Art & Design
Interior Decorating
Learn the elements and principles of design and create spaces people will love.
Type
Diploma
Duration
60 Weeks
Internship
8 Weeks
About The Program
The Interior Decorating diploma program offers an 8-week field placement for students to gain hands-on experience and build their professional network. Interior decorators are hired to decorate homes, restaurants, offices, and retail spaces. The interior decorating courses also prepare you to enter the retail industry as a consultant for furniture and fabric brands.
Career Opportunities
The Interior Decorating program will qualify grads to pursue positions such as Interior Decorator Consultant, Interior Decorator, Interior Design Technician, Kitchen Designer, Office Space Planner or Retail Space Planner.
Employers Who Have Hired Eastern Grads
- Paint It – Benjamin Moore
- Bouclair Homes
- Unico Decor
- Aya Kitchens
- Sherwin Williams
- Gallery 1 Furniture
- Norman Flynn Designs
Salary
93
%
Employment Rate*
$
19
Average Wage/hr**
$
35
High Wage/hr**
*Employment Rate based on 2019 contactable Eastern graduates employed in a related field.
Source: workingincanada.gc.ca
NOC Code: 5242- **Wage data rounded down to the nearest dollar and based on Nova Scotia data. Average wage doesn't reflect the starting salary but represents the middle value between lowest to highest wages. Local (or regional) income may vary. Last updated in July 2021.
Program Details
Do you have an eye for colour, space, and style? The Interior Decorating program at Eastern College will sharpen those skills so you can step into a residential or commercial space and easily apply the fundamentals of interior decorating. Each interior design course will equip you with key skills on how to combine beauty, comfort, and functionality in one space.
Successful interior decorators have an in-depth understanding of ergonomics, colour theory, textiles lighting and furniture and effective interpersonal and sales skills. You will also be introduced to a variety of interior design styles including minimalist, contemporary, traditional, rustic, mid-century modern, art deco and industrial. To be a great interior decorator you will need a combination of great taste, and design skills as well as good management and administrative skills to execute a range of client projects. As part of your role, you will consult with clients to discuss interior styles, and budgets, create project timelines, determine costs, create mood boards, select furniture and textiles and much more.
This program combines technical training – such as AutoCAD and drafting – with the artistic elements of design. Whether you choose to work as a consultant for an existing company, or start up your own decorating business, graduates of this program will have the practical and business skills required to succeed in the creative world of interior decorating. You will also receive practical experience through participation in a field placement and the opportunity to graduate with a portfolio of work.
Students enrolled in the program receive:
- 8-Week field placement
- Program recognized by The Decorators & Designers Association of Canada (DDA)
- Training on Interior Decorating Software (AutoCAD LT)
From 2015-2024, new job openings for Interior Decorators are expected to total 6,000.
“Explore Careers – Job Market Report.” Interior Designers (NOC 5242-B). Government of Canada, n.d. Web.
Course Listings: New Brunswick 
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.
Digital Literacy for Professionals
This course has four units that introduces you to the fundamental concepts and principles of learning and working in a digital environment. The first unit introduces you to using devices and handling information with topics on operating systems (Windows, MAC, and Linux), computer organization (folder management and naming conventions), cloud storage (including Microsoft OneDrive), types of web browsers including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari), and fundamental troubleshooting. In the second unit, you will become familiar with creating and editing information through learning about file formats (pdf, mp4, docx), productivity (including iWork and Microsoft Office Suite) and creativity (Adobe, Canva, iMovie) platforms, and basic introduction to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The third unit on communicating and collaborating will introduce you to web conferencing applications (Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Teams), mail applications (including Microsoft Outlook and Gmail,), project management tools (Trello, Asana), and time management tools (including Todoist, Outlook Calendar, and iCal), and building rapport virtually. In the final unit, you will gain an understanding on netiquette, cybersecurity, and digital wellness. After completing this course, you will have enhanced digital literacy skills as a professional in the working and learning environment.
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 - 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.
Course Listings: Nova Scotia
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.
Course Listings: Nova Scotia
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.
Digital Literacy for Professionals
This course has four units that introduces you to the fundamental concepts and principles of learning and working in a digital environment. The first unit introduces you to using devices and handling information with topics on operating systems (Windows, MAC, and Linux), computer organization (folder management and naming conventions), cloud storage (including Microsoft OneDrive), types of web browsers including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari), and fundamental troubleshooting. In the second unit, you will become familiar with creating and editing information through learning about file formats (pdf, mp4, docx), productivity (including iWork and Microsoft Office Suite) and creativity (Adobe, Canva, iMovie) platforms, and basic introduction to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The third unit on communicating and collaborating will introduce you to web conferencing applications (Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Teams), mail applications (including Microsoft Outlook and Gmail,), project management tools (Trello, Asana), and time management tools (including Todoist, Outlook Calendar, and iCal), and building rapport virtually. In the final unit, you will gain an understanding on netiquette, cybersecurity, and digital wellness. After completing this course, you will have enhanced digital literacy skills as a professional in the working and learning environment.
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 - 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.
Admission Requirements
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.
Admission Requirements
High school graduation or equivalent. For those without high school completion, please refer to the Program Overview at the top of this page or speak to your Education Consultant.
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