Interior Designers Institute - Interior Design Courses - Orange County - California
Learn More About the Interior Design Courses Offered by Interior Designers Institute
Class Catalog - Interior Design Classes
Contact Interior Designers Institute - California Interior Design School Located in Newport Beach, Orange County


Programs of Study Offered by Interior Designers Institute - Newport Beach, California

CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
INTERIOR DESIGN

The Certificate Program may be taken for personal enrichment, to learn to design one’s own home or as the prerequisite for the A.A. Degree Program in Interior Design. You’ll tour Southern California’s hottest design centers with people in the know as your guides. Guest speakers offer first-hand knowledge with inside tips and personal experience. This fun and exciting program is one you won’t want to miss.

The Program introduces the student to the planning of interiors through drafting the space on paper and portfolio presentation. The student is taken through the steps of designing a home from initial spaceplanning, furniture selection, window treatments, fabrics and flooring materials to budget preparation and client presentation. The program takes three months to complete.

Upon successful completion of the Certificate Program, the student will receive a Certificate in Interior Design. The Program totals 100 class hours and 10 quarter credit units and is a prerequisite for the Associate of Arts Degree in Interior Design. The 10 credit units earned apply toward the credit units required for the A.A. Degree in Interior Design.

A student must have at least a 2.0 grade point (C) in both the lecture and studio portions of the Program to graduate and receive a Certificate.

The Certificate Program is comprised of both the Lectures and the Studio Workshops listed as follows.

LECTURES (5 Units total)

BEAUTIFUL KITCHENS
Instruction in the steps to remodeling a kitchen or the designing of a kitchen in a new home. Materials used in kitchen design from wallcoverings to laminates are reviewed. Included in the discussion are how to work with a kitchen design consultant and the costs involved.

THE LUXURY BATHROOM
Remodeling and designing of both new and old bathrooms are reviewed. Materials, costs, estimates and spaceplanning are also discussed. A discussion of the pros and cons of using a bathroom design consultant is included.

ACCESSORIZE YOUR HOME
Accessorizing the home through the use of lamps, pillows, area rugs, mirrors, garden ornaments and antique accessories. Class will concentrate on style, appropriateness and sources for these accessories.

GREAT WINDOWS AND WALLS
Study both modern and traditional window treatments, including architectural and fabric window treatments. Explore the vast variety of wall coverings available on the market. Papers, upholstered walls, reflective surfaces and other wall surfaces are discussed.

FIELD TRIP–WORLD FAMOUS PDC
Tour the Pacific Design Center to study wholesale sources of purchase for the interior designer. Students will tour sources for furniture, floorcoverings, wallcoverings, etc. Also, time is allocated for students to visit showrooms of their choice. Tour will be outside regular class time with date to be announced.

FIELD TRIP–LAGUNA DESIGN CENTER
Tour the design center in Laguna Niguel to study wholesale sources of purchase for the interior designer. Students will tour sources for furniture, floorcoverings, wall-coverings, etc. Also, time is allocated for students to visit showrooms of their choice. Tour will be outside regular class time with date to be announced.

MAGIC OF COLOR
Study various color schemes and color psychology used in designing a home. Color trends in the market and materials used are discussed.

SETTING THE TABLE WITH STYLE
The right table setting has the power to transform any event. Learn how color, texture and pattern effect the personality of a table as much as the creative selection of linen, flatware, place settings and accessories.

HISTORY OF FURNITURE
Slide presentation and discussion of historical and contemporary styles of furniture from the1900’s to current. Emphasis is placed on the primary furniture styles used in today’s interior design.

OUTDOOR SPACES
Designing the new outdoor room and how to bring the indoors out. Emphasis is on creating a warm ambience by selecting the right furniture, accessories, lighting and materials. Use of fireplaces, fire pits and cooking centers are included.

SELECTING UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE
Lecture on the methods of judging the quality of upholstered pieces and their construction. Materials and labor estimates are discussed.

INDOOR PLANTSCAPING
Plants are an integral part of the home. Selection of plant types, containers and plant size are all part of this class. Use of healthy indoor plants to create an allergy-free and greener interior environment are discussed.

DESIGN RESOURCES
Students learn wholesale sources and pricing for all types of residential products from wholesale floorcoverings and lighting to accessories and furniture.

FLOORS THAT ROCK
Study the various types of floorcoverings available and the costs involved. Calculation of floorcovering estimates is also taught.

 

FLORAL ARRANGING
Instruction on arranging flowers for the home or office. In this class, several arrangements are completed by the professor.

HOME STAGING
Students learn how to stage a home so that it appeals to prospective buyers. Techniques are taught to highlight the strengths of the home while downplaying its weaknesses. Colors, room arrangements, accessorizing and appropriateness of style are studied with budgetary confinements in mind.

PRINCIPLES & ELEMENTS OF DESIGN
Study the basic principles used in design. A lecture class utilizing photographs so students may visualize practical applications of design elements.

PLANNING THE SPACE
Students learn the fundamentals of judging a space through the use of the principles and elements of design.

WORKING WITH CONTRACTORS
Introduction to communications with carpet installer, wallpaper hanger, contractor and client. Client relations and fees are reviewed.

EXAM REVIEW
Review of the material studied in the lectures will be given prior to the final examination. Students will be given the opportunity to ask questions and practice with sample test questions.

FINAL EXAM
After the student has taken all classes, a final exam is given on the important elements of each class.

STUDIOS (5 Units total)

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
Introduction to the drafting tools and materials used in spaceplanning. Techniques of sketching and measuring are taught.

DRAFTING AND SPACEPLANNING
A residential blueprint is assigned as the spaceplan problem. The student is given a set of requirements for this spaceplan and taught the procedures for meeting these requirements. Blueprint symbols and blueprint reading are reviewed. The student is taught drafting and spaceplanning, including traffic patterns and allowances. Students will draft the floorplan to include their spaceplan solutions and will have this spaceplan blueprinted as part of their portfolios.

COLOR SYSTEMS AND SOLUTIONS
Study the psychological and emotional impact of color, as well as future color trends and the use of color in an interior. Selections of fabrics and materials are used to demonstrate color theory and application. The main goal is to teach the student all possible color schemes and systems used in interior design.

FURNITURE SPECIFICATIONS
Students will commence specifying furniture for the spaceplan they have completed in “Drafting and Spaceplanning”. Methods of furniture selection, development of furniture sources and methods of furniture budgeting are key topics to be covered.

TEXTILE SPECIFICATIONS
Emphasis of this class is on textile selection based on appropriate fiber content and cost and the many types of textiles on the market today. The student will begin to specify materials for furniture pieces and windows in the spaceplan previously drafted and designed. These textiles will then be prepared and mounted on final presentation boards.

BUDGET PREPARATION
Students will be taught how to prepare and budget for the designs they have created. Included in this budget will be specified furniture and textiles. Emphasis is placed on proper format and client presentation techniques.

PORTFOLIO METHODS
Portfolio presentation methods are illustrated through in-class demonstration. Students are taught blueprinting methods, portfolio window layouts, material board selections and final portfolio construction. Students will complete a portfolio consisting of their final design solutions.

CLIENT PRESENTATION
Students present their design solutions to the class accompanied by their portfolio boards. The purpose is to give students experience in presenting design solutions to clients.

The student must have at least a 2.0 grade point (C) in each of the lecture and studio portions of the program to graduate and receive a Cerfificate.

Course content may be changed at any time by Interior Designers Institute.

The tuition does not include the supply kit purchased from the school for $200 and payable with the first payment. Additional miscellaneous supplies to be purchased outside of school are estimated at $100.

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