Learn how to DIY your decor with these five London interior design courses
Think of the times you’ve stood in one of your rooms at home that’s driving you mad – is it cluttered, or the paintwork’s dated, or the lighting terrible? Perhaps you’ve just moved and you’ve got a whole house to redecorate?
There’s always the big-bucks option of hiring a professional designer. But why not get those creative juices flowing yourself? A short course could be the magic bullet, allowing you to get immersed in the subject, and learn how to work with different colours and textures. From there, inspiration springs.
London is a hotbed of learning, and we’ve picked out some of the best programmes on offer. These University of the Arts interior design courses are taught by practicing professionals, and will help you kick-start your next project. For more information, go to arts.ac.uk.
Home Renovation
At: Chelsea College of Art
Level: Beginner
Content: How to plan and manage a home decoration project. This includes developing and executing a design concept and selecting colours, lighting, materials and finishes. You will also get advice on working with builders and tradespeople. If you have a live project, you can work on that – if not, your your tutor will provide hypothetical plans.
Next dates: 25 April to 9 May; three Saturdays; £495.
Styling for Interiors
At: Chelsea College of Art
Level: Beginner/intermediate
Content: You will develop a stylist’s eye and create inviting and inspirational spaces. Topics include colour theory, room layout, how to shop for styling elements and how to introduce textures and fabrics, as well as key interior trends and how to reference periods and styles. You will experience a small-scale styling session with your tutor, and get an introduction to styling for magazines and product photography.
Next dates: 23-26 March; four days; £595.
Home Staging
At: Chelsea College of Art
Level: Beginner
Content: Learn what it means to properly prepare a home for sale and how home staging helps properties sell quicker and potentially for more money. The styling skills are relevant for Airbnb properties and investment properties as well as your own home.
Next dates: 6-20 June; three Saturdays; £495.
Bite-sized Taster Session
Gain an overview of the interior designer’s task at hand, with practical exercises to inspire further study.
Saturday mornings or weekday evenings; next date Wednesday 11 March; £80.
Career Changers
If you’ve hankered after a creative career, the University of the Arts offers professional interior design courses in bite-size chunks. It runs three intensive modules, each one day per week totalling 12 days (£2,235 per module). Module one focuses on residential briefs; module two covers commercial briefs; and module three consolidates one and two by tackling a real or concept project.