Obtain a degree in Interior Design from an accredited university or design school and add class teaching to your coursework so that your skills range from the art of decorating to the science of instruction. Join the American Society of Interior Design (ASID), the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) or another professional trade organization so you can add credentials to your curriculum vitae that will give you the credibility needed to open your school.
Check your state's department of education requirements to ascertain what is required of a new school. Use those recommendations to draft your long-term goals, objectives, curricula, class topics and programs. Learn which types of certificates and certifications must be obtained in order for your school to meet Department of Education and/or local school standards. Pay required fees for these certificates and licenses. Obtain your school charter to cover all bases.
Raise funds to launch your school by seeking seed money from nonprofits, lending institutions or personal sources. Draw up a budget for the facility you envision. Include the outfitting of laboratories and classrooms, plus equipment and supplies, in your projections. Factor in a year's worth of day-to-day expenses such as utilities, payroll, postage, maintenance and marketing. Get in touch with area contractors to get competitive quotes for build-outs and renovations once you've located a building and expect your local zoning and building boards to stay on top of structural, plumbing and electrical improvements as they are made.
Schedule a full complement of classes, including Elements and Principles of Room Design, Architectural Theory, Furniture Style, Selection and Arrangement, Color Theory, Designing and Evaluating Floor Plans using CAD Software, Principles of Accessories and Backgrounds, Analysis of Living and Work Spaces, Safety, Security and Maintenance, Landscaping and the Environment and Principles of Remodeling.
Build a counseling component into your school structure so students can begin preparing for interior design work throughout their school tenure. Toward that end, require students to pursue both residential and commercial design to maximize their chances for employment upon graduation. Make sure students learn how to deal with the costs and availabilities of materials by filling curricula with experiential coursework.
Construct a comprehensive plan for student recruitment and marketing. Partner with schools that don't offer interior design classes. Build a website that's easy to navigate. Become a fixture on your community speaking circuit. You might be surprised by how many students you can recruit when you show up at the Rotary, libraries and women's clubs with a handful of brochures and a great interior design school start-up story.