We might not notice it every time, but the interior we are in can have a strong effect on our well-being. From stylistic elements to the lighting of the room, interior design can influence not just our moods, but our emotional and mental health as well. For that exact reason taking one or two online interior design courses can help us create the perfect environment to thrive in.
Whether you would like to redecorate your living room, give your entire home a new look, or maybe even start a career as an interior designer, an online interior design course can be exactly what you need to start your creative journey.
To help you make up your mind we have curated a list of the best-rated online interior design courses from the top MOOC platforms for you to check out:
- Interior Design Basics - an introductory course by Skillshare
- How to Work with Interior Design Styles - a Udemy course
- How to Use Color Like a Pro - a Udemy course
- Style Your Space - an introductory course by Skillshare
- How to Design a Room in 10 Easy Steps - a guide by Udemy
- The Complete Sketchup & Vray Course - a Udemy class
- Holistic Interior Design - an introductory course by Skillshare
These online classes not only have the best student reviews but are among the most popular courses on Udemy and Skillshare, guaranteeing the highest quality content out there.
But before we start getting into the nitty-gritty, why not take a moment to find out more about why interior design is a topic worth your attention.
Table of Contents
- 1. Why Should You Take Online Interior Design Courses?
- 2. Interior Design Basics: Simple Steps to Your Perfect Space (Enroll Here)
- 3. How to Work with Interior Design Styles Like a Pro (Enroll Here)
- 4. How to Use Color Like a Pro (Enroll Here)
- 5. Style Your Space: Creative Tips and Techniques for Interior Design (Enroll Here)
- 6. How to Design a Room in 10 Easy Steps (Enroll Here)
- 7. The Complete Sketchup & Vray Course for Interior Design (Enroll Here)
- 8. Holistic Interior Design: Transform Your Personal Space for Well-Being (Enroll Here)
- 9. Conclusions
Why Should You Take Online Interior Design Courses?
As our world has progressed since the industrial revolution in the 19th century, the time we spend indoors has increased significantly. In fact, people in modern societies spend around 90% of their time inside[1], which already has a noticeable effect on our health.
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With that in mind, it’s easy to see that the kind of inside we spend our lives in can influence us, too.
A core principle that backs this claim is color psychology. Perhaps one of the best-known examples of interior colors affecting people’s mood is the pink prison phenomenon.
Since the 1980s more and more prisons worldwide have been using a specific shade of pink known as the Baker-Miller Pink to paint the walls of holding cells. This method, based on a study conducted by Alexander G. Schauss[2], has shown to not only make inmates less aggressive but make them physically weaker and calmer, too.
In addition to colors influencing us, it’s undeniable that we feel more restless in a cluttered space and have a harder time concentrating in white-walled rooms, among other noticeable effects.
Because of this, interior design knowledge can be useful both while creating a warm home environment and while trying to increase productivity in the workplace.
And if you feel wallpapers and decorative throw pillows calling your name, interior design can be a great career choice!
In addition to being an interesting and dynamic field to work in, interior design can bring you quite the success. In fact, interior designers can earn up to $95 thousand in a single year. And with the demand for professionals continuing to grow, taking interior design courses online can be a great career move!
And on that note, without further ado, let’s get into the top online interior design courses!
Interior Design Basics: Simple Steps to Your Perfect Space (Enroll Here)
- Platform: Skillshare
- Duration: 1 hour 27 minutes
- Price: Free
- Certificate: No
- Level: Beginner
- Apply HERE
Everyone starts somewhere. And what better place to start than with the basics! Just like any creative field, interior design doesn't have rules, but there are a few core principles that help create a balanced, pleasant-to-be-in setting.
Taking online interior design courses to help you create a strong foundation of fundamental knowledge can be the best way to learn the basics. One of the highest-reviewed introductory interior design programs is Interior Design Basics: Simple Steps to Your Perfect Space - a Skillshare Original class.
The program aims to provide students with a core set of principles that can be used with any budget or personal style - color, balance, scale and proportion, and rhythm and repetition.
The syllabus includes theoretical material along with a couple of practice projects where students can test out their new knowledge. This makes the course perfect for beginners, as it allows you to really hone your skills.
This online interior design course consists of 11 lectures, taking you through the program one step at a time, making the learning process simple and fun for everyone.
Even though 11 lectures covering the basics of any field might seem like a several-day-long ordeal, we can guarantee you that you won’t even notice how quickly the course will fly by. This program is only 1 hour and 27 minutes long, making it perfect for education on the go.
Along with the program’s convenient duration and structure, students also rave about its price. Which makes perfect sense - Skillshare offers completely free access to any class during the first 14 days of your premium trial. And if you decide that you want to continue learning on the platform, unlimited access to all online interior design courses can be yours for just $10 per month!
