Intro to Interior Design

Evening Design Workshop

Indulge your passion for design as you blend artistic inspiration with new technical skills. Transform your design ideas from basic concepts into a finished professional presentation for a client.

Why you should study with us:

This course is an introduction to the principles of interior design practice. Space programming, lighting and color theory, material specifications, and construction methodology are the foundational bodies of knowledge introduced in this course, integrated with essential business and client management practices.

Students will learn how to create functional and aesthetically composed environments that address the needs of clients and meet the standards of best practice. Historical and cultural influences, as well as ethical and environmental considerations will be referenced, providing a broad outline of what can be expected when pursuing the interior design profession.

Learn how to:
  • Develop a client/project brief by consolidating client-provided requirements with intelligently developed considerations and strategies.
  • Utilize the elements and principles of design to explore design concepts.
  • Experiment, observe, and evaluate the design development process, ensuring alignment with client/project requirements and industry best practices.
  • Source and reference materials and products, ensuring specifications that are compatible with client/project requirements, and compliant with building code and industry standards.
  • Apply principles of colour theory and illumination to optimize the functional and aesthetic value of the built environment.
  • Identify major design styles, understanding the source of their generation, and how they can be repurposed harmoniously in different contexts.
  • Communicate design concepts through drawings and presentation media – floor plans, furniture layouts, and elevations to scale.
  • Use a variety of visual presentation materials and techniques to assemble material boards for client presentation and review.
  • Apply fundamental project management practices towards achievement of project objectives.

Course Length: 6 weeks: 36 hours

Materials Needed: Drawing supplies, simple hand drafting tools, measuring tape. Materials will be reviewed during the first class.

Next Program intake:  April 16, 2024

Course Hours: 5:30 – 8:30pm. Tuesdays & Thursdays

Fees: $595.00 plus $25 nonrefundable registration fee. Taxes included.

Materials:
  • Architectural and engineering scales
  • 25’ Measuring Tape with Imperial and Metric Scales
  • Tracing Paper (18” or 24” roll)
  • White Sketch Paper (no larger than 8.5” x 11”)
  • Masking Tape ¼” or ½”
  • Adjustable Triangle
  • 2 MM Mechanical Pencil, 2H and 2B lead
  • X-Acto knife & No.11 Blades
  • Metal Ruler (18”)
  • Cutting Mat (12” x 18”)

Additional materials and tools may be required depending on individual project selection.

Useful Texts:

NCIDQ Interior Design Reference Manual, 7th Edition
PPI, 2021

Interior Design Illustrated, 4th Edition
Francis D. K. Ching, Corky Binggeli
John Wiley & Sons, 2018

This program does not require approval by the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training. As such, PTIB did not review this program.

Course Outline

Class 1:
Student and instructor introduction
Course Outline review
Materials and supplies review
Communication protocols
Introduction to the Interior Design profession
The principles of design
The elements of design
Group Exercise: Sensory observation
Course Project: Review and preparation
Assignment
Select a space, identify its intent, and activities
Repurpose the same space, identify intent
Distribute email to instructor and students
 
Class 2:
Starting Exercise: Observational Drawing
Space Programming Fundamentals
Manual Drafting
Field Measurements
Assignment
Measure a Space
Identify the context of the space
Draft the space and adjacent areas
 
Class 3:
Starting Exercise: Observational Drawing
Space Planning Fundamentals
Project I: Space Planning
Assignment
Select and measure a space
Draft a dimension plan
Draft three furniture layout proposals

 
Class 4:
Starting Exercise: Observational Drawing
Introduction to colour theory
Introduction to lighting
Project I: Presentation
Assignment
Create a value scale – 9-step gradient
Group exercise – colour matching
Photography exercise – lighting environments
 
Class 5:
Starting Exercise: Observational Drawing
Introduction to materials and specifications
Introduction to the history of architecture and interior design
Assignment
Identify a historical design element
Identify the materials used in the chosen element
Reinterpret the element using current materials-products
 
Class 6:
Starting Exercise: Observational Drawing
Introduction to Project Management: Interior Design
Design Phases
Project II: Client-Consultant
Assignment
Interview client and document project requirements
Identify requirements not communicated by the client
Draft a project proposal

Class 7:
Starting Exercise: Observational Drawing
Introduction to Project Documents
Drawings
Material Boards
Specifications
Presentation Documents, Materials, Products, and Services
Visual Presentation Skills (one and two point perspective drawing)
Rendering floor plans and drawings
Assignment
Create a project document structure
Create a project document list for Project II

Class 8:
Starting Exercise: Observational Drawing – 10 minutes
Introduction to Neuroaesthetics
Studio: Project II
Studio: Project II team consultation
Introduction to AutoCAD
Assignment
Team Exercise: Identify Project II constraints
Team Exercise: Identify Project II opportunities
Team Exercise: Identify aesthetic requirements 

Class 9:
Review: Class 1-8
Studio: Project II Instructor Consultation w. teams
Studio: Project II
Introduction to AutoCAD
Assignment
50% Schematic design phase completion 

Class 10:
Project Procurement, Manufacturing, Logistics
Studio: Project II Instructor Consultation w/ teams
Studio: Project II
Assignment
Draft an outline bill of quantities (BOQ) 

Class 11:
Client, Stakeholder Presentation
Studio: Project II Instructor Consultation w. teams
Studio: Project II
Assignment
Practice articulating design intent
List challenges and proposed solutions

Class 12:
Project II Presentations
Project II Team Evaluations

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