Tag Archives: Interior Design Health Safety & Welfare

FLORIDA ID PRACTICE ACT IS CHALLENGED AGAIN- IN THE BIG COURT

Posted on September 16, 2011 | Leave a comment

PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER just found out.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/09/15/2408943/us-supreme-court-gets-fla-interior.html

Here is a copy of the petition.

http://www.ij.org/images/pdf_folder/economic_liberty/fl_interior_design/flidcertpetitionsept.pdf

(with thanks to the IDPC http://idpcinfo.wordpress.com/2011/09/15/ij-files-petition-in-u-s-supreme-court-re-florida-interior-design-legal-challenge/ )

 Here is the layman’s definition of the challenge:

http://www.techlawjournal.com/glossary/legal/certiorari.htm

  Let’s hope that it gets tossed in the shredder.

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Posted in ASID, Florida Interior Design Lawsuit, Florida Interior Design Regulation Deregulation, IIDA, Interior Design, Interior Design Educators Council, Interior Design Laws, Interior Design Licensing, Interior Design Profession, NCIDQ

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Design Star or Design Scourge

Posted on July 12, 2011 | 10 Comments

 We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Analysis of Interior Design Regulation To Bring You This Important Announcement!

PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER told himself not to continue punishing his hyper-sensitive identity complex by subjecting himself to another season of HGTV’s Design Star series. But lo I cannot avoid it. The HGTV juggernaut is omniscient- it is like being forced, with eyes propped open, to watch a slow motion train/school bus collision. The promotion of the series and its impact on the profession of interior design is unavoidable and in my not so humble opinion……devastating. 

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv-design-star/show/index.html

If you are a professionally educated and/or trained interior designer who has vetted your knowledge and skillset via examination, continuing education and a commitment to ethical business practices you know what I am talking about. If however, you consider yourself an innately qualified interior designer who dresses professionally and has a flair for self-promotion and fashion but has no other validation of competency then you probably think I am an arrogant poop shoot.  So be it.

I have ranted incessantly about the public’s perception of ”interior design” and their subsequent level of respect and appreciation for our value to society. Many of us endeavor to distinguish ourselves from the publicity seekers and drama queens by clinging to acronyms such as “RID”, “CID” “NCIDQ® Certificate Number 000000″. Surely the public must understand and respect those credentials. But many professional designers do not fully understand the litany of abbreviations and letters posing as credentials- how can we expect armchair home improvement enthusiasts (A.K.A. “general public”) to grasp the nuances? Well we can’t and we have to stop wasting our time trying to change the paradigm.

In order to avoid the incessant stereotyping some of us have even created our own terms such as “interior workplace strategist”, “interior environmental designer”, and the inevitable “interior architect”. But ultimately we are still “interior designers” and we are subject, by default, to all of its misperceptions. Unfortunately, until we demand better of our professional organizations, even with their limited resources, and apply some out of the box strategic public relations effort we will forever be judged by whomever, or whatever, has the broadest impact on our chosen profession. Take a guess what that might be.

Gotta go buy some Orville Redenbacher Smart Pop (I am watching my girlish figure don’t ya know) and get my snuggie ready. It’s going to be a great season of Design Star.

P.S. If you missed the casting call for this seasons’s Design Star fret not! You should try this one….AaaaaaaaRrrrrrrrrrrrrGGGGGGGGGGhhhhhhhhhh!

http://www.hgtv.com/about-us/were-looking-for-professional-interior-designers-to-appear-on-hgtvs-newest-hit-show/index.html

 

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Posted in ASID, HGTV, HGTV Design Star, IIDA, Interior Design Laws, Interior Design Licensing, Interior Design Profession, interior design regulation, Interior Design vs. Interior Decorators, Stupid Interior Design Tricks

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COMMERCIAL vs. RESIDENTIAL INTERIOR DESIGNER

Posted on June 28, 2011 | 4 Comments
ACCEPTING THE INEVITABLE OR FIGHTING FOR UNITY

