College and University
For a formal education in interior design, it is best to go to an accredited College or University. You must ask about this because some schools are not accredited and you will walk away from that school with a piece of paper that says that you took the course, but you will still not have the proper credentials. Therefore, you will not be a licensed designer. Here is a list of some of the courses you can expect to take if you choose to get certified as a designer.
Drawing
Building construction
Drafting
History of design
Furniture design
Architecture
Auto CAD
Project management
Design
Computer aided Design
Of course there are many more courses that are a part of becoming a certified designer, but this at least gives you an idea of where you might start. You will also have to have certain high school courses to your credit before you should consider going to college or university to study design. These are:
Mathematics 4 years
English 4 years
Physics 1 year
History/Social studies 1 year
Computer Science 1 year
Architectural Drawing 1 year
Shop class 1 year
Tuition at any one of these schools can be quite expensive. You can expect to spend anywhere between ,000 a year to ,000 a year. A general certification course will run for four years. Getting certified could cost you anywhere from ,000 to ,000. Of course, financial aid is always available for those that need assistance.
If these numbers and time frames scare you dont worry, there are alternatives to this type of formal schooling. There are also cheaper alternatives to getting certified. You can try any of the following.
If you have them, copies of your credentials should be placed at the front of your portfolio to assure your future clients that you are qualified.
American Society Of Interior Design
Retail Furniture Store: You can set up the floor area, mark up the material, and learn the basics of mix and match furniture.
This is a specialty where your ability to estimate the value of your own work will come in handy because many businesses accept bids from the designers that they are interested in working with. & What is more important to me? Some small additions or subtle lighting can change the way a room feels. This called self teaching. You will also need to be able to turn whatever items that they already have into works of art.
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