Chattahoochee Technical College interiors program is on the move

People interested in the interiors program will find a hands-on approach.

“Our students do projects in every class, but we also look for ways they can practice their skills out in the community,” Burton said.

In the past, interiors students have helped enhance the Pickens County Chamber of Commerce building, designed the new interior of the Community Bank of Pickens County and remodeled the Appalachian campus student center.

Now that the program has moved to east Cobb, Burton’s students are decorating a house for the Woodstock Holiday Tour of Homes.

“Fifteen of our students are getting to work with a client, stay within budget, and put into practice all of the things they have been learning in the program,” she said.

The students planned a Christmas carols motif for the home and have decorated every room with a theme from a different song. Two bedrooms have snow-themed rooms: “Frosty the Snowman” and “Let it Snow.” The terrace level is Santa’s workshop.

“They’re getting to use their creativity and have come up with some fantastic ideas, but they’re also learning to work together,” Burton said. “Networking is a big part of the design business.”

The interior design field attracts diverse students, including recent high school graduates, empty-nesters and career changers. The college offers a certificate, a two-year associate degree and a diploma. The courses meet during the day, and students may start any quarter.

“We start by teaching them how to hold a pencil and draw a line,” Burton said. “Our classes cover basic design fundamentals, drawing, color theory, floor arrangement, window treatments, material selection, drafting and lighting. They learn how to use AutoCAD to create floor plans on the computer.”

The job calls for creativity and an artistic sensibility, but there are also technical and business elements to the industry. For example, students learn how to research building codes and read blueprints.

“Interior designers need to know how to work with people. They need good communication skills and not mind hard work,” Burton said. “Everyone thinks the job is creative and fun, and it is, but there’s a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes.”

Graduates find jobs with architecture and design firms; retail home furnishings and furniture stores; bath and kitchen design businesses; and as sales representatives for fabrics and other home-décor materials. Some start their own design businesses.

“We teach a business practices class that will help them learn how to start a business, market, write contracts and file taxes,” Burton said.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts interior design jobs to grow by 19 percent through 2018, but also warns of keen competition as many people want to work in the field. The median salary is $44,950, according to the bureau. With housing sales and home prices down, “more people are interested in remodeling and staying in their homes longer and that’s good for business,” Burton said.

The joys of working in the field go beyond the creative side.

“There’s a great sense of satisfaction every time you finish a project and see that the clients are going to enjoy their new space,” Burton said. “You know that you’re enhancing their life, and that’s very gratifying.”

Tuition is $45 per credit hour for in-state students, and many Georgia residents are eligible for the HOPE scholarship or HOPE grant. The application deadline for winter quarter is Dec. 3.

For information, call 770-509-6332, or go to www.chattahoocheetech.edu. Athens, Gwinnett and Lanier technical colleges also offer interior design programs.

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