Course Pathway · Interior Design Business

Start Your Own Interior Design Business

You might be good with a room, but unsure what to charge. This pathway pairs design training with pricing, proposals and clients. Made for the step from favours to invoices.

From $29a week on a plan
~200 hoursof study, self paced
12 monthsof course access
Twoparts in the pathway
No examsever
At a Glance

Course Snapshot

Study AreaEducation & Teaching
Course TypeCourse Pathway
Study Time~200 hours
Access12 months
Study ModeFully online, study whenever suits you
AssessmentNo exams, ever
PaymentsFrom $29 a week
Comes with
  • 10-day money back guarantee
  • Industry mentor reviews your work
  • Live strategy sessions included
  • No entry requirements
Who It’s For

Why Do This Course

Design Skills That Hold Up

Spatial planning, lighting, colour and materials. The grounding behind choices a client will question.

Know What to Charge

Pricing, proposals, client management and marketing. The part that turns talent into a trade.

A Mentor While You Set Up

Jenna Cottis critiques your design work. Live sessions cover the business side beside it.

Where The Skills Fit

Where These Skills Could Take You

Homes get sold, shops get refitted, and new builds need dressing. The work is easy to picture. A brief, a budget, and a room that has to feel right.

Interior Design Consultant

Advising clients on a room, start to finish.

Interior Stylist

The final layer that makes a space sing.

Home Staging Professional

Dressing a house so buyers see themselves in it.

Show Home Stylist

The display home a builder sells from.

Colour Consultant

Palettes that behave in the light of the room.

Freelance Decorator

Your own clients, one project at a time.

Retail Interior Adviser

Helping shoppers choose in a showroom.

Furniture Store Display Designer

Building the room sets people walk through.

Interior Design Business Owner

Your own studio, your own rates and diary.

Roles where these skills are useful, not promised outcomes. Every role is different, and some need more study or experience. Registered and degree qualified design work sits behind separate study.

The Course

What You'll Learn

01
Interior Design
Six topics, first principles to the styling.
Design Fundamentals
Spatial Planning
Lighting
Colour
Materiality
Furniture & Styling
02
Start Your Own Business with Xero & AI
The trade around the talent.
Starting Up & Business Types and Structures
Preparing your Business Plan
Introduction to Accounting & Bookkeeping
Certificate in Xero
Certificate in Digital Marketing with AI (optional)
Included

What You’ll Get

In the Course

  • Design, fundamentals, space, light, colour
  • Materials, materiality, furniture, styling
  • The business, structures, plan, Xero, marketing
  • Client work, pricing, proposals, managing people

As a Student

  • Mentor critique, detailed written feedback
  • 12 months of access, study whenever suits you
  • Discussion boards, like an online design studio
  • Career support, CV reviews and interview prep
Why This One

What Makes It Different

What the business half adds to the design course.

01
Taught by Studio Owners

Design consultants and studio owners lead the sessions, not lecturers reading notes.

02
Business Setup, Not Only Design

Structures, a written plan, bookkeeping and Xero. Then pricing and proposals on top.

03
Projects With a Toolkit

Design projects come paired with business toolkits and live strategy sessions.

The Credentials

What You'll Earn

PATHWAY

Interior Design Business Pathway

Certificate of Achievement · The Career Academy

A Certificate of Achievement

From the college, once both parts are done.

A Body of Work

Design projects a working mentor has critiqued.

A Business Plan

Your own, written as you go through it.

Getting Started

How It Works

Step one

Ask About It

Enquire and an advisor sends the guide and the modules.

Step two

Enrol and Start

Start any day. Pay weekly, or upfront in one go.

Step three

Design and Submit

Projects go to Jenna for written critique.

Step four

Set Up the Business

Write the plan, set your prices, take the first client.

The Investment

How to Get Started

$29 / week
Pay upfront, or spread it weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
No deposit and no credit check
10-day money back guarantee
12 months of course access
Mentor feedback included
Enquire Now
Good to Know

Common Questions

Do I need design experience?

No. It opens at design fundamentals. It is written for people aiming to launch something.

What does it cost each week?

From $29 a week on a flexible plan, or pay upfront. Enquire to confirm current pricing.

How long does it take?

About 200 hours across both parts, with 12 months of access.

What does the business part cover?

Structures, a written plan, bookkeeping and Xero. Digital marketing unlocks after the core modules.

Who is the mentor?

Jenna Cottis, a commercial interior designer. She has worked for national and global firms.

Are there exams?

None. Assignments and key activities go to your mentor instead.

Is this course accredited?

It comes from an ICOES accredited centre. The centre holds Official Accreditation with the CPD Standards Office. That is accreditation for professional development. It is not NZQA accredited, so it is not a national qualification. Those are different things. Clients hire on the rooms in your portfolio.

What if I change my mind?

There is a 10-day money back guarantee from the day you enrol.

Delivered By

About the College

You enrol through The Career Academy, an online college in Christchurch.

The design half is delivered by Ulleo, the college's education partner. The college has run over 15 years. It helps more than 25,000 students a year. Abby, Ulleo's digital assistant, is there day and night.

Over 15 years runningDelivered with UlleoMentor from a working studioBusiness toolkits included
One Step Left

Enquire Today

Picture the morning you send your first proposal on your own letterhead, and the client signs it without asking for a discount.

Enquire Now