Continuing my assessment of the new ID regulation objective it is clear that the effort to license interior design mandates a legal distinction between residential and non-residential, or commercial only, interior design services. In order to avoid potential freedom of speech infringement of ID legislation every existing, and proposed piece of ID legislation distinguishes between those who practice single family residential interior design, which is typically unregulated at any level, and those who practice in commercial settings, typically requiring a building permit. This distinction is critical to allowing interior designers who practice in the residential realm, or non-codes based environment, to continue such practice free of regulatory infringement.  For the first 35+/- years of the ID regulation effort this was not the case and the pushback by disenfranchised interior decorators, innately qualified interior designers, kitchen and bath designers, and furniture retailers created a force against ID regulation that will take years to overcome. The voluntary focus of the new ASID/IIDA regulation objective is a step in the right direction.

In the commercial realm a building permit can only be obtained if applied for by a licensed designer, or in some cases a licensed construction, professional. This means that many qualified interior design professionals must engage the services of a registered architect or professional engineer in order to realize their design. Many qualified interior designers see this as frustrating at best, an added cost to the client in general, and potentially unethical at worst. Instances of architects being paid for superficial reviews and endorsement of limited scope interior design permit documents, simply because local jurisdictions require the seal and signature of a design professional, are common. Not only does this increase cost to the client at the expense of the designer but the architect then assumes ownership of the design.  Obviously if an architect assumes liability for a project they should be compensated accordingly but if an interior designer is qualified to perform the work and to assume liability as well why would it not benefit the consumer to provide this option? The new ASID/IIDA regulation objective positions qualified interior designers to assume full responsibility for their work without the oversight of other licensed professionals. This appears to be a good thing for both the consumer and those licensed interior designers wishing to practice independent of other registered professionals

Essentially qualified interior designers who practice in the public/commercial realm should have the right to sign and seal construction drawings in order to obtain a building permit. Until recently this has been the realm of the licensed/registered architect. ASID/IIDA legislative advocates are framing this as a right to work professional parity issue. The American Institute of Architects is none too happy about this evolution of our profession.  In response to recent efforts by the Florida House to deregulate the practice of interior design in Florida AIA president Robert Ivy, FAIA in a letter to a Florida state senator implied that the practice of interior design simply does not affect the health, safety and welfare of the public;

“We believe state regulatory bodies have established that licensing of professionals should be limited to those professions that significantly affect the public health, safety and welfare. We are not in favor of any legislation that would fragment the building design process, which endangers and misleads the public as to the respective areas of competence and expertise. We applaud you for the proposed elimination of unnecessary bureaucracy. “  http://www.idpcinfo.org/AIA_letter_to_Florida_Senators.pdf

So with that missive and past declarations by the AIA in opposition to ID licensure the battle lines have been redrawn.  Any design profession that claims competence to practice design services in commercial/code based construction must prove that their work significantly affects the public health safety and welfare which typically is only an issue in the commercial construction realm. Consequently those who practice in the single family/non-permit residential realm are being cleaved away from the professional domain.

Is this inclination to distinguish between commercial and non-commercial interior design healthy for the profession of interior design? Should it be accepted as a normal evolution of the profession? Can it be the basis of a new paradigm that distinguishes us axiomatically from the innately qualified, i.e. Commercial vs. Residential Interior Designers? How will this affect the education, experience and examination foundation of our professional domain?

PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER has expressed serious concerns with the increasing chasm between residential and commercial interior design. But maybe it is time to accept the inevitable. More on this later.

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Posted in American Institute of Architects, ASID, Florida Interior Design Lawsuit, Florida Interior Design Regulation Deregulation, IIDA, Interior Design Educators Council, Interior Design Laws, Interior Design Licensing, Interior Design Profession, interior design regulation, NCIDQ

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What’s in a Name Part Deux Redeux

Posted on June 24, 2011 | Leave a comment
Or is it just deux deux?
Interior Design Regulation and Professional Respect

PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER welcomes the new focus of Interior Design regulation (see previous post). BUT- while the objective is clearer and the collaboration between IIDA & ASID is welcome, there are still numerous issues with the legislation/licensure model of professional validation. I will be exploring those in future threads (I know, I know, how much can one person ponder this topic?). 

