Advocate: Designer vs. Decorator
Designers and decorators are NOT, I repeat NOT, the same thing. In the industry, this seems like an age old debate of a non-issue because we've heard it so many times, but it's constant resurgence reminds us regularly that it is our professional duty to educate the public. In September, The Huffington Post blog published an article titled "Arbitrary Interior Design Regulations Hurt Entrepreneurs, Consumers". Clearly, the article focuses only a very minuscule portion of the profession, those who work in the residential sector. It does not focus at all on specialty areas of the profession which DO require education and training, such as healthcare design, workplace design, hospitality and retail design. Not to mention interior designers who work in the project or facilities management side of things, interior design educators, and others who do not work in typical roles, such as, directly for design and architecture firms. The author, Hilary Gowins, states "It's hard to imagine that interior designers -- who deal in cabinet design and room layout -- pose a serious safety risk to the public." She's obviously never seen the work and coordination that goes into designing a patient room of a hospital! It boggles my mind that this article was written on such an outdated, uneducated and unfounded premise.
Just so you don't find yourself making the same mistake in conversation- click here for the Definition of Interior Design by the National Council of Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ).
The NCIDQ website also states
"Many U.S. states and Canadian provinces have passed laws requiring interior designers to be licensed or registered—documenting their formal education and training—and many of them specifically require that all practicing interior designers earn the NCIDQ Certification to demonstrate their experience and qualifications. By contrast, interior decorators require no formal training or licensure." (source here).
Below are the regulations that I am required to meet as a Registered Interior Designer (RID) in the great state of Texas. Education, experience, and examination, and once registered, annual completion of a minimum of 12 hours of health, safety, and wellness focused continuing education (of which one must focus on barrier free design and one must focus on sustainable design) . Read my bio here and look me up on the Verify A License page of the Texas Board of Architectural Examinars website!
"(a) In order to obtain Interior Design registration by examination in Texas, an Applicant shall demonstrate that the Applicant has a combined total of at least six years of approved Interior Design education and experience and shall successfully complete the Interior Design registration examination or a predecessor or other examination deemed equivalent by NCIDQ as more fully described in Subchapter C of this chapter." Texas Administrative Code Title 22, Chapter 5, Subchapter b
Much time and effort is expended on the part of a licensed professional Interior Designer. The knowledge base designers bring to their clients and projects extends far beyond "cabinet design and room layout".
Lastly, I know I am not alone with the bad taste that Ms. Gowins' article left in my mouth. Please read the very well written response by the Advocacy Department on the International Interior Design Association's Design Matters blog from 9/29/14, titled "Interior Design vs. Interior Decorating". THANK YOU, IIDA!