Professional Interior Design

Course Summary
Course Details
Fees & How to Enrol

City & Guilds Accredited Programme

Gain the practical and creative skills you need to design to become a professional interior designer.

  • Achieve the City & Guilds Advanced Interior Design Certificate*
  • Receive the Regent Academy Diploma
  • Flexible home-study to fit learning around your life
  • Personal tutor support

Fees:
£495* £396*   Enrol from £42.60

Entry Requirements

You will need foundation interior design skills before starting this course. This can be achieved by enrolling on our Successful Interior Design course, unless you have equivalent experience.

Our Support Promise

You can phone or email your tutor at any point during your course –
to ask questions, for advice, encouragement or to draw on their wealth of knowledge.

You can also contact the support team who are here to help you Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

What you will learn

Lesson 1 - Design Communication

  • Introduction
  • Draughtsmanship
    • The use of drawings
    • The drawing process
  • Collecting ideas
  • Good drawing practice
    • Names and logos
  • Using pens and pencils
    • Shading and highlights
    • Line drawing
    • Guidelines for clean work
    • Drawing sequence
  • Drawing a plan to scale
    • Scales and angles
    • Site survey of whole floor plan of house
  • Sectional drawings
  • Visuals and projections
    • Axonometric projection
    • Isometric projection
    • How to produce an isometric drawing step-by-step
  • Perspective drawings
    • Basic laws of perspective
    • Measured perspective
    • Double vanishing point perspective
    • Step-by-step perspective method
  • Renderings
    • Shadow projection
    • Hatching, scribbling, shading
    • Reflections and colour
  • Enhancing an elevation
  • Your portfolio

Lesson 2 - Colour and Style

  • Introduction
  • The meaning of colour
    • Colour perception
    • The colour wheel
    • The language of colour
    • Lessons from the colour wheel
    • Types of colour scheme
  • Planning a colour scheme
    • Practical hints
    • Colour relationships
    • Colour and light
    • Colour temperature
  • Colour symbolism and psychology
    • Symbolic aspects
    • Psychology of colour
  • Furnishing with colour
    • Using colour
    • The brief
    • Colour tricks
  • Colour in the workplace
  • Space, balance and contrast
    • Space
    • Balance and stress
    • Contrast
  • Designing a style
    • Traditional/period
    • Country
    • Modern/contemporary
  • Furniture styles
    • Tudor and Jacobean
    • Georgian
    • Regency
    • Victorian
    • The 20th century
  • More about period styles
    • Tudor and Jacobean
    • Georgian
    • Regency
    • Victorian
    • Edwardian
  • Pattern and texture
  • Finishing touches
    • Necessities
    • Plants and flowers
    • Ornaments
    • Wall hangings
    • China and pottery
    • Fabrics

Lesson 3 - Interiors

  • Introduction
  • Halls
    • Lighting
    • Decor
  • Stairs
    • Lighting and safety
  • Landings
  • The living room
    • Planning the layout
    • Display
  • Dining areas
    • Dining rooms
    • Planning furniture
    • Services
    • Decor
    • Materials
  • Bathrooms
    • The plan
    • More ideas
    • Electrical regulations
    • Baths
    • Toilets and bidets
    • Washbasins
    • Taps and fittings
    • Materials
    • En suite bathrooms
  • Bedrooms
    • The plan
    • Types of bedrooms
    • Shower cubicles
  • The kitchen
    • The work sequence
    • Storage
    • Styles
  • Conservatories
    • The plan
    • Planning permission
    • Quotations
    • Style
    • Security and safety
    • Materials
    • Decor
  • Loft rooms
    • Services
    • Planning
    • Safety
    • Decor
    • Storage
    • Finishing touches
  • Structural details and changes
    • External walls
    • Internal walls
    • Opening up
    • Pros and cons of structural alterations
    • Planning permissions
  • Extensions
  • Shopfitting
    • Flooring
    • Wallcoverings
    • Ceilings
    • Lighting
    • Space
    • Display
  • Offices
    • The design
    • Materials
    • Regulations
  • Hotels
    • The brief
    • The design
    • Safety regulations
    • Electrical plan
    • Style
    • Furniture
    • Decoration
    • Bathrooms
    • Public areas
  • Bars
    • Materials
    • The bar
    • Style
  • Restaurants
    • Ancillary areas
    • Dining area
    • Style
    • Planning
  • Show homes
    • Budget
    • Style