Not to continue beating a dead cat for the tenth time but one issue the new ASID/IIDA commitment does not address is identity.  That is how can we better define our roles and responsibilities so that society in general, and our policymakers specifically, will grant us legal recognition as licensed professionals? Who are we and what do we do that needs to be licensed and regulated?  Very few of us can answer that in a consistent, succinct and readily tangible manner.  As we witnessed in Florida the understanding of who we are and what we do continues to be our professional Achilles heel. PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER was impressed with the last minute efforts of Florida Registered Interior Designers to defend their status as licensed professionals but to say that was the reason for the Florida Senate’s role in voting down the deregulation effort is a stretch. Did it help? Yes. But the politics behind Florida HB5005 was real reason for its termination and like religious dogma politics is a confusing and contentious issue. Put two people in a room and they most likely will have differences of opinion (unless of course they are the Koch Brothers- but that is another story).

For the first 35 years of the ID licensure effort the focus was on changing the definition of “interior design” to be what we want it to be. Well that did not work out to well for us did it? I have written ad infinitum regarding the epic struggle for the term “interior design”. I recently found a similar opinion piece by Brad Powell of officeinsight.com. If you are an interior design professional identity wonk this is good stuff….

   http://media.officeinsight.com/InteriorDesign.TowardANewDefinition.1-7.pdf

I respect Mr. Powell and his discourse is well considered and includes some compelling suggestions. BUT- is changing the definition of interior design a battle we want to fight? Once again I say that despite the 35+ years of effort- interior design has not changed- we have.  We are a hybrid of interior designers and architects- some would say that we are closer to interior architects than anything. I don’t disagree I just don’t want to go there…yet. So let’s stop re-defining and start fresh. Let’s let the interior designers have interior design- it’s time to move on. Stay tuned.

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Posted in ASID, Florida Interior Design Lawsuit, Florida Interior Design Regulation Deregulation, IIDA, Interior Design, Interior Design Laws, Interior Design Licensing, Interior Design Profession, interior design regulation, Interior Design vs. Interior Decorators, NCIDQ

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ASID & IIDA Issue Joint Statement on ID Licensure

Posted on June 15, 2011 | 11 Comments

 

In reaction to the legal challenges and effort to deregulate licensing of Interior Designers in Florida ASID and IIDA issued the following joint statement;

 

Joint Statement of the  American Society of Interior Designers And the International Interior Design Association

“The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and the International Interior Design Association (IlDA) recognize and support each other’s role in the development of the interior design profession.

 

 The two organizations each work to further the growth and success of the interior design profession in the United States, nurture the global design community and offer education and inspiration to members throughout their careers.

 

 To that end, both ASID and IIDA strongly support voluntarily licensing that provides expanded practice opportunities for interior designers, allowing qualified designers to work independently in code-based built environments. This type of licensure for interior design is right for the economy, right for consumers, and right for the interior design profession.

 

 Further, ASID and IIDA join together to oppose current attempts to deregulate the interior design industry. Licensing allows designers to establish independent small businesses that offer a full scope of services, hire workers, increase payrolls and contribute to the tax base. Regulation has helped create jobs in interior design as well as affiliated wholesale and retail sales.

 

 This has, also meant reduced costs for consumers by increasing competition in the commercial design market. Licensing for interior design differentiates the responsibilities and services of each of the design professions, eliminating a monopoly for architects in the design of code-based built environments. Overall, licensing in Florida has created a robust design industry that employs thousands of Floridians and contributes significantly to the economy.

 

 Deregulation of voluntary licensure in Florida will only serve to disrupt small business and remove key safeguards vital to keeping the economy on track, creating instability for business and uncertainty in the marketplace.

 

For these reasons ASID and IIDA are working to together to prevent the deregulation of interior design and to promote a vibrant and dynamic environment in which the design community can thrive.”

PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER is not sure when the statement was issued, or to whom, and that it was not formatted as a press release is interesting.  None the less there are two take away points for those who see the effort to license the practice of Interior Design as our primary mode of professional validation (in PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER’S  sometimes not so humble opinion);

  1. ASID & IIDA are collaborating on this issue.
  2. A clear objective for this effort has been identified-

…..both ASID and IIDA strongly support voluntarily licensing that provides expanded practice opportunities for interior designers, allowing qualified designers to work independently in code-based built environments.

Okay now we’re talkin’!  That’s it in a nutshell elevator ride statement. Kudos to Don Davis of ASID and Allison Levy of IIDA for distilling down an incredibly complex and misunderstood issue.  I hope that ASID and IIDA will adopt the above statement as their official policy regarding the regulation of Interior Design.  As I have stated before “as interior design legislation goes so goes the profession” at least until we can synthesize a cogent public relations effort that reinforces our regulatory efforts.

Now that we have a clear objective all we have to do is come up with a strategy to achieve it.  Guess who might have some thoughts on that?

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Posted in ASID, Florida Interior Design Lawsuit, Florida Interior Design Regulation Deregulation, IIDA, Interior Design, Interior Design Educators Council, Interior Design Licensing, Interior Design Profession, interior design regulation, Interior Design vs. Interior Decorators, NCIDQ

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BLINDLY DEVOTED OR SIMPLY OUT OF OPTIONS?

Posted on June 6, 2011 | Leave a comment

PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER has ruffled a few feathers by claiming that proponents of interior design licensure seem to be blindly devoted to use of legal force to achieve professional parity with architects and professional engineers.  The ID licensure effort has, because of legal ramifications, evolved from one of redefining the term and the practice of “interior design” to one that is solely focused on providing ID’ers limited scope permitting privileges.  Basically we have gone from pissing off the decorators to flustering the AIA. So forgive me for asking- what have we achieved here?  While some see the licensure effort as a success I see it as a terrible waste of intellectual and financial capital…..at this point in our professional development.  I am sure that 40 years ago licensing interior designers seemed like a great way to distinguish the qualified from the not. And given the dearth of organizational leadership for the profession it sadly remains our only option for advancing the status of the profession.  Well fast forward 40 years and one would have been trapped in a cave with their head buried in the sand to think that society, technology and design processes have not evolved. So is a 40 year old effort to establish some sort of societal recognition and professional parity best achieved through force of law?. Ummm….NO!  It is not too late for the profession to evolve as well.

PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER has been watching the lighting design profession, represented domestically by the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD), strive for respect and recognition. The parallels with their professional identity effort  are remarkably similar to those of ID’ers.  They are the bastard step children of the Illuminating Engineers and we are the shunned offspring of a failed relationship between decorators and Architects.  We could learn a lot by zeroing in on the IALD’s effort. I particularly appreciate an editorial piece from the Jan.-Feb. 2011 issue of Illuminate (a supplement to Architectural Products magazine) by Kevin Willmorth titled IT TAKES A VILLAGE. Mr. Willmorth discusses the revolution in the lighting design process and how design decision are made and he makes this pertinent point;

“Half a Century ago,  architects were the core of all decision making, often with more power that the owner. In today’s processes they are less empirical. The decentralization of lighting design is just one of the many areas where the vertical petards of conventional professes have collapsed. From glazing to HVAC systems, bringing in a wider array of experts is an integral a part of contemporary design practice . This collective of knowledge results in the infusion of information beyond any individual’s capacity, allowing more complex systems to be considered.”

We, the profession of interior design, must reconsider our effort to combat the AIA mano y mano in order to achieve professional parity with them and yet be independent from them. Why are we so determined to distance ourselves from decorator/designer wannabes by emulating architects for a very limited scope of the building design paradigm?   In order to prove that we are just as capable we are keying on the building codes (egress/life safety) aspect of the regulated building professions.  We claim that we also can protect the health, safety and welfare of the general public and therefore deserve licensure. Well any reasonable and informed policy maker (oxymoron intended) will weigh the value of architect’s ownership of that responsibility and adding another layer of legislative bureaucracy to appease interior designers.  Remember,  times have changed. The complexity of building design systems has increased exponentially and opportunities to stake out preeminence within those systems are there for the taking. It is time to redirect our misguided investment in Uncle Sam in order to develop a strategic and focused investment portfolio that promotes our expertise and value so that our infusion into increasingly complex systems is simply logical. Let’s get locked in instead of locked out.  All it takes is a strong and dedicated professional village.

