Interior Decorating

Career Planning & Preparation - Level I

This module introduces tools for planning and preparing for a successful job search, so that students can maintain a career-focused approach throughout their education program. Students will learn about the "Hidden" Job Market and ways to access it in their upcoming job search, how to research opportunities and network for industry contacts, and use appropriate etiquette when communicating with prospective employers. Students will identify their personal skills, values and preferences for the workplace, begin preparation of a professional resume and references, and organize proof documents for their career portfolio. Class discussions on various self-management topics introduced in Student Success Strategies will round out this module, which is a pre-requisite for Career Planning and Preparation - Part II.

Career Planning & Preparation - Level II

This module continues to build on the concepts and skills introduced in Career Planning and Preparation - Part I. Students will learn how to conduct an effective job search and identify various methods of applying for work with today's technology. Students will create a personal list of "Top Employers" and target current industry opportunities, while finalizing their professional resume, portfolio and career correspondence. Students will learn to identify the different types and forms of interviews, practice responding to typical questions, and practice follow-up, evaluation and negotiation techniques they can use to ensure success. Self-management topics from Career Planning and Preparation - Part I will be reviewed, with a focus towards on-the-job success in both learner placements and post-graduate employment.

Field Placement - Interior Decorating

On successful completion of the classroom hours of this program, students will be placed on field placement at an outside organization. Students will have the opportunity to apply their newly developed knowledge and skills in a real-world environment.

Entrepreneurial Studies

For many interior decorators, success in the field can be realized through self-employment. There are many foundation skills needed to be successful as an independent businessperson or as a co-owner of a business enterprise. This module will introduce learners to those skills and information, including an introduction to entrepreneurship, different forms of business, accounting for business and preparing a professional business plan.

History of Interior Decorating & Furniture

This module provides the students with an historical overview of the development of interior design and furniture and how it impacts the development of current trends in the deocorating field. Students learn the volution of space planning, interior architecture, decorative detail and furniture design. The following periods are covered: Egypt 3200-341 BC, Greece 500-30 BC; Rome 504 BC-AD 476; Middle Ages 1150-1550; Italian, French, and English Renaissance 1460-1660; Italian, French and English Baroque 1600-1701; French Rococo 1700-1760.

Marketing for Interior Decorators

Students will gain a better understanding of the marketing function and marketing plans as related to small business within the interior decorating/design field. Students will have a better understanding of the various tools at their disposal to help successfully promote their business.

Elements & Principles of Decorating – Practical I

This module complements the decorating theory and history subjects and provides students with practical application of theory and skills developed. Students are also exposed to local decorating supply stores and their products, and to people working in the decorating industry.

Elements & Principles of Decorating – Practical II

This module is designed to give the student hands-on practice and training for designing interior rooms of homes. It allows the student to take into account every aspect necessary to determine what is required to make changes to a room and also to know what questions are needed to ask the client regarding changes made to the room. This module also introduces the student to various field trips to local buildings to see hands-on what products are offered to the Interior Decorating profession and to see how buildings have changed over the years.

Elements & Principles of Decorating – Practical III

This module is designed to give the student extensive knowledge on how to prepare design boards for different aspects of a home or business, i.e. Living room, dining room, etc. The students will visit various local vendors to get an insight on how a room should look. Preparing a portfolio will also be utilized to give students experience with local employers and get a view of what people are looking for in decorating or renovating their home or business.

Software Lab - Computer Fundamentals

Through a combination of theory and hands-on-practice, this module examines the role and use of the computer in today’s workplace. Emphasis is placed on those computers outfitted with the Microsoft Windows operating system. Students will review basic computer concepts, Windows OS usage, and complete hands-on training exercises in business-standard software applications, including Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Word. Keyboarding skills are also honed via daily keyboarding exercises and drills

Software Lab - Word Fundamentals

This course consists on online training and assessment in Microsoft Word, and builds on the skills first introduced in Computer Fundamentals. Focus is on basic Word Processing skills, with emphasis on formatting text and paragraphs, inserting and modifying tables, inserting and modifying pictures, header and footer content, and page set-up features.

