Tag: interior decorators
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WILL WE EVER GET THIS RIGHT?
SEE 10/14/14 UPDATE BELOW At first I was concerned by the misinformation posited by the September 17th Huffington Post article “Arbitrary Interior Design Regulations Hurt Entrepreneurs, Consumers”. Much to our chagrin the Huff post has a pretty broad reach. Hats off to the Institute for Justice and their continued ringing of this bell. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hilary-gowins/arbitrary-interiordesign-_b_5830782.html?utm_hp_ref=business&ir=Business At […]
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IIDA STEPS UP ADVOCACY EFFORT
SEE 10/01/14 Update below In case you missed it the Huffington Post, bastion of the highest journalism standards, posted a commercial rant by an Institute for Justice blogbot that denounced the value of regulating Interior Designers; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hilary-gowins/arbitrary-interiordesign-_b_5830782.html?utm_hp_ref=business&ir=Business Which of course prompted the obligatory defense on several LinkedIn groups….. https://www.linkedin.com/groups/Message-from-IIDA-HQ-Advocacy-103871.S.5920610210409365508?trk=groups_items_see_more-0-b-ttl https://www.linkedin.com/groupItem?view=&gid=956917&type=member&item=5918065460737232897&trk=groups_most_popular-0-b-ttl&goback=.gmp_956917 https://www.linkedin.com/groups/Should-interior-designers-be-licensed-4361021.S.5918475262357446656?trk=groups_most_popular-0-b-ttl&goback=.gmp_4361021 Many of which devolved […]
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STATE OF THE INTERIOR DESIGN INDUSTRY 2014
I commend ASID for issuing their annual take on the state of the “industry”. Previously I commented on the choice of “industry” vs. “profession” but of course ASID has to cast as broad of a membership net as possible. You should know by now where I stand on this semantic twist. But of course there is something else for us to consider here. There is a statement in the Dexigner article that really needs to be drilled down lest it become just another ad hominem, purely rhetorical pitch, with no real purpose other than to placate. I do not know if it was part and parcel of ASID’s presentation or Dexigner’s spin on the topic but the statement could not be more true- to wit: “These data, coupled with an increase in the popularity of “DIY design,” suggest that the industry needs to communicate its value more effectively. Interior designers bring to the table vital knowledge about health, well-being, sustainability, ergonomics and acoustics as well as expertise in building codes, standards and regulations. Interior designers also are well-versed in project and materials management.” Once again the choice of term used to describe the profession as “industry” already convolutes the premise of the statement. But from PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER’s standpoint who ever said it could not have stated the larger issue with our…..ahem….”industry” more succinctly. Begs several questions though; Who’s table is it? Who is invited to the table? and how exactly are we going to communicate all of this? I know where to get a good table and some comfy chairs- let’s figure this out.
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WHAT’S IN A WORD REDUX DEUX
INTERIOR DESIGNERS VS. INTERIOR ARCHITECTS TITLE MATCH Found this interesting policy statement from the American Institute of Architects: http://www.aia.org/about/AIAB091369 PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER does not proclaim to be an attorney but this appears to be a crack in the courtroom door regarding the use of the term “architects” and its variations such as “Interior Architect” or “Interior Architecture”. That said PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGN is well aware of the ethical issues that this issue stirs up. I digress. I am fairly certain that state licensing boards will still protect the right of their rightfully licensed/registered architects to legally own the term so don’t go changing your business cards yet. If anybody knows, or has an opinion as to, what this AIA missive really means I welcome your comments.
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Leading Interior Design Company Declares 11% Increase in Cash Dividend
OR WWEAD- (What Would Ethan Allen Do?) Offer free interior design service of course. PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER saw this article on Ethan Allen’s success (the furniture chain, not the statesman) I had to comment; Ethan Allen Declares 11% Increase in Cash Dividend DANBURY, Conn. — Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (“Ethan Allen” or the “Company”) (NYSE:ETH) announced today […]
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What is Our Message?
