Phase 1: Interior Design & Styling

an exciting career in interior design with NIA ACADEMIE.

You’ve been dreaming to do something with interiors for years and you are ready to retrain as an interior designer and stylist. To build a strong foundation for your new career as an interior professional, it’s important to first master the essential knowledge and skills of Interior Styling and Interior Design.
In the first phase of our Interior Training Programme (the Orientation Phase), you’ll gain this foundation in five inspiring, creative, and practical modules. Continue reading to discover what you’ll learn!

Our English course starts in Spring 2026. Do you want to receive an email alert when registration is possible?

About the Orientation Phase

The main focus of Phase 1 is to introduce you to the world of interior design and styling, help you take your first steps in retraining for this profession, and give you the base you’ll need for the rest of the programme. We do this through five fascinating modules:

course information

Duration
Day course: 12 days

Price
€ 1.940 ,- | Pay in 3 instalments
€ 1.840 ,- | Pay in full

Our courses are exempt from VAT.

Payment options
1.) Pay in full via iDEAL (invoice afterwards)
2.) Pay in 3 instalments
3.) Payment after receiving invoice

Level
Higher professional education (HBO) working/learning level
(Student > 18 years or minimum MBO diploma)

Target group
Starters in the interior field

Study materials
Available via our online platform MY NIA ACADEMIE.

Lunch, coffee, and tea are at your own expense (see location details).

Group size
Minimum 8, maximum 12 students

Study load
At least 12 hours per week

Locations
Amsterdam & Eindhoven

Class times
Day course: 10:00–16:00 (lunch break 12:30–13:30)

UWV
NIA ACADEMIE is a recognised training institute for the UWV. Contact your job coach and our administration (administratie@nia-academie.nl) if you may qualify for a training budget.

Contact
Questions? Visit our FAQ or email administratie@nia-academie.nl

Module: Interior Design

In this module, you’ll explore sketching and design skills through a fun, hands-on project combined with theory. You’ll sketch and design by hand on purpose, so you can engage your creative brain and develop a strong sense of scale and spatial awareness, without the limits of design software.

Module: Materials & Sustainability

Sustainability plays a key role in the interior field. Clients increasingly value sustainable living, so in this module we focus on awareness and knowledge of sustainable materials. You’ll learn how to incorporate sustainable principles into your future designs.

Study load
At least 12 hours per week

Locations
Amsterdam & Eindhoven

Class times
Day course: 10:00–16:00 (lunch break 12:30–13:30)

UWV
NIA ACADEMIE is a recognised training institute for the UWV. Contact your job coach and our administration (administratie@nia-academie.nl) if you may qualify for a training budget.

Contact
Questions? Visit our FAQ or email administratie@nia-academie.nl

Module: Art, Design & Style History

Here you’ll get an overview of major art movements, design and architecture through the ages. With a creative homework assignment, you’ll learn to recognise the visual characteristics and language of different style periods, and apply them in your future work.

Module: Visual Communication

In the world of interior, everything revolves around visualising ideas. In this module, you’ll learn to communicate through images: analysing and translating visuals so you can use moodboards to present your concept, style/atmosphere, related materials and products professionally to your clients.

Module: Colour Plan

As a designer or stylist, knowing how to use colour effectively - both functionally and aesthetically - is essential. In this module you’ll discover the impact of colour, get to know the NCS colour system, and create a furniture layout and a full colour and materials plan based on a floor plan.

What will you learn?

In Phase 1 you’ll build a foundation in sketching and design, so you can read, draw, and arrange a scaled floor plan using an interior zoning approach. You’ll learn to give colour advice, visualise and present atmospheres with moodboards, gain an overview of art, design, and style history, and develop a basic knowledge of materials and sustainable choices. This foundation is essential for progressing to Phase 2.

What are your skills after the Orientation Phase?

By the end of this phase, you’ll be able to:

Read and hand-draw a floor plan to scale
Work with basic tools for interior design and styling
Create a zoning plan and sketch layout
Explain the different stages of a design process
Distinguish between natural and synthetic materials
Make sustainable material choices for interiors
Create and present your own interpretation of various style periods and their design language
Apply visual communication and image analysis
Produce an abstract moodboard, a concrete interior moodboard, and a shopping list
Create and present a colour plan using your knowledge of colour and the NCS system

registration English course

All the basic knowledge you need starts in Phase 1. Feeling inspired?

Our English course starts in Spring 2026. Do you want to receive an email alert when registration is possible?