It’s safe to say that Skillshare really knows how to offer deals that you can't refuse!
Those enrolled in this online interior design course will learn:
- How to identify your personal design style;
- Ways to curate unique color palettes;
- How a sense of rhythm and balance can be created;
- Tips on how to choose pieces you’ll love for a lifetime.
So, if you’ve ever wanted to try out interior design, then this is the perfect course for you.
Start the course NOW.
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How to Work with Interior Design Styles Like a Pro (Enroll Here)
- Platform: Udemy
- Duration: 5 hours 52 minutes
- Price: $142.97
- Certificate: YES
- Level: All levels
- Apply HERE
Minimalist, eclectic, contemporary, and many more… Getting lost between interior design styles can be as easy as 1-2-3. And if you’re not quite sure, you might never escape the eternal dilemma between traditional and transitional interior.
Even though there are many interior design online courses detailing how to find your own style, not many dive into the distinct styles that already exist and can be used as an excellent source of inspiration.
One of the best online interior design courses we’ve found is a Udemy program - How to Work with Interior Design Styles Like a Pro. Created with all experience levels in mind, the class is designed to provide students with in-depth knowledge on 18 of the most popular interior design styles - formal, casual, retro-inspired, and 21-st century.
An important thing to note is that the syllabus does not cover instructions on how to put together a room, as the focus is on the differences between interior styles only. Because this online interior design course centers around what elements work together, you won’t learn what size rug to buy for your living room.
Out of the online interior design courses mentioned in our article, this is the second most extensive program. The class consists of 38 lectures divided into 7 sections. Every one of the 18 styles is discussed in a separate lecture, which allows the students to easily draw distinctions between each of them.
Once every style is discussed, the course moves onto an unexpected section - a guide on how to mix styles together. This is where students can let their creativity run wild and create their own unique interior by mixing different design elements.
As mentioned previously, this is one of the most in-depth online interior design courses on our list. For that exact reason, you might not be able to complete this class in one afternoon. Diving deep into the different interior design styles, this course is 5 hours and 52 minutes long.
That being said, the program is entirely self-paced, so even the busiest student can take the course without unnecessary stress.
With impressive content quality and length, this program does come with a price worth noting. In fact, this is the most expensive course on our list, coming in at $142.97. That being said, even though the price is definitely on the steeper side, this definitely a course worth taking.
Those enrolled in the program will learn:
- What the main differences between different interior design styles are;
- What elements make each style distinct;
- How to mix styles to create your own.
Rarely do you come across such unique and interesting online interior design courses.
Start the course NOW.
How to Use Color Like a Pro (Enroll Here)
- Platform: Udemy
- Duration: 2 hours 6 minutes
- Price: $131.06
- Certificate: YES
- Level: All levels
- Apply HERE
Design - whether it’s graphic, costume, or interior - is composed of several core elements, one of them being color. Some might even say that color is the most important component, determining how every other element interacts with each other.
Even if two identical rooms have the exact same furniture and decor, set apart only by the color palettes used in the designs, they would invoke completely different emotions.
To make sure that your environment doesn’t cause unwanted feelings, Udemy offers one of their top online interior design courses - How to Use Color Like a Pro. Suitable for all experience levels, this program aims to teach students how to create cohesive color schemes to make any room pop.
Unlike other interior design online courses that focus only on color theory, this program offers a broad range of information, covering everything from color theory and psychology to tips on how to create optical illusions of space.
Anyone interested in interior design should consider taking this online class.
Divided into 6 sections, each of the 26 video lectures builds on the material covered in the previous clip. This creates a smooth learning process, making it much easier to understand new concepts and color matching methods.
Now, if you’re worried that 26 lectures automatically mean 26 days of nothing but studying color palettes, rest assured. The in-depth yet concise online interior design course is only 2 hours and 6 minutes long total, which means that anyone could become a color palette pro in one evening.
It really doesn't get more convenient than that.
While talking about price it’s important to keep in mind that the material covered in this course can be used in many fields in situations, not just interior design. Because the class can be so universally useful, it understandably comes with a price to match. Costing $131.06, this course is not as affordable as other options mentioned on our list.
That being said, it can open you up to a whole new world of colorful creativity, which we can honestly say is priceless.
Students taking part in this online interior design course will learn:
- How to set any mood in any room using just color;
- How texture, lighting, and patterns can influence the look of a color;
- Tips and tricks to make the painting process as smooth as possible.
We are certain that this class can be useful to anyone involved with art or design, not just interior designers.
Start the course NOW.