Software Lab - Excel Fundamentals

This course consists on online training and assessment in Microsoft Excel. Focus is on spreadsheet basics, with emphasis on creating, formatting and printing worksheets, creating formulas, sorting and filtering data, creating and modifying charts, and using basic mathematical and logical functions.

Student Success Strategies

In this orientation module, emphasis is placed on thinking about achieving success from Day One. This module stresses the importance of developing non-technical skills to enhance personal, academic, and career success. This includes understanding learning styles and honing practical study skills, such as memory, reading, note-and test-taking techniques. Personal exercises will focus on teamwork, decision making and problem solving skills, setting SMART goals and maintaining a positive attitude; techniques for managing change, stress and conflict will also be explored.

Allied Skills and Fundamentals

This module offers a series of introductory lessons with tips on and introductions to various allied subjects related to Interior Decorating and Design: Floral Design, Event Planning, Visual Display, Photography and Photo composition, Microsoft Publisher and Microsoft Teams.

AutoCAD for Interior Decorators 1

This module introduces Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) using AutoCAD. There is a presentation of basic CAD operations through lecture and demonstration, followed by training with extensive hands-on, in-class drawing exercise sessions in a computer lab and the application of CAD operations in the creation of two-dimensional drawings.

AutoCAD for Interior Decorators 2

Picking up where AutoCAD for Interior Decorators 1 finishes, this module provides a presentation of intermediate level CAD operations through lecture and demonstration, followed by training with extensive hands-on, in-class drawing exercise sessions in a computer lab and the application of CAD operations in the creation of two-dimensional drawings.

Career Planning & Preparation - Level I

This module introduces tools for planning and preparing for a successful job search, so that students can maintain a career-focused approach throughout their education program. Students will learn about the "Hidden" Job Market and ways to access it in their upcoming job search, how to research opportunities and network for industry contacts, and use appropriate etiquette when communicating with prospective employers. Students will identify their personal skills, values and preferences for the workplace, begin preparation of a professional resume and references, and organize proof documents for their career portfolio. Class discussions on various self-management topics introduced in Student Success Strategies will round out this module, which is a pre-requisite for Career Planning and Preparation - Part II.

Career Planning & Preparation - Level II

This module continues to build on the concepts and skills introduced in Career Planning and Preparation - Part I. Students will learn how to conduct an effective job search and identify various methods of applying for work with today's technology. Students will create a personal list of "Top Employers" and target current industry opportunities, while finalizing their professional resume, portfolio and career correspondence. Students will learn to identify the different types and forms of interviews, practice responding to typical questions, and practice follow-up, evaluation and negotiation techniques they can use to ensure success. Self-management topics from Career Planning and Preparation - Part I will be reviewed, with a focus towards on-the-job success in both learner placements and post-graduate employment.

Field Placement - Interior Decorating

On successful completion of the classroom hours of this program, students will be placed on field placement at an outside organization. Students will have the opportunity to apply their newly developed knowledge and skills in a real-world environment.

Entrepreneurial Studies

For many interior decorators, success in the field can be realized through self-employment. There are many foundation skills needed to be successful as an independent businessperson or as a co-owner of a business enterprise. This module will introduce learners to those skills and information, including an introduction to entrepreneurship, different forms of business, accounting for business and preparing a professional business plan.

History of Interior Decorating & Furniture

This module provides the students with an historical overview of the development of interior design and furniture and how it impacts the development of current trends in the deocorating field. Students learn the volution of space planning, interior architecture, decorative detail and furniture design. The following periods are covered: Egypt 3200-341 BC, Greece 500-30 BC; Rome 504 BC-AD 476; Middle Ages 1150-1550; Italian, French, and English Renaissance 1460-1660; Italian, French and English Baroque 1600-1701; French Rococo 1700-1760.

