Interior Decorator

Your at-home learning program includes seven Instruction Sets designed to take you step-by-step through the techniques and skills you’ll employ in your new career as an Interior Decorator. Your first Instruction Set will be sent to you as soon your enrolment is accepted. Other Instruction Sets will follow as you complete your exams, so that you will always have training materials to work with.

You will need access to a Microsoft® Windows®-based computer (running Windows Vista® or later) and the Internet in order to complete your program with ICS Canada.

Instruction Set 1

• Learning Strategies
  • Successful studying methods; creating effective and efficient study tools; using study tools to improve your chances for success.
• Decorating Today
  • The history of interior decorating; meeting and interviewing clients; characteristics of a successful interior decorator; employment opportunities

Instruction Set 2

• Meeting Your Client’s Needs
  • Determining your client’s needs, preferences, goals, and budget priorities; developing a decorating plan, including measurements and room graphs to scale.
• The Elements and Principles of Design
  • Identifying the elements of design: line, form, colour and value, texture, pattern, light, and space. The principles of design: balance, proportion, and scale; emphasis and unity.

Instruction Set 3

• The Principles of Colour
  • The properties of colour; how to use colour in interior decorating; planning a colour scheme; using the colour wheel.
• Identifying Furniture Styles and Periods
  • Exploring different furniture styles — Traditional, Provincial, Contemporary, Modern — from the 17th to the 20th century; identifying styles and integrating each into your rooms.
• Decorating with Furniture
  • Arranging rooms according to function and use; creating the best traffic patterns; positioning furniture on a floor plan; recognizing quality workmanship and construction in furniture

Instruction Set 4

• Floors
  • Importance of floors in room decor; carpeting; rugs; wood floors; durable floors; how to select the appropriate floor treatment; measuring, scaling, and using a floor plan.
• Walls
  • How to treat walls in decorating; wall coverings, including wallpaper, paint, murals, mirrors, paneling, and tile; drawing scaled elevations.
• Exam Booklet: Floors/Walls
• Windows
  • Different types of windows; planning and choosing window treatments — curtains, draperies, shades, and blinds; window treatments for special occasions.
• Decorating from Building Plans
  • Identifying decorating problems when reading blueprints; types of housing plans; evaluating house plan layouts; discussing specific decorating problems and solutions, room by room.
• Exam Booklet: Windows/Building Plans

Instruction Set 5

• Fabrics
  • Using natural and synthetic fabrics: silk, wool, cotton, linen, special fibers; identifying weaves; selecting the right fabric texture.
• Lighting and Accessories
  • The three types of lighting; lighting and the colour scheme; making use of lamps and lighting fixtures in decorating; using wall and table accessories; tips for arranging accessory groupings.
• Exam Booklet: Fabrics/Lighting and Accessories
• Special Purpose Rooms
  • Planning home offices, home fitness centers, and home theaters; selecting furniture based on anthropometric and ergonomic principles; coordinating floors, walls, upholstery, equipment, and lighting for these three types of special purpose rooms.

Instruction Set 6

• The Skills and Methods of Selling
  • Qualifying a client; how to “approach” a customer; how to present merchandise; developing a follow-up system; how to prospect for clients.
• Starting Your Own Business
  • Residential and contract decorating; developing a design program; working with clients, subcontractors, tradespeople, custom fabricators, and suppliers; advertising, charging clients, and getting paid; keeping financial records.
• Exam Booklet: Selling/Starting Your Own Business

Instruction Set 7

• Graded Project: Decorating a Living Room
• Final Examination

Graduation Set

• Upon Graduation You’ll Receive:
  • Paid six-month Certified Interior Decorator (CID) professional membership upon successful completion of certification exam.

Note: The graduation shipment will be sent when all program requirements and obligations have been met.

Online Library and Librarian
Students in ICS Canada have access to an online library for use during their studies. Students can use this library to do the required research in the courses they complete or can use it for general reference and links to valuable resources. The library contains helpful research assistance, articles, databases, books, and Web links. A librarian is available to answer questions on general research-related topics via email and to assist students in research activities during their studies with ICS Canada.

In order to further enhance your performance in this field, ICS has researched and recommended specific practical activities designed to complement your course work.

To ensure that you acquire the manual skills which are important in this program area,
we encourage you to follow all of the course instructions.

We reserve the right to change program content and materials when it becomes necessary.