LIVE TRAINING FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS
|
JULY 23RD, 12:30-2:30 PM CENTRAL TIME
|
SUMMER SCHOOL SESSION 02
|
LIVE TRAINING FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS | JULY 23RD, 12:30-2:30 PM CENTRAL TIME | SUMMER SCHOOL SESSION 02 |
LIVE TRAINING for INTERIOR DESIGNERS
A Deep Dive Into Construction Docs
& Spec Books
A 2-hour live training to help you stop second-guessing your documentation formatting and start standing out as the designer contractors trust most.
You're in the middle of producing drawings for a CD set, and you stop cold.
Wait. Should this go in the spec book or the plan?
Does this element need a separate elevation?
Have I included enough detail? Or is it overkill?
PAST PROJECTS AREN’T HELPING. SOME SHEETS ARE JAM-PACKED, OTHERS ARE MISSING KEY INFO, AND BOTH HAVE SPARKED JOB SITE ISSUES.
You know this stuff inside and out, but your drawings somehow aren’t communicating that.
→ Maybe you didn’t go to design school.
→ Maybe you never worked at a big firm.
→ Or maybe it’s simply been a while.
Doesn’t matter.
You’re not trying to be an architect. You just want (and need to produce) clean, professional drawings that contractors actually read and follow.
When your documentation isn’t crystal clear, the fallout shows up fast:
You lose hours on drawings and renderings that may not even be necessary
There are major inconsistencies in the formatting for different projects
You field endless contractor questions that your docs were supposed to answer
You’re left with constant version updates and disorganized files
You have a bad feeling the GC sees you as a complication, not an ally
Behind the scenes feels messy.
And it’s costing everyone …
… especially your clients, who HAVE TRUSTED you with their greatest asset (something i know you don’t take lightly!).
You don’t want to be regarded as “the decorator” who doesn’t
know a thing about actual building construction. 😭
You want to be indispensable.
✔️ The designer contractors come to with big projects
✔️ The designer who’s clear, organized, and a dream to work with
✔️ The designer who sets a new standard, where contractors say,
“There’s before working with you … and after working with you.”
That kind of trust doesn’t come from a mood board.
🥴
It comes from your construction documentation and specifications.
When you hand over a clear drawing set and a clean spec book, you're not just elevating the project; you're showing contractors that working with a designer makes their lives easier.
Imagine becoming the go-to designer. Not because you’re the most likely to do their grunt work. But because your documentation is solid and meets industry standards. GCs know that your designs are carefully considered and planned, and that your drawings are clear and buildable.
You know as well as I do:
Costly job site errors don’t always come from bad design. Or tight budgets.
They most often come from unclear documentation.
What fixes that?
✔️ Consistent formatting
✔️Clear drawings and notes
✔️ A sharp line between spec book, CD set, and client presentation
✔️ Just enough detail to kill guesswork
This is what makes contractors trust you. Refer you. And make having you on their projects a non-negotiable.
And while your clients may not fully understand why it matters, just seeing the drawing set and spec book you produce will give them a glimpse into the time, money, and chaos you’re saving them from.
SO WHAT’S A DESIGNER TO DO?
Set the bar so high that your GC refuses to work with clients who haven’t hired you.
When your documentation is clear, professional, and easy to follow, you don’t just make the contractor’s job easier.
You make it painful for them to NOT work with you.
That’s why Dr. Gloria and I are teaching a live workshop focused solely on creating and presenting construction drawings and spec books that get your designs built right the first time.
This isn’t a bloated year-long course or dusty video library.
Just live, focused instruction with immediate ROI. 👏👏👏
Dr. Gloria will tackle formatting, structure, and standards (not software) so whatever you draft in, you’ll know exactly what to show.
In just two hours, you’ll learn:
What makes a drawing set “complete”
Which drawings you need and which ones you can skip
How to use standard symbols, notes, and callouts contractors understand
How to format a finish schedule that keeps decisions organized
What goes in the drawings vs. spec book vs. client presentation
How to format a contractor-ready spec book (whether you’re in Canva, InDesign, Google Docs, or PM software)
When to deliver your docs, how to keep versions straight, and how to prevent costly miscommunication
How to make your documentation a referral-generating machine
You’ll leave with a repeatable documentation process, clear standards for your sheets, schedules, and specs, and answers to your specific questions.
