Home Design and Reform Course

Lesson 1 • Light and Its Role in Design

Explores natural and artificial light as a design material that shapes perception of space and color. Students assess lighting conditions in a given room.

Lesson 2 • Color Theory for Interiors

Covers the color wheel, temperature, value, and psychological effects of hue in domestic spaces. Students apply theory to select cohesive palettes.

Lesson 3 • Reading and Interpreting Floor Plans

Teaches standard drawing conventions, scale, and symbols used in residential plans. Students practice extracting dimensional and functional data from drawings.

Lesson 4 • Understanding Residential Space

Examines how rooms function individually and as a connected whole. Students learn to evaluate traffic flow, zoning, and spatial hierarchy.

Lesson 1 • Material Selection and Specification

Introduces criteria for choosing materials: durability, cost, sustainability, and aesthetics. Students produce a basic material schedule for a sample room.

Lesson 2 • Doors, Windows, and Openings

Analyzes how openings control light, ventilation, privacy, and spatial flow. Students evaluate door and window placement in existing floor plans.

Lesson 3 • Walls, Ceilings, and Floors

Surveys the structural and aesthetic roles of primary surfaces. Students learn how surface choices affect acoustics, maintenance, and visual weight.

Lesson 1 • Living and Dining Room Layouts

Applies planning principles to social spaces, balancing conversation groupings, media placement, and dining function. Students draft and critique multiple layout options.

Lesson 2 • Ergonomics and Clearance Standards

Establishes human-scale dimensions and minimum clearances for safe, comfortable use of space. Students apply these standards to verify layout viability.

Lesson 3 • Space Planning Methodology

Presents a step-by-step process from client needs analysis to final furniture placement. This structured approach is the backbone of every layout project.

Lesson 4 • Bedroom and Private Space Planning

Addresses the functional and psychological needs of rest and privacy in bedroom layouts. Students optimize storage, circulation, and lighting placement.

Lesson 1 • Drawing a Lighting Plan

Teaches the conventions for documenting fixture locations, switching, and circuit notes on a reflected ceiling plan. Students produce a complete annotated lighting plan.

Lesson 2 • Room-by-Room Lighting Strategies

Applies layered lighting logic to kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms, and bathrooms. Students identify lighting deficiencies in sample plans and propose solutions.

Lesson 3 • Lighting Design Fundamentals

Establishes the three-layer model and key metrics: lumens, color temperature, and CRI. These fundamentals frame every lighting decision in the chapter.

Lesson 4 • Controls, Dimmers, and Smart Lighting

Covers dimmer compatibility, scene programming, and smart-home lighting integration. Students design a control scheme for a multi-room residential project.

Lesson 1 • Furniture Selection and Arrangement

Teaches criteria for choosing furniture by scale, proportion, material, and style compatibility. Students arrange pieces to achieve balance and visual flow.

Lesson 2 • Plants and Biophilic Elements

Introduces biophilic design principles and the practical use of indoor plants and natural materials. Students integrate living elements into a styled room concept.

Lesson 3 • Defining and Developing a Design Style

Guides students through identifying client preferences and translating them into a defined aesthetic direction. Style boards become the primary communication tool.

Lesson 4 • Accessories, Art, and Display

Covers the principles of curating objects, hanging art, and creating styled vignettes. Students practice the rule of odd numbers, grouping, and negative space.

Lesson 1 • Vanity, Mirror, and Accessory Design

Addresses vanity configuration, mirror sizing, and accessory placement to complete the bathroom design. Students finalize a bathroom design package with all elements specified.

Lesson 2 • Bathroom Design Fundamentals

Covers fixture selection, wet-zone layout, and ventilation requirements for bathrooms of varying sizes. Students redesign a poorly planned bathroom using learned criteria.

Lesson 3 • Tile, Stone, and Wet-Area Finishes

Teaches tile format selection, grout joint sizing, and pattern layouts for walls and floors. Students produce a tile specification and layout drawing for a bathroom.

Lesson 4 • Kitchen Storage and Organization Systems

Explores interior cabinet fittings, pantry design, and organizational accessories that maximize kitchen efficiency. Students specify storage solutions for a given kitchen layout.

Lesson 1 • Defining Project Scope and Brief

Guides students through translating client goals into a written scope of work and design brief. A clear brief aligns all stakeholders before any work begins.

Lesson 2 • Contractor Selection and Management

Covers tendering, contract essentials, and on-site coordination with tradespeople. Students evaluate sample bids and identify red flags in contractor proposals.

Lesson 3 • Project Scheduling and Phasing

Introduces Gantt-style scheduling, trade sequencing, and phasing strategies for occupied homes. Students draft a phased schedule for a multi-room renovation.

Lesson 4 • Regulatory and Permit Considerations

Introduces the types of work that typically require permits and inspections in residential renovation. Students learn to identify when professional sign-off is required.

Lesson 5 • Budgeting and Cost Estimation

Covers cost categories, contingency planning, and methods for producing reliable renovation estimates. Students build a line-item budget for a sample reform project.

Lesson 1 • Mood Boards and Concept Presentations

Teaches the construction of compelling mood boards and concept decks that communicate vision before detailed drawings exist. Students present a concept to a peer panel.

Lesson 2 • Client Meetings and Feedback Management

Covers meeting structure, active listening, and techniques for managing revisions without scope creep. Students role-play a design review meeting with structured feedback.

Lesson 3 • Final Proposal and Sign-Off Process

Guides students through assembling a final design proposal and obtaining formal client approval. A clear sign-off process prevents disputes during implementation.

Lesson 4 • Design Documentation Standards

Establishes the drawings, schedules, and written documents that constitute a professional design package. Consistent documentation protects both designer and client.