From classroom to career: Samira's interior design journey

Back in 2019, Samira Modaresifar signed up for our interior design module short courses (Module 1, 2 and 3) with a passion for design and an ambition to turn that passion into a career.

Today, Samira runs her own professional design business, having established her own company and built a career in the industry.

We caught up with Samira to hear about her journey from short course student to business owner and her experience studying at Chelsea College of Arts.

Read more about our interior design module courses in our course feature.

What first sparked your interest in interior design?

I’ve always been a creative person and drawn to beautiful spaces, colour, and details. Interior design felt like a natural extension of that. I’ve always believed that our surroundings have a huge impact on how we feel, and I love the idea of being able to create spaces that are not only visually beautiful but also meaningful and personal. What really sparked my interest was realising that interior design is a balance of creativity and practicality, a true art that tells a story through space, texture, and colour while solving real-life needs.

What have you been up to since finishing our interior design courses in 2019?

Since studying at UAL, I’ve been fully dedicated to developing my creative practice and professional design business, Modiarty Design. Shortly after completing the course, I established my company, rooted in the belief that design should feel personal, joyful, and purposeful. Over the past few years, I’ve been fortunate to work on a range of residential projects, crafting thoughtfully tailored spaces from concept through to completion.

In addition to client design work, I’ve also expanded my creative output and last year, I launched my first luxury wallpaper and fabric collection called Chovgan. This range is inspired by Persian artistry and reflects my cultural heritage and love for vibrant and bold patterns.

Tell us more about your interior design business – Modiarty Design. 

Modiarty Design started from my passion for creating interiors that feel unique, soulful, and timeless. I wanted to offer something that goes beyond trends and focuses on individuality and practicality. So often, we see beautiful spaces that aren’t fit for purpose or don’t truly meet the needs of the homeowner. Spaces that are designed well don't need any explanation. At the end of the day, I design homes for people to live in, not to exhibit.

The foundation of my design is always practicality, and from there I work to make spaces serene, inviting, and beautiful. I offer my clients an end-to-end bespoke design service, from concept through to sourcing and implementation. I always finish my projects with thoughtful staging, adding personal touches that makes a space feel like home.

Alongside my interior design work, I have also launched my own range of wallpapers and fabrics, which are available through my website. This allows me to bring luxury design into homes that may not normally work with an interior designer, and to extend my creative vision beyond individual projects.

Tell us about your experience on our interior design module courses.

The short courses at Chelsea were a turning point for me. They gave me the confidence, technical knowledge, and structure I needed to take my creativity seriously and to build it into a professional identity.

The experience was incredibly valuable for my professional development, and I would definitely recommend the course to anyone considering a career change or wanting to build a strong foundation in interior design.

See more of Samira's inspiring work on her Instagram @modiarty_design, website or online shop where her fabric and wallpaper designs are available to buy.

Learn how to design spaces with style and purpose

Our interior design module courses are designed to equip you with the skills you'll need to build a career in the industry.

With expert guidance from our experienced tutors, you’ll learn all the essentials from concept boards and plans to lighting, colour and soft furnishings.

Each module will help you gain the knowledge and confidence to take on interior design projects.

Our interior design courses include:

• Bite Sized Interior Design Online: Dip your toe in with an online taster session. If you go on to take one of your progression courses within 3 months of completing the course, you’ll get the Bite Size fee credited towards it. Qualifying courses include Interior Design Module 1 or Introduction to Interior Design Part 1.
• Interior Design Module 1: This is where you’ll build your foundation in interior design. Learn drawing, presentation and three-dimensional analysis to create compelling interior spaces.
• Interior Design Module 2: Here you’ll hone your design skills and develop your personal methodology in a supportive environment.
• Interior Design Module 3: In the final module, you’ll choose your own live project for an existing client, or an imaginary commercial project of your choice.

Flexible payment plans

We want to make our professional interior design training as accessible as possible. If you would prefer to spread the cost of your tuition, we offer payment plans for Interior Design Modules 1, 2, and 3.

Example payment breakdown

Based on a single module fee of £2,880:

1. 50% Deposit (£1,440)
2. Month 1 - £480
3. Month 2 - £480
4. Month 3 - £480 This final payment is completed 2 weeks before your course begins

Multi-course discounts

Thinking of booking more than one Module? We offer discounts when you commit to two or more modules at the same time. To discuss a custom payment plan or to find out more about available bundle discounts, please contact ualshortcourses@arts.ac.uk using the subject line "Interior Design payment plan".