inspiration to a defined design concept supported by a mood board. A clear concept anchors all subsequent documentation decisions.

Lesson 2 • Technical Drawing for Interior Designers

Covers hand drafting conventions and digital drawing standards for floor plans, elevations, and sections. Accurate drawings are the primary communication tool with contractors.

Lesson 3 • Written Specifications and Schedules

Teaches how to write clear material and workmanship specifications that accompany drawings. Precise written specs reduce contractor errors and change orders.

Lesson 4 • Assembling the Complete Design Package

Integrates drawings, schedules, specifications, and presentation boards into a single deliverable set. Students submit a complete design package as a major course milestone.

Lesson 1 • Fixtures and Equipment Specification

Covers plumbing fixtures, appliances, and built-in equipment selection for kitchens and baths. Students write specifications that coordinate with mechanical and plumbing trades.

Lesson 2 • Building the FF&E Schedule

Teaches how to compile furniture, fixtures, and equipment into a single tracking document. Students produce a complete, budget-linked FF&E schedule for a sample project.

Lesson 3 • Sourcing and Trade Resources

Introduces trade showrooms, manufacturer representatives, online platforms, and antique sourcing. Students navigate trade accounts and understand lead times.

Lesson 4 • Furniture Styles and Historical Periods

Connects furniture styles to historical movements introduced in Chapter 1. Students identify period characteristics and mix styles cohesively.

Lesson 1 • The Design Process from Brief to Handover

Maps all project phases: programming, schematic design, design development, construction documents, and installation. Understanding the full process prevents scope creep.

Lesson 2 • Client Communication and Relationship Management

Develops skills for presenting ideas, managing expectations, and resolving conflicts professionally. Strong client relationships generate referrals and repeat business.

Lesson 3 • Budgeting and Cost Management

Teaches how to build, track, and communicate a project budget throughout all phases. Students create a budget spreadsheet linked to the FF&E and finish schedules.

Lesson 4 • Scheduling and Contractor Coordination

Covers Gantt chart scheduling, trade sequencing, and site visit protocols. Effective scheduling keeps projects on time and reduces costly delays.