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Posted in American Institute of Architects, ASID, Florida Interior Design Regulation Deregulation, IIDA, Interior Design, Interior Design Laws, Interior Design Licensing, Interior Design Profession, interior design regulation, Interior Design vs. Interior Decorators, NCIDQ

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“Interior Design”- Stick a Fork In It – I Think It’s Done!

Posted on May 26, 2011 | 4 Comments

I wish I had a dollar for every press item in which “interior design” and “interior designers” were presented as somebody with a flair or innate talent and great self promotion skills.  Here is the Interior Designer to the Stars Du Jour- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/26/martyn-lawrence-bullard-i_n_867248.html Now I will freely admit that Mr. Lawrence-Bullard could decorate me under the plush shag rug but let’s face it-this is the public face of interior design

In response to another blog thread regarding Interior Design’s identity crisis a poster stated that maybe interior design cannot be fixed.

While it may seem like I am splitting a fine mohair I maintain that Interior Design is just fine. It’s us that has an identity crisis. “Whoa PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER are you daft”?

Well maybe but hear me out on this point. We have to understand that interior design is what it is (many things to many people) and we are not going to change it. Interior Design, as society knows it (and Martyn Lawrence-Bullard practices it), has been around for about 100 years +/-.  As a professional domain it is about 50 +/- years old.  Is it the interior design we know? No.  Is it the interior design we wish society understood? No. Unfortunately too many of my peers are convinced that we can change that paradigm by using regulation to force the issue. That is where I disagree with those blindly devoted to licensure.

We could spend the next 100 years trying to change that paradigm with legal and political force and expend a whole lot of valuable intellectual and financial capital on the effort.

Is licensure necessary? YES. However we all must understand that a license does not make one interior designer “better” or even more qualified than an unlicensed interior designer. It simply allows one to stamp/seal and sign drawings, of appropriate scope, to obtain a building permit without the oversight of an architect.  An admirable goal for some but is it the answer to our collective identity crisis? Not only no but hell no!

I say let’s move on. Let’s let the innately talented and flair for color crowd have their quasi interior decoration posing as interior design. There is nothing wrong with that. Let’s raise the white flag- stick a fork in it I think it’s done. Those of us who have invested time and effort into a deeper understanding of the power of design, its impact on HS&W not to mention the environment and the physiological/psychological wellbeing of the users of interior space have got to understand that we are in fact different. NOT BETTER, but different. Different knowledge, different skills, different values.
Forcing “interior design” to suit us is simply a poor business plan. Differentiating the professional interior designer from the innately talented by emulating architects (who already own HS&W) is also a flawed model for professional advancement.

We are creative folks (at least that is the Institute for Justice’s position see previous post)  so we should be able to come up with a better strategy for professional advancement.

P.S. In case you missed it- The new Bravo series Million Dollar Decorators continues to blur the fuzzy line between interior decoration and interior design- AAAaaarrrrgggghhhhh!

“Millions of dollars and out-sized egos are constantly on the line as Bravo gives viewers an unprecedented look into the exclusive and affluent world of high-end interior designers in Million Dollar Decorators”    (http://www.bravotv.com/million-dollar-decorators/season-1 )

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Posted in ASID, Florida Interior Design Lawsuit, Florida Interior Design Regulation Deregulation, IIDA, Interior Design Educators Council, Interior Design Laws, Interior Design Licensing, Interior Design Profession, interior design regulation, Interior Design vs. Interior Decorators, NCIDQ

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ASID & IIDA Joint Press Conference in Tallahassee

Posted on April 29, 2011 | 2 Comments

As the clock ticks down to a showdown in the Florida Senate regarding the fate of Interior Design Licensing in Florida, ASID and IIDA finally made a joint plea to Florida lawmakers to reconsider deleting Interior Design from Florida HB/SB 5005. They held a joint press conference in Tallahassee today-

http://www.livestream.com/flvideo/video?clipId=pla_7b7ddbc3-2edb-402e-99cd-2e143e9bfae1

Skip the first 7:30 as dead air.

PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER commends all of the participants for trying to sway policymakers opinion. One has to wonder how many in the capital rotunda were actually listening given the background din.  Interesting input from Charles Van Zandt (12:01) regarding the position of architecture firms in Florida. This clearly contradicts an edict from AIA Headquarters previously noted on this blog. So who really speaks for architects in Florida and their position on this issue?

Finally Dan Davis ASID’s legislative director kicked it in with a good response to an audience question at 18:50 in. This should have been his opening remark.

PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER is glad to see the two organizations playing nice in the sandbox. Hope it’s not too late to take on the IJ bullies.

P.S. http://www.dexigner.com/news/22975 

P.P.S. Of course the IDPC could not let this go unanswered- Geesh I am glad I am the only moron watching all of this.  http://idpcinfo.wordpress.com/2011/04/29/asid-or-snl-press-conference-bombs/ 

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Posted in American Institute of Architects, ASID, Florida Interior Design Lawsuit, Florida Interior Design Regulation Deregulation, IIDA, Interior Design Educators Council, Interior Design Laws, Interior Design Licensing, Interior Design Profession, interior design regulation, NCIDQ

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Florida Interior Design Deregulation-Okay Let’s Think About This

Posted on March 29, 2011 | 5 Comments

Florida lawmakers have whittled the list of regulated professions to be de-regulated down to 20.  Interior design is still on that list along with hair braiders, auctioneers, yacht brokers and body wrappers- go figure.  While there is much misunderstanding and misinformation on the issue of licensing for interior designers it appears that the Interior Design Association Foundation is trying to clarify the real impact of Florida House Bill 5005.  It is a matter of independent Florida Registered Interior Designers losing their right to practice (on a limited basis) without the oversight of registered architects or engineers. I respect the desire and ability of those interior designers to be able to sign and seal limited scope interior permit documents.  This does in fact provide more choices for the consumer….much to the AIA’s chagrin.  This is the most straightforward distillation of ID licensing issues to date;

“The Interior Designs Association Foundation (IDAF) says deregulation would force businesses and consumers to use registered architects for some plans that can currently be submitted by registered interior designers, who are recognized by building departments.” http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2011/03/28/interior-designers-fight-deregulation.html

Unfortunately the IDAF has tossed out two red-herring arguments, or emotional appeals, that PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER wishes were kept in the de-bait-bucket.

The first is the gender card. Has it really come to this? Bad old predominately male architects are taking advantage of the mostly female interior designers. Can we not just keep this to what it is, a professional economic turf battle? Now if we were forced to settle this dispute with a tug of war….well yes…my money would have to go with the AIA.  However, we can compete on an intellectual and skill level. WE ARE MORE QUALIFIED TO DESIGN INTERIOR SPACE!  We just don’t realize it.

Unfortunately we have chosen Health Safety and Welfare as the tiny mud puddle over which to tug the rope.  To use another non-physical competition metaphor- our hand may hold the gender card- we just gotta know when to show ‘em.

So who do you think will win this tug-of-war?  Do we want to arm wrestle or outwit them proving our worth to society?

Second is the whole ID student issue.  I get the angst and the concern- I teach interior design for a living. The ground is moving beneath the student’s feet and there is a lot of uncertainty, misinformation and vitriol. The adults are arguing and it is unsettling.

“The group says the impact could hurt 12 schools that offer degrees in interior design, because their graduates would not have a professional registration anymore.

