As the world becomes more house proud, the demand for interior designers is on the rise. Those with an eye for detail and a creative edge are perfect candidates to fill this demand. The best thing about it? You don’t always need prior qualifications to start an interior design course online.
We’ve compiled a list of all of the interior design courses available, so you can explore the options that are out there.
Online certificates and short courses
Certificate level interior design courses cover the fundamental concepts required for interior design.
| Certificate in Interior Design | Interior Design Institute |
| The Professional Interior Design Course | Interior Design Academy |
| Certificate IV in Interior Decoration | Open Colleges |
| Plan Decorative Live | The Decorating School |
| How to Work with Interior Design Styles Like a Pro | Udemy |
| How to Design a Room in 10 Easy Steps | Udemy |
| How to Use Color Like a Pro | Udemy |
| Design is in the Details | Udemy |
| How to Use Lighting to Transform your Home | Udemy |
| The Complete Sketchup and Vray Course for Interior Design | Udemy |
| How to Design Your Dream Kitchen | Udemy |
| Interior Design for your Modern Home | Udemy |
| Interior Redesign Certification | ExpertRating |
Diplomas
If you’re looking for a solid foundation to start your interior design journey, consider signing up for a diploma. These qualifications cover a broad range of theoretical and practical skills needed to become an industry expert.
| Diploma in Interior Design | Interior Design Institute |
| Diploma of Interior Design and Decoration | Sydney Design School |
| Diploma of Interior Design | Open Colleges |
Bachelor degrees
Nationally recognised, a bachelor’s qualification in interior design will set you up perfectly to pursue a career in interior design.
Interior design is the ideal career for anyone with a creative edge and a passion for design. Businesses and individuals all over the world rely on qualified interior designers to transform their houses, offices and workspaces into something beautiful.
As well as creativity, a designer needs to understand and enjoy the technical side to the world of interior design. This includes understanding the structural integrity of buildings and using computer-aided-design (CAD) programs on your computer.
An online interior design course can give you all the right skills to jump into your career as a knowledgeable and creative interior designer.
What most people don’t realise is that interior design isn’t just about putting two complementary colours together. It involves a range of technical skills, too. The exact topics vary from course to course, but here are a few common areas to expect:
- Introduction to design and colour
- Interior planning and design
- Interior schemes
- Residential decoration
- Corporate design
- Commercial interiors
- Client communication (planning and presentation)
- Planning and designing rooms and spaces
- Colour in interior design
- Surface materials and textures
- Use of lighting
- Sourcing and selecting furniture
- Textiles and accessories
- Sustainability and ethics
- History of interior design
- Floor plans and scale drawings
- Computer-assisted design
Online interior design courses range from one day to four years, depending on the qualification and institution you choose.
If you’re hoping to obtain a degree, you’ll need to set aside four years to complete the course successfully.
Alternatively, if you’re after something a little more casual, most comprehensive courses last four to six months.
For a one-off taster to see if interior design is for you, upskilling sites Training.com.au and Udemy offer half-day or full-day online courses.
Completing an interior design course opens up a wealth of career opportunities. Focus on the aspects you most enjoy throughout the course to find a job that fits your passion. These are a few examples of careers you can pursue:
- Interior and spatial designer
- Visual merchandiser
- Architect
- Exhibition designer
- Production designer
- Furniture designer
- Product designer
- Stylist
- Textile designer
- Retail buyer
- Colour consultant
- Real estate staging consultant
- Residential or commercial interior designer
- Sustainability design consultant
- Interiors consultant
You won’t need too much specialist equipment, but you will need a laptop or computer and a reliable Internet connection.
You’ll also need a video calling software such as Zoom, Skype or Google Hangouts. The specific software depends on the program chosen and you’ll be advised of this when you sign up.
For diplomas and degrees, you’ll also need to get your hands on some other bits of kit:
- Drawing tools
- Scale ruler
- Mechanical pencils and spare lead
- T-Square
- Set squares
- Metal ruler
- Drawing board
- Computer-aided-design software
- Microsoft Office
- Colour wheel
- High-resolution colour printer
Training.com.au
Get certificates with free course guides and career advice
Apply to online courses like medical, first-aid, construction, business, psychology, marketing, manufacturing, bookkeeping, photography, human resource, interior design, beauty, graphic design, personal training, speech pathology, counselling, agriculture, education, naturopathy and more. T&Cs apply.
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Udemy
Interior design for modern home course from $89
Learn the styling guide to a modern home. Includes paint selection and more. T&Cs apply.
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ExpertRating
Get interior redesign certification from $69
Learn about interior redesign and get certification online. Includes interior redesign process, research and more. T&Cs apply.
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Udemy
Interior design courses from $11
Learn about interior design from beginner to advanced. Sample price is for a course on how to use color like a pro. T&Cs apply.
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