Course Feature: Interior Design - Modules 1, 2 and 3
- Written byJasmin Woolley-Butler
- Published date 13 February 2024
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Here at Chelsea College of Arts - Spatial and Interior Design is one of our largest specialist subject areas for short courses.
The centre piece of our Interior Design short courses are three standalone courses, which form our module programme, comprising of three courses; Interior Design Module One, Interior Design Module Two and Interior Design Module Three.
Each course has been carefully designed to equip you with the skills needed to professionally undertake an interior design project.
Read on to find out more about our interior design module programme.
Interior Design Module One
This course is the starting point of the programme, you do not need any experience of interior design as you will be taught everything you need to start on your interior design journey.
"This is a fast-paced course full of useful information to start you on your interior design journey," says course tutor, Lyndall Fernie. "Here you will be introduced to the basics of interior design."
At the beginning of the course, you will be given a project brief which will form the basis of a residential project that you will undertake during the course.
Each week your tutors will introduce you to new skills and techniques covering all the essentials including; concept boards, drawing plans and elevations in CAD and bubble diagrams.
You will have lectures on designing spaces, hard finishes, soft furnishings, lighting and colour. As you begin to finalise your designs you will also learn about mounting and labelling before presenting your finished project in week 10.
Did you know…
Alternatively, Interior Design Module One may be taken in two parts via the Introduction to Interior Design Part 1 and Introduction to Interior Design Part 2 short courses. These two courses cover the same topics as Interior Design Module One.
Upon completion, students may progress onto Interior Design Module Two.
Interior Design Module Two
Interior Design Module Two will take your knowledge and skill set to the next level. The focus is on designing interiors for a commercial space, namely, a bar and restaurant.
These new skills will encompass surveying, detail drawing and designing staircases. There will be a range of new considerations to make whilst designing for a commercial space including fire regulations and disabled access.
"You'll be encouraged to create branding and to use design references while you work to improve your digital drawing skills," says Lyndall. "You will build on your technical drawing skills in 2D as well as explore 3D digital presentation techniques using Sketch-Up."
Students work on their presentation as well as creating detailed drawings for joinery construction. By the end of the course, students will have gained new skills and have an understanding of the design process. They may then decide to progress onto Interior Design Module Three.
Interior Design Module Three
For the final module, you will choose your own project which will allow you to produce the perfect body of work for your portfolio. This can be imaginary or for a real client. During the course you will work through your project with the support and guidance of your tutor.
There will be a series of lectures which will provide you with practical and professional knowledge that will prepare you for working as an interior designer. Topics covered include everything from working with contractors and planning issues, to setting up as a freelance designer, how to charge and writing specifications.
There will be demonstrations on creating general arrangement plans, lighting and electrics plans and advice about how to look for a job.
Once you have completed all three modules, or the equivalent, you will be ready to begin working as an interior designer. You will have the confidence and knowledge needed to take on an interior design project from the initial client brief to appointing a builder.
Did you know…
Many students who complete these courses successfully transition into a career in interior design, we interviewed Jo Sampson about her path into interior design about 6 months after she completed the programme.
We also sat down with Matteo Bianchi, who completed the module courses, runs a successful interior design studio and has returned to teach at Chelsea College of Arts.
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Lyndall Fernie, Image: Lyndall Fernie
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Lyndall Fernie, Image: Lyndall Fernie
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Lyndall Fernie, Image: Lyndall Fernie
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Lyndall Fernie, Image: Lyndall Fernie
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Image: Lyndall Fernie
Student reviews
"A great introduction that will definitely help you decide if interior design is for you. You can get out as much as you want to from this course." – Former student, 2023 (Interior Design Module One)
"The course tutor Lyndall is amazing, inspirational and an asset to UAL. The course is extremely informative and really helpful. Also having the mix of lectures, homework and the CAD lessons with Gianfrancesco, and also the guest lecturers make this an unbeatable source of information." – Former student, 2023 (Interior Design Module Two)
"Lyndall (course tutor) is full of passion for interior design and her immense real-world experience is incredibly useful for us to learn from." - Former student, 2023 (Interior Design Module Three)
"I learnt so much from Lyndall and Gianfrancesco in such a short space of time." - Former student, 2023 (Interior Design Module One)
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Image: Lyndall Fernie
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Image: Lyndall Fernie
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Image: Lyndall Fernie
To get the most out of the module course, students should allow time for independent study to work on their design projects outside of class.
If you have questions about these courses, or if you have some prior experience, do get in touch with the short course team who can provide you with a student self-assessment tool to help you choose the right starting point.
We have a number of resources that can help you including our Bite Sized Interior Design Online Short Course, which offers a useful insight into the world of an interior designer.