Marketing for Interior Decorators

Students will gain a better understanding of the marketing function and marketing plans as related to small business within the interior decorating/design field. Students will have a better understanding of the various tools at their disposal to help successfully promote their business.

Elements & Principles of Decorating – Practical I

This module complements the decorating theory and history subjects and provides students with practical application of theory and skills developed. Students are also exposed to local decorating supply stores and their products, and to people working in the decorating industry.

Elements & Principles of Decorating – Practical II

This module is designed to give the student hands-on practice and training for designing interior rooms of homes. It allows the student to take into account every aspect necessary to determine what is required to make changes to a room and also to know what questions are needed to ask the client regarding changes made to the room. This module also introduces the student to various field trips to local buildings to see hands-on what products are offered to the Interior Decorating profession and to see how buildings have changed over the years.

Elements & Principles of Decorating – Practical III

This module is designed to give the student extensive knowledge on how to prepare design boards for different aspects of a home or business, i.e. Living room, dining room, etc. The students will visit various local vendors to get an insight on how a room should look. Preparing a portfolio will also be utilized to give students experience with local employers and get a view of what people are looking for in decorating or renovating their home or business.

Theory 1: Understanding Interior Decorating, Design Fundamentals, and Colour

This module introduces to the profession of Interior Design and the science that drives design thinking. The Concept and Design Process are introduced and the Scope of Services are explored, Allied Trades people are discussed. Health, Safety, and Welfare of interior spaces is discussed. The students explore the science of Spatial Behaviour (Anthropometrics, Proxemics, and Ergonomics), Universal Design, and Historic Preservation. It also introduces the Elements and Principles of Design, and begins their training in Colour Theory.

Theory 2: Building Systems & Space Planning

This module builds on the knowledge the students obtained in Theory 1. The students explore Building Systems, Construction Components and Process. Lighting Electrical and Communications systems are introduced. The students begin their study of Space Planning, first learning how furnishings function within individual rooms and then how those rooms interact with each other in the built environment.

Theory 3: Materials, Furnishings, and Fabrics

This module expands and builds on the knowledge obtained in prior theory modules. The students learn about the Materials, Furnishings, and Fabrics available to them. Textiles, Flooring, Wall Coverings, Window Treatments, Accessories, and Art are fully explored.

Introduction to Perspective Drawing & Drafting

Students will develop basic skills in perspective drawing and understand the application of the skill to the field of interior decorating. This module provides a general introduction to materials and tools, proportion, spatial depth and shading techniques, using perspective on interior drawings, line, shape, value, and texture, as well as interior decorating specific techniques of drawing furniture styles and drawing a floor plan to scale.

Software Lab - Computer Fundamentals

Through a combination of theory and hands-on-practice, this module examines the role and use of the computer in today’s workplace. Emphasis is placed on those computers outfitted with the Microsoft Windows operating system. Students will review basic computer concepts, Windows OS usage, and complete hands-on training exercises in business-standard software applications, including Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Word. Keyboarding skills are also honed via daily keyboarding exercises and drills

Software Lab - Word Fundamentals

This course consists on online training and assessment in Microsoft Word, and builds on the skills first introduced in Computer Fundamentals. Focus is on basic Word Processing skills, with emphasis on formatting text and paragraphs, inserting and modifying tables, inserting and modifying pictures, header and footer content, and page set-up features.

Software Lab - Excel Fundamentals

This course consists on online training and assessment in Microsoft Excel. Focus is on spreadsheet basics, with emphasis on creating, formatting and printing worksheets, creating formulas, sorting and filtering data, creating and modifying charts, and using basic mathematical and logical functions.

Student Success Strategies

In this orientation module, emphasis is placed on thinking about achieving success from Day One. This module stresses the importance of developing non-technical skills to enhance personal, academic, and career success. This includes understanding learning styles and honing practical study skills, such as memory, reading, note-and test-taking techniques. Personal exercises will focus on teamwork, decision making and problem solving skills, setting SMART goals and maintaining a positive attitude; techniques for managing change, stress and conflict will also be explored.