Interior Decorating / Design Entrepreneur

300 Hours/12 Months/Instructor Supported

Course Overview:

Interior design and decorating touches the lives of all of us in a very direct way we all live in interiors, and most of us work, study, shop, and travel inside buildings, vehicles, and other enclosures. At one time or another, almost everyone has been an interior designer or decorator on a limited scale, when choosing a painting color or a rug, when buying furniture, or when arranging furniture in a new living place. For these reasons, interior design and decorating is -- or should be -- of interest to everyone

This program includes a "Start Your Own Business" class will help you create the business you want. Throughout this course you will be working on your business plan and creating a quick comprehensive overview of the elements you want in your new business.

Have you ever eaten a Mrs. Fields cookie? Used an Apple computer? Listened to a hip-hop CD? Entrepreneurs brought these products to your world. People that start their own businesses and work for themselves are called entrepreneurs. For an entrepreneur the sky is the limit as far as earnings are concerned. An entrepreneur is someone who's recognized an opportunity to start a business that other people may not have noticed -- and jumps at it a skillfully. Entrepreneur can shape and create an opportunity where others see little or nothing -- or see it too early or too late.

This program helps you understand the basic principles of interior design and decorating to both improve your life, and set you in a new direction for your career!

The Interior Decorating / Design Entrepreneur program includes 2 courses:

Interior Decorating & Design
Start Your Own Business

Course Outline:

Interior Decorating & Design

Interior Decorating Module 1
The Interior Design Profession & History

Development of Interior Design
Professional Preparation
Professional Organizations
Design Quality
Defining Design
Evaluating Design
Analyzing Existing Spaces
Design Basics
Design and Human Perception
Elements and Principles of Design
Design as an Expressive Medium
Design History
Ancient World to Middle Ages
Renaissance to Rococo
Neoclassicism to the Victorian Era
The Twentieth and Twenty-First Century

Interior Decorating Module 2
The Design Process

Project Beginnings
Establishing Contact with the Client
Researching the Project
Planning the Space
Developing Preliminary Design
Making Formal Drawings
Estimating Costs
Preparing Final the Design
Design Implementation
Preparing Construction Drawings
Setting a Time Schedule for Construction
Selecting Contractors
Project Supervision
Post-Completion
Human Factors
Social Responsibility in Design
Interior Design for Special Needs

Interior Decorating Module 3
The Various "Mediums" of Design

Structural and Interior Materials
Environmental or Green Issues
Types of Materials
Material Selection
Light and Color
Psychological Impact of Colors
Special Color Effects Vision and Lighting
Planning Lighting
Selecting Fixtures
Selecting Textiles
Fabric Types and Construction
Preliminary Furniture Decision
Selecting Furniture
Furniture Design
Accessories and Art
Signage and Graphics

Interior Decorating Module 4
Technical Issues for Designers

Mechanical Systems
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning
Electrical and Plumbing Systems
Safety Issues
Building Codes
Planning Kitchens and Bathrooms
Storage Spaces
Commercial Spaces
Hospitality Spaces
Institutional Spaces
Cultural and Recreational Spaces
The Business of Interior Design
Employment in Interior Design
Information Technology
Budgeting, Marketing and Contracts
Project Management
Types of Businesses
Professionals Ethics

Start Your Own Business

Start Your Own Business Module 1
What Business Do You Want to Start?

What Is an Entrepreneur?
Why be an Entrepreneur?
Costs and Benefits of Becoming an Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurship Options
An Idea Is Not Necessarily an Opportunity
Paths to Small Business Ownership
Making the Business Work on Your Terms
The Business Plan: Road Map to Success
Why Do You Need a Business Plan?
Business Plan Components
Business Plan Suggestions
Creating Business from Opportunity
Your Competitive Advantage
Feasibility: The "Economics of One Unit"

Start Your Own Business Module 2
Who Are Your Customers?

Exploring Your Market
Market Research Prepares You for Success
Know Your Customer
How Customers Decide to Buy
Which Segment of the Market Will You Target?
Market Positioning
Developing the Right Marketing Mix
The Four Marketing Factors
Product: What Are You Selling?
Price: What It Says About Your Product
Place: Location, Location, Location!
Promotion: Advertising + Publicity
Marketing as a Fixed Cost
Smart Selling and Effective Customer Service
The Sales Call
Successful Businesses Need Customers Who Return
Customer Service IS Marketing

Start Your Own Business Module 3
Show Me the Money!: Finding, Securing and Managing It

What Does It Cost to Operate a Business?
Start-Up Investment
Fixed and Variable Costs: Essential Building Blocks
Calculating Critical Costs
Creating Financial Statements for the Journal
Three Rules for Managing Your Cash
Using Financial Statements to Guide a Business
Income Statements
Balance Sheets
Financial Ratio Analysis
Cash Flow: The Lifeblood of a Business
The Value of Money Changes Over Time
Taxes
Financing Strategy: Debt, Equity or Both?
What Is the Best Type of Financing for Your Business?
Gifts and Grants
Debt Financing
Equity Financing
Accessing Sources through Online Networking
Investors Want Their Money to Grow

Start Your Own Business Module 4
Operating a Small Business Effectively

Business Legal Structures
Contracts: The Building Blocks of Business
Protecting What You Have: Intellectual Property
Risk Management
Licenses, Permits and Certificates
Operating for Success
The Production-Distribution Chain
Supply Chain Management
The Idea-to-Product Process
Job Shops
Manufacturing Tips
Defining Quality
Organization Wide Quality Initiatives
Using Technology to Your Advantage
Setting the Tone for the Company
Leadership Comes from Self-Esteem
Adding Employees to Your Business
Corporate Management: Team Building
Ethical leadership
Human Resources Fundamentals
What Do You Want from Your Business?
Growth Through Licensing and Franchising
Harvesting and Exiting Options
Creating Wealth by Selling a Profitable Business
Exit Strategy Options
100 Business Ideas

Materials Included:

Interior Design: 4th Edition by John F. Pile
Entrepreneurship: Starting and Operating a Small Business (2nd Edition) by Steve Mariotti and Caroline Glackin

System Requirements:

Internet Access

Broadband or high-speed internet access is required. Broadband includes DSL, cable, and wireless connections.
Dial-Up internet connections will result in a diminished online experience. Moodle pages may load slowly and viewing large audio and video files may not be possible.

Hardware

Windows hardware configurations and processors are acceptable.
Mac computers MUST have Microsoft Window Operating Systems over Bootcamp (Bootcamp is a free download from Apple's website).
1 GB RAM recommended
Software
Operating Systems
Windows XP or Vista and Mac OS X 10 and higher with Windows
Web Browsers
Google Chrome
Safari, Internet Explorer & FireFox are not currently recommended as they cannot display certain Moodle editing menus for both students and instructors
Adobe PDF Reader
Media Plug-ins (These may be required depending on your course media-click on the links below to download the latest versions)
Adobe Flash Player
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Apple Quicktime
Windows Media Player
Real Player
PowerPoint Viewer (use this if you don't have PowerPoint)

Interior Decorating / Design Entrepreneur