Book told the Gulf Coast Business Review that schools would be devastated by deregulation”

If any Florida ID students (or any ID student for that matter) actually takes the time to read this post, and others I have posted on the subject, I commend you. Please consider this. If ID is deregulated in Florida it will impact your ability to assume responsibility for submitting interior design construction documents to obtain a building permit and yes, in order to practice at the highest level of the profession, you will have to do so under the supervision of an architect and/or professional engineer- welcome to the world of integrated design and multi-professional collaboration. It will not mean that your education is worthless. In fact as someone who teaches at a highly regarded institution in a non-regulated state I am beginning to feel slighted. By default our student’s education is worthless? Me thinks not.  So let’s all keep this in perspective. If ID is deregulated in Florida it will be a set-back to the registered  practitioners in Florida and a warning shot over the bow of the entire profession.  As the future of our profession, and it still is a very valid and vibrant one, your challenge will be to get out there into the real world and help us prove that we deserve to be peers with other regulated professions (like manicurist and barbers….obtuse?….no really think about that) and that our ability to actually improve people’s lives and livelihoods is far more important than being able to sign and seal permit documents.

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Posted in American Institute of Architects, ASID, Florida Interior Design Lawsuit, Florida Interior Design Regulation Deregulation, IIDA, Interior Design Laws, Interior Design Licensing, Interior Design Profession, interior design regulation, Interior Design vs. Interior Decorators, NCIDQ

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Of Eyebrow Threaders & Interior Designers

Posted on March 8, 2011 | 2 Comments

Watch this;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVD7ymRg76Q

Okay PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER takes some heat for not falling in line with the ID licensing effort. Some are confused, even indignant, that I am neither blindly for, or totally against, government regulation of interior  design. Truth is I am somewhere in the middle. I try my hardest not to look at it as right vs. wrong (or right vs. left as some would have it) but rather I try to see what is productive and in the best interest of the CIDA/NCIDQ certified profession. Of course I am also obliged to note that which might be counter-productive and negatively affect the profession. Trust me there is plenty to go around.

Some say the effort to license “interior design” is a resounding success. I say nay. You may see the glass getting fuller, I see the leak at the bottom.

Some say that licensing interior designers is the best way to advance our status and respect within society.  I say nay. Unfortunately it is the only way. Consequently since it is the default model for professional advancement it affects all of us, those who strongly support it, those who oppose it and those who are just trying to make a living. Unfortunately the effort has been anything but transparent and is actually a mystery to many. That’s where PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER comes in.

And finally some pro-regulation proponents relish the opportunity to go head to head with the AIA to carve out a little piece of their licensing/permitting pie. Not me.  We need them and more importantly they need us. And we thought the angry decorators were a pain.

The only aspect I agree with is that nobody said it would be easy.  That wiley nobody sure nailed it- it isn’t!

Which brings me to my point.

There are a whole lot of well-intentioned people investing unfathomable amounts of time, resources and money into the ID regulation effort- I respect their effort and passion. But when I hear the President of the Institute for Justice proclaim on network T.V. that licensing interior designers is unconstitutional (and akin to yoga instructors and eyebrow threaders) I begin to wonder- is escalating the ID licensing effort the best way to combat the anti-regulation effort and consequently our societal status? In the 4 years I have been researching this professional struggle I have yet to see an equal counter by the pro-regulation effort.  And don’t tell me a few Youtube vignettes on HS&W is tit-for-tat public relations. It isn’t. We are losing the battle in the court of public opinion.

http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/juice/2011/03/interior_design_license_law_florida.php 

So we continue to stumble two steps forward, one step back and another shuffle sideways on our collective path to professional legitimization.

Certainly the 11th circuit court decision upholding the Florida practice act (what’s left of it) does provide a slight legal foothold for the pro-regulation effort. But when I step back and look at this effort from far enough away so that I can see all battle fronts, the envious decorators, the disenfranchised old school designers, the office systems dealers and the hungry architects I just have to shake my head in amazement.  AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT SEES THIS?

Just think if we were to re-invest all of that angst and effort into defining our value to society first and foremost how much easier the step toward licensing might be.  Self regulate first. Create a unified professional society second. Promote the hell out of our unique value to society by measurable and irrefutable outcomes. And then pursue government regulation.

Some call me a dreamer.

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Posted in ASID, IIDA, Interior Design Educators Council, Interior Design Laws, Interior Design Licensing, Interior Design Profession, interior design regulation, Interior Design vs. Interior Decorators, NCIDQ

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