Style Your Space: Creative Tips and Techniques for Interior Design (Enroll Here)
- Platform: Skillshare
- Duration: 1 hour
- Price: Free
- Certificate: No
- Level: Beginner
- Apply HERE
Sometimes we are so eager to learn something new that taking several courses to learn the important information seems like it will take ages. More often than not, an all-in-one introductory course can be just what we need to kickstart our learning journey.
Out of all the online interior design courses Skillshare has to offer, one stood out to us because of how much it covers. Style Your Space: Creative Tips and Techniques for Interior Design is an all-included interior design course, created to teach students the most important aspects of interior design with one program.
The 13 lessons take students through every side of interior design - finding and developing your style, color palettes, style mixing, current trends, and sourcing unique pieces for your home. After completing this course you will have a solid foundation of interior design basics to further focus on specific topics that interest you.
A point to keep in mind is that this course focuses on a broader understanding of the field and doesn’t go too in-depth into the individual topics. For that reason, those looking for more detailed material should consider several separate online interior design courses.
Out of the seven best online interior design courses mentioned in our list, this course stands out because of its duration. The program can be completed in just 1 hour, making it the shortest class out of them.
And it’s only natural that the pocket-sized course comes with a pocket-sized price tag. As standard for all Skillshare courses, this online interior design course can be taken for free during the first two weeks of your premium membership subscription, which, if you decide to stick around, will only cost you $10 per month.
Students taking this course will learn:
- How to find your individual style;
- How to make contemporary trends look timeless;
- What pieces to look for that will last you a lifetime.
If you want to quickly learn everything you need to know about interior design, then this is the perfect course for you.
Start the course NOW.
How to Design a Room in 10 Easy Steps (Enroll Here)
- Platform: Udemy
- Duration: 1 hour 52 minutes
- Price: $119.14
- Certificate: YES
- Level: Beginner
- Apply HERE
Alright. You know exactly what style you like, you have your color palettes ready to go - you are about to redecorate your entire home! But somehow it doesn't come out the way you envisioned it. Something’s always off…
Well, what if we told you that there’s an interior design cheat code that will help you successfully decorate every room every time? If you think it sounds too good to be true, then we are glad to say that you’re wrong!
Thanks to Udemy, there is an online interior design course that will make you into a master designer in no time. How to Design a Room in 10 Easy Steps presents a tried and tested formula that was proven to make planning and executing a room’s new design easier than ever before.
Breaking down designing an interior into step-by-step instructions, this program teaches students that there is science behind the art of interior design. In addition to the theory, the course also includes several projects for students to really get the hang of the system.
The method consists of three phases - preplanning, creating the mood, and selecting the furnishing. In addition, the syllabus also includes advanced tips and techniques to really elevate your home, as well as some common interior design challenges that students can tackle to practice their new skills.
The entire course consists of 36 lectures divided into 7 sections, taking designing rooms one step at a time to guarantee success every time.
What’s great about this interior design online course is that its duration reflects the simplicity and quickness of the taught method. You can unlock the secret of high-quality interior design in just 1 hour and 52 minutes, making this the perfect online interior design course even for those constantly on the go.
One thing this program assures is a quick, simple, and straight-to-the-point learning experience.
If you are concerned that enrolling in this course will empty your wallet quicker than you would design a living room, then we can assure you that you have nothing to worry about. The entire class comes out to be $119.14, which can seem pricey, however, the program is guaranteed to make home renovation and maybe even starting a freelance interior designer career that much easier.
The students enrolled in this program will learn:
- How to determine what layout is best for your room’s size and purpose;
- How to curate the perfect style and color scheme;
- How different types of furniture can influence the end result;
- Tips and tricks to take your interior design from good to great.
Believe us when we say that this online interior design course is one of the most popular on Udemy for a reason!
Start the course NOW.
The Complete Sketchup & Vray Course for Interior Design (Enroll Here)
- Platform: Udemy
- Duration: 11 hours 10 minutes
- Price: $131.06
- Certificate: YES
- Level: All levels
- Apply HERE
When it comes to interior design, a pencil and paper are the only tools someone might need to bring their vision to life on a blank page - a few lines and voila, the perfect visualization is right in front of you.
However, to make sure that the original vision is cohesive and will actually look good once finished, interior designers prefer to use specific software to translate ideas into a clear example of the finished product.
This is especially common in the interior design field, as clear visualization of the client’s idea can save a lot of time, money, and help build a good understanding between both parties.
If you would like to learn how to use Sketchup and Vray - two of the most popular interior design rendering software programs - then we have the perfect Udemy class for you.
The Complete Sketchup & Vray Course for Interior Design is an online interior design course designed to take you from zero to hero in no time. The in-depth program offers content that can be useful to both hobbyists and professional interior designers.
