A career in interior design is more than just knowing a thing or two about colour and style. Often, it takes great communication, technical, project management and motivational skills to stay on top in the field. Interior design programs at Ontario colleges can teach help you develop the drive and passion to be learning constantly so you can outrun the competition.
If you see yourself as an interior designer, here’s what you need to know. More
Technical training will include classes on form, space planning and ergonomics, using sophisticated computer-aided drafting tools such as AutoCAD. These will teach you the fundamentals of preparing drawings, layouts and presentations which you can take to your clients.
On the creative end, classes like global influence, environmental awareness and the relationship between people and their spaces can help you recognize or create interior design trends. They’ll help you explore your own unique creativity as well as identify historical design patterns that can be applied to modern or contemporary interior design. These classes will vary from college to college.
Many Ontario colleges offer complete programs or dedicated interior design schools to give you a leading edge in the industry. Often, all that is necessary to enter one of these programs is an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, including a Grade 12 English and Mathematics course, with a sufficient minimum average. Visual Arts courses are often recommended.
An interior design education can open up a number of career avenues, depending on your interests. Just a few possible specialties include:
Interior design salaries may vary, depending on which specialty you choose and the standard by which you practice. Working with interior design firms may often be more lucrative in the beginning of your career, before branching off on your own as an interior design consultant or business owner. While salaries may start as low as $15 an hour, with a reputable clientele or pay-per-project work, you could see a salary as high as $35 an hour or more.
Use the left-column navigation to refine your search by College, Program Availability, Program Start Date and more, or see the table below for a complete list of interior design programs at Ontario colleges. Less
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