Plus, you’ll get these bonuses:
✔️ CD Set Checklist
✔️ Cover sheet formatting example
✔️ Sheet title block formatting example
✔️ A quick sheet of industry-recognized abbreviations and drafting symbols
✔️ Sheet numbering example
✔️ Spec Book Template in Google Sheets
Meet Your Hostesses
Meet Gloria Stafford, PhD
CERTIFIED INTERIOR DESIGNER & TENURED PROFESSOR
Gloria is a long-time practicing certified interior designer, SCAD grad, and tenured professor. Following a 20-year career practicing both commercial and residential design, she went back to graduate school to earn a Master’s and PhD.
For the last 14 years, she has taught at three different Midwest universities. She found great satisfaction in educating the next generation of designers and just recently retired as a tenured professor.
Gloria always says, “Design is my passion, but education is my calling.”
Meet Katie McFarlan
CEO & OPERATIONS CONSULTANT
Through private business consulting, done-for-you systems setup, educational programs, and premium templates, my all-female team and I have helped thousands of interior designers streamline and price their services, create elevated client experiences, and refine and implement processes their teams and clients appreciate.
We are committed to providing the industry with comprehensive and high-quality resources, articles, and educational content, enabling interior designers to confidently run profitable and sustainable businesses.
It is my MISSION to level up the entire design industry.
LIVE TRAINING DETAILS
This training was specifically designed to address questions, challenges, and missteps we’ve seen designers struggle with. And, it’s being taught by our in-house interior design professor and certified interior designer, Dr. Gloria, so you know it’s backed by industry standards and 20+ years of field experience.
LIVE TRAINING DETAILS
Date: 7/23/2025
Time: 12:30-2:30 Central Time
Hosted by: Dr. Gloria, PhD, tenured design professor, SCAD grad, and certified interior designer + Katie, operations consultant for interior designers
Format: Live Zoom training followed by Q&A session
Price: $400
Who? For interior designers only
Replay? Yes + lifetime access
Doors Close? July 22nd midnight
🧰 You’ll Also Get These Bonuses:
→ CD Set Checklist
→ Cover sheet formatting example
→ Sheet title block formatting example
→ A quick sheet of industry-recognized abbreviations and drafting symbols
→ Sheet numbering example
→ Spec Book Template in Google Sheets
WHAT THE FAQ?
-
Yes. Your registration includes access to the full training replay, available inside our ThriveCart course platform. You’ll be able to access the replay and bonuses inside.
-
Yes. You’ll have lifetime access to the replay and materials so you can revisit them anytime.
Plus, you’ll be invited to join us (on the house) whenever we run this exact training live again, so you stay current on the best practices that Dr. Gloria is teaching in design school to the next generation of interior designers.
-
We love that you’re investing in your own development, but these trainings are specifically created for practicing interior designers, not for business coaches, consultants, or educators serving the same audience.
We kindly ask that you respect the integrity of the space and the privacy of our community by learning elsewhere.
We've had past experiences where content was repurposed or our audience was approached. For that reason, we reserve the right to revoke access to anyone we believe is not attending in good faith.
-
We do not offer refunds for our online trainings and products. Please read our terms and conditions here.
-
We want to make sure you get exactly what you need this summer.
If you have questions about the training, whether it’s the right fit for you, or anything else, email us at team@dakotadesigncompany.com. We’re happy to help.
-
Both. New designers and self-taught designers gain a solid foundation; veteran designers sharpen, streamline, and elevate their materials.
-
Gloria holds a Master’s Degree in Interior Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design, and a PhD in Human Environmental Science and Architectural Studies from the University of Missouri. She has published several research articles on the aging-in-place experience and has been a speaker at numerous design research conferences. She is NCIDQ certified, LEED accredited, and has been a Certified Interior Designer in Minnesota since 1999. She was a practicing interior designer for over 20 years and has taught interior design for 14 years at three different Midwest universities. She is a semi-retired tenured professor and has worked with Dakota Design Company for the last three years.
-
No. While geared toward residential and light commercial projects, the standards apply broadly.
-
No. Whether you use AutoCAD, SketchUp Layout, Revit, or outsource drafting, the principles hold.
-
How to format sheets within a CD set (including title blocks and sheet composition)
How to use standard drafting symbology: elevation markers, section markers, detail callouts, tags
How to format and label plan types: demo, construction, RCP, electrical, furniture
How to format and annotate: elevations, sections, millwork drawings, and details
Best practices for keynotes, dimensions, schedules, and legends
Clear ways to present specifications and spec books, whether inside or outside the CD set
Stop second-guessing. Start handing off documents contractors love.
Designers across the U.S. and Canada are already in. Lock in your spot before another firm becomes your dream GC’s go-to designer.
If you can’t join live, yes, there will be a replay.
© 2017-2025 DAKOTA DESIGN COMPANY, LLC | TERMS OF USE