Lesson 4 - Soft Furnishings

  • Introduction
  • Curtains
    • Curtain headings
    • Curtain types
    • Curtain styles
    • Window shapes
    • Function of curtains
    • Ease of cleaning
    • Costs
  • Pelmets
  • Valances
  • Curtain lengths
  • The ‘‘designer’’ touch
    • Tie-backs
    • Passementerie
  • Multi-layered window treatments
  • Swags and tails
  • Poles and tracks
  • Specialised curtain fixings
  • Blinds
  • Shutters
  • Fabrics
    • Fibres
    • Fabric types
    • Buying fabric
    • Estimating
    • Fullness
    • Laundering
  • Other soft furnishings
    • Cushions
    • Loose covers
    • Headboards
    • Bed hangings
    • Bedspreads
    • Side-table cloths
    • Chair-seat cushions
    • Upholstered screens
    • Fabric “furniture”

Lesson 5 - Materials

  • Introduction
  • Criteria for choosing materials
    • Suppliers
    • Showrooms
    • Contacts
    • Purchasing materials
    • Visual aspects
  • Types of materials
    • Wood
    • Wood substitutes
    • Brick
    • Plaster
    • Stone
    • Glass
    • Metals
    • Ceramics
    • Cork
    • Hides and skins
    • Plastics
    • Paint and varnish
  • Ceiling treatments
    • Mouldings
    • Plain paint
    • Paper
    • Textured finishes
    • Suspended ceiling systems
    • Decorative paint finishes
    • Panelled ceilings
    • Exotic finishes
    • Tented ceilings
  • Wall finishes
    • Plaster
    • Paint
    • Paper and vinyl
    • Mouldings and borders
    • Speciality wallcoverings
    • Brick
    • Stone
    • Wood and wood substitutes
    • Unusual finishes
    • Tiling
  • Decorative paint finishes
    • Colour washing
    • Sponging
    • Dragging
    • Ragging
    • Stencilling
    • Stippling
    • Combing
    • Spattering
    • Cissing
    • Graining
    • Marbling
    • Exotic finishes
  • Hard flooring
    • Wood flooring
    • Ceramic tiles
    • Quarry tiles
    • Terracotta tiles
    • Vinyl tiles
    • Rubber tiles
    • Thermoplastic tiles
    • Cork tiles
    • Sheet flooring
    • Stone
    • Brick
  • Soft flooring
    • Carpet
    • Fitting carpets and floor coverings
    • Rugs and carpet tiles
    • Natural floor coverings
  • Durability and maintenance of materials
    • Suitability and practicality
    • Maintenance factors
  • Materials for commercial interiors
    • Ceiling treatments
    • Wall treatments
    • Floor treatments

Lesson 6 - Services

  • Introduction
  • Lighting
    • Effects
    • Choices
    • Needs
    • Illumination levels
    • Glare
    • Light fittings
    • Light distribution
    • Decorating with light
    • Effects of lighting on a room
    • Choosing lights
    • Designing with light
    • Bulbs/‘‘lamps’’
    • Types of light fittings
    • Lampshades
    • Types of switches
    • Types of bulbs/lamps
    • Layout
    • Room by room
    • Summary
  • Electrical work
    • Understanding electricity
    • Plugs and switches
    • Fire safety
  • Heating
    • Central heating
    • Boilers
    • Radiators
    • Alternative heating methods
    • Water heating
    • Heating controls and equipment
  • Plumbing
    • Water supply and storage
    • Cold water
    • Hot water
    • Central heating water supply
    • Waste pipework
    • Taps
    • Showers
    • Pipes
  • Air conditioning
    • The air-handling unit
    • Processing units
    • Vacuum-cleaning ducts
  • Home security
    • Lighting
    • Protection

Lesson 7 - History of Interior Design

  • Introduction
  • In the beginning
  • Greek and Roman
    • The Classical Orders
    • Classical Ornament
  • The Middle Ages
    • Economic stability
    • Timber-framed homes
    • Gothic
  • The Renaissance
    • Interiors
    • Classical motifs
  • The Baroque
    • Louis XIV and Baroque
    • English Baroque
  • Rococo
    • Motifs
    • Furnishings
  • Neo-classicism
    • Palladianism
    • Robert Adam (1728-92)
    • The Greek Revival and Regency
    • Empire
  • The Victorian age
    • The picturesque
    • Gothick and Gothic
    • Eclecticism
    • Mass production
    • The Arts and Crafts movement
    • Art Nouveau
  • The 20th Century
    • The modern movement
    • The international style
    • Art Deco
    • Contemporary
  • Seeing for yourself
    • Places to visit