The goal of this course is to teach you everything you might need to know while designing rooms with Sketchup. Starting with fundamentals and ending with additional extensions that can turn digital paintings into nearly photorealistic visuals, the syllabus leaves nothing behind.
Those enrolled in this course are guaranteed to receive more than enough high-quality, useful information.
The syllabus is divided into 9 sections by topic. That being said, it is important to note that this is the most extensive interior design course on our list, containing 82 lectures detailing everything you need to know.
Naturally, an online course consisting of 82 lectures isn't going to be a short one. With a duration of 11 hours and 10 minutes, it is the longest program on our list. It might seem like quite the commitment at first, but it is important to keep in mind that you have full control over how you schedule your work, so you can be sure that the learning experience is going to be completely stress-free.
When it comes to pricing, we have great news. The high-quality, in-depth content can be yours for just $131.06. Considering the amount of knowledge and skill you will be gaining, this is a great investment into your future!
Students enrolled in the program will learn:
- The basic tools available on Sketchup are;
- How those tools can be used to create professional-level interior visuals;
- What plugs are available to elevate your designs.
Whether you're a professional designer, university student, or simply someone interested in learning something new, this online interior design course is a great choice, recommended by hundreds of students.
Start the course NOW.
Holistic Interior Design: Transform Your Personal Space for Well-Being (Enroll Here)
- Platform: Skillshare
- Duration: 1 hour 22 minutes
- Price: Free
- Certificate: No
- Level: Beginner
- Apply HERE
As mentioned previously, the rooms we spend most of our lives in have an undeniable effect on our wellbeing, whether it’s physical, emotional, or psychological. With that in mind, if we can use interior design to avoid the possible negative effects, then interior design can be just as useful when it comes to invoking positive effects.
And luckily, we have one of the top online interior design courses to offer you.
Holistic Interior Design: Transform Your Personal Space for Well-Being is a Skillshare class created to help students turn their environment into a safe haven where they can relax, recharge, and feel better.
The course introduces students to holistic interior design, which focuses on how people feel in certain spaces and how to create a positive environment using interior elements that nurtures our well-being.
This program aims to provide a well-rounded introduction to holistic interior design. That can be clearly seen in the syllabus content - the course covers 5 principles of holistic design, 7 technical skills, 3 demonstrations, and 1 case study.
This shows just how multifaceted interior design can be and how much there is to learn.
This course consists of 20 lessons that detail every topic of the syllabus separately, which, as it is standard for Skillshare, guarantees a stress-free learning environment.
What’s more, the program does not waste time on unimportant details. Everything you might need to know is compacted into a 1-hour-and-22-minute long class, leaving no reason why you shouldn’t take the course.
And yes, that includes pricing - something Skillshare knows how to do incredibly well. If you are interested in taking any Skillshare course you can enroll free of charge during the first two weeks of your premium membership. And if you like what you see, you can continue enjoying the platform for no more than $10 per month!
Students taking this interior design online course will learn:
- The theories behind holistic interior design;
- What interior elements influence us the most;
- How to create a sense of balance even in small spaces.
Anyone looking to make their environment more welcoming and comfortable should consider enrolling in this unique online interior design course.
Start the course NOW.
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Have you ever wondered which online learning platforms are the best for your career?
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Conclusions
Whether we are actively involved in the field or not, interior design plays a huge part in our day-to-day lives, which naturally might influence us to want to learn more about it.
From casual introductions to in-depth certificated classes, there are countless online interior design courses that you can choose from. To help you with your decision, we put the most popular and highest-rated online interior design courses we found into this article, which you can look through one more time here:
- Interior Design Basics - an introductory course by Skillshare
- How to Work with Interior Design Styles - a Udemy course
- How to Use Color Like a Pro - a Udemy course
- Style Your Space - an introductory course by Skillshare
- How to Design a Room in 10 Easy Steps - a guide by Udemy
- The Complete Sketchup & Vray Course - a Udemy class
- Holistic Interior Design - an introductory course by Skillshare
The mentioned programs are provided by two of the top MOOC platforms, making their content quality one of the best on the market. Because the classes can be taken by both beginners and those already in the interior design field, we are sure that everyone can find their perfect online interior design course after reading this article.
With all that said, we thank you for reading our article on the top-rated online interior design courses! We hope that you found it useful and wish you luck on your future interior design adventures!
Scientific References
1. Alexander G. Schauss, Tranquilizing Effect of Color Reduces Aggressive Behavior and Potential Violence, The Institute For Biosocial Research, Graduate School, City College, Tacoma, Washington. 1979
2. Lucida: 'What is Well-being Design?'
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