Ran across this missed opportunity this morning. Given ASID’s recent newsletter article advising it’s members to be more…ahem…professional when they are communicating with the press ( http://icon.asid.org/index.php/2013/03/08/designers-mind-your-language/ ) I read this Associated Press article in the Washington Post with interest; http://icon.asid.org/index.php/2013/03/08/designers-mind-your-language/ Did the author heed ASID’s recommendations? Did ASID have anything to do with the article? Well after reading it I am not sure. The article quotes two “designers” who do not claim the ASID credential- but they do point out ASID as a source for “interior designers”. If ASID had nothing to do with the article then they probably should. If they did somehow/someway approve the content of the article that references them they missed a great opportunity to provide a clearer distinction between a professional interior designer and an interior decorator. Instead we get this half baked description; “Training varies: An interior designer “typically has a bachelor’s degree in interior design, and in several states must be certified,” Davin says. They can collaborate easily with engineers, contractors and architects, and should have a full understanding of color, proportion and other elements of design. A decorator “might be just someone who has a flair for decorating and wants to hang up a shingle,” Davin says, and it’s possible their style will fit perfectly with yours. But they probably won’t have as much training as a designer.” Those of us who struggle with earning the respect of the public for providing services that protect them while creating healthy environments that enhance their well being find this to be the usual mixed message further confusing the public and disrespecting our professional status. We should demand better of our public relations efforts.
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TWO YEARS GONE…….HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!
So it’s been two years and almost 300 rants since PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER went live….actually I was alive for 51 years prior but who is counting? I hope to follow this up with a terrible two’s retrospectively synoptic analysis of how this blog changed the professional interior design world……or not…mostly not…..Okay I didn’t change anything but my underwear but others did….somewhat…..Okay not enough. Till then I have to address something that came across the wire this morning. Design Success University’s 2013 Interior Design Fee & Salary Survey reveals a shocking statistic: 23.2% of all interior designers left the industry between May 2008 and May 2011 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The free eBook is available for immediate download. Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/01/08/4527942/shocking-statistic-revealed-in.html#storylink=cpy So according to DSU, government statistics verify that nearly one-quarter of all interior design jobs were lost in the 4 year period from ’08 to ’11. WOW. I am well aware that the profession, or industry as ASID calls it, took a hit in the 2008 downturn but did we really shed a fourth? So I tasked my investigative research team to confirm the data. After an exhaustive analysis of U.S.B.L.S. data (read 30 minute webscan) I can say that yes…overall those who claim “interior design” as their chosen occupation did suffer such losses. That anybody lost their job is tragic but I still found it hard to swallow that professional interior designers took such a hit. Well they, the professionals, did not. As inferred above the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not distinguish the innately qualified self-proclaimed interior designers from trained/educated and vetted professionals. So my researchers drilled deeper into the statistics (read scanned more of the webpage) to find that ‘interior designers” are included in two categories. Architecture & Engineering Occupations (17-0000) and Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports & Media Occupations (27-0000). http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes271025.htm When looking at those interior designers categorized in 17-0000 there was only a 14% reduction in jobs over the same period. Which in my biased opinion indicates that those who have endeavored to align themselves with other vetted/licensed design professions MAY be less prone to the whims of the economy. A point the DSU P.R. blurb fails to clarify. Regardless none of this is positive news but as long as we exist in an occupation/industry/profession that includes everyone from retail window dressers to those designing living and working environments that physiologically improve the quality of the occupants lives – I will still have a job at PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER
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PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER Ranks 26th on Hollywood Reporters List of 25 Most Influential Interior Designers!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/25/hollywood-reporters-25-mo_n_2018837.html Dang! Maybe next year.
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FIGHTING THE WHITE BOX DIY OVERNIGHT ON A DIME MAKEOVER SYNDROME
Thanks to HGTV interior design will forever (well our lifetime’s at least) be defined as the ability of overly dramatic creative people to take a white box, or poorly decorated room, and to turn it into something all together different in an unreasonable time frame with very limited funds. Here the Washington Post has been promoting the DIY makeover via this popular (read the comments) ongoing feature; http://www.washingtonpost.com/2010/07/08/AGq2iIhH_page.html This unfortunately is what many HGTV fans and DIY decorators across the land think of when they hear the term “interior design” or “interior designer”. Here is an example of the same white box syndrome being used as a marketing tool by a Maryland based residential designer; http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/house-calls-local-rooms-get-virtual-design-makeovers/2012/01/31/gIQAPJp3JR_gallery.html#photo=1 The question I keep asking myself as I scroll through image after image of before and after white box (and a few green box) make-overs is “Is this really interior design”? And the answer I keep coming back with is “Yes”! Can the designer, who apparently has no credentials or professional affiliations