Running a Business

  • Introduction
  • Product information
    • Magazines
    • Exhibitions
  • Samples
    • The ‘‘designer library’’
    • Personal accounts
    • Storage
  • Purchasing materials
    • Setting up accounts
  • Finding your workforce
  • Insurance
    • Employer’s liability
    • Product liability and public liability
    • Goods and stock, and goods in transit
    • Business premises and equipment
  • Your first commission
    • First contacts
    • The first meeting
    • Back at base
    • Second meeting
    • Processing the job
    • Learning from experience
  • Deciding to start a business
    • The market
    • Funding
    • Motivation
  • Setting up your office
    • Fundamentals
    • Communications
    • Stationery
    • Creating a filing system
  • Basic accounting and administration
    • Trading options
    • Professional help
    • VAT
    • Invoices and receipts
    • Keeping books and records
    • Good book-keeping practices
  • Finding new clients and contracts
    • Word of mouth
    • Advertising
    • Other promotional tactics
  • Working through your contract
    • Meeting your client/the brief
    • Preparation
    • Inviting tenders
    • The contract
    • Practical tips
    • Retention monies
    • Penalty clause
    • Certificates for payment
    • Completing the contract
  • Obtaining your fees
    • Quotations
    • Invoicing
    • Debtors
    • Chasing up money
  • When to turn work away
    • No money
    • Too specialised
    • Bad debtors
    • Low standard
    • Losing other contracts
    • Over-commitment
  • Gallery of Students’ work
  • Glossary

How Our Courses Work

Your first course materials will be sent to you when you enrol so you can start as soon as you want. You can then enjoy your course at your own pace, studying when it suits you and where it’s most comfortable. This gives you the freedom to learn around your existing job, family or other commitments or location (including overseas).

Course materials have been developed by experts and are clear and straightforward so your studying is easy and enjoyable.

All coursework assignments are included within your course. As you complete each assignment, simply send it to your tutor who will mark and return it along with valuable constructive feedback to help progress your skills further. (You can also contact your tutor or the support team for help at any point during your studies.) The remaining course materials will be sent to you as each assignment is completed.

After successfully completing all your assignments, you will receive the Regent Academy Diploma and you will also qualify to be awarded our City & Guilds Advanced Interior Design Certificate* when you successfully complete this course.

Study Length

There are no deadlines for this course. Simply study in the comfort of your own home, and in your own time.

Your progress may depend upon how much time you would like to commit to study. However, as a rough guide, students tend to complete this course in approximately 6-8 months*.

* Timescales are approximate and depend upon application and motivation.

Certification

City & Guilds accredited programme

You will also qualify to be awarded our City & Guilds Advanced Interior Design Certificate* when you successfully complete this course.

You can add this to your CV, business cards, adverts, website, etc. to demonstrate to prospective employers and potential clients that you have recognised skills.

To receive your certificate, simply call us to register*. You do not need to complete any more assignments or coursework.

Regent Academy Diploma

You will receive the Regent Academy Diploma when you successfully complete this course. With Regent Academy’s reputation this can be a highly sought-after addition to your CV and alongside your portfolio of coursework, powerfully showcasing your skills to prospective employers or potential clients.

The letters RA (PID)

Successfully complete this course and you will be entitled to use the letters RA (PID) after your name. You can then use it on business cards, letter head, adverts, your website, and elsewhere. This can enhance your credibility and demonstrate your experience in interior design to potential clients.

What's Next

Once you have successfully completed this course, you could start a rewarding new career and work on a range of fascinating interior design projects.

You could turn what you’ve learned into a career, or apply it to your existing role. For advice and support, get in touch with one of our tutors, or contact our support team from 9am - 5pm.

Course fee & how to enrol

There are two ways you can enrol

Pay the total course fee of £495* £396* in one sum and receive a £50 voucher towards your next course
or
Pay 10 monthly payments of £52.50* £42.60* (£30 administration fee included)

 

Enrol on both our Successful Interior Design and Professional Interior Design courses at the same time and save over £145

Pay the total course fees of £735* £588* in one sum and receive a £50 voucher towards your next course
or
Pay 12 monthly payments of £63.75 £51.50 (£30 administration fee included)

(Select the option for ‘Both Successful Interior Design and Professional Interior Design’ at enrolment)

* Students wishing to achieve the City & Guilds Accredited Programme in our Interior Design courses are required to register (registration fee included in course price) – there are no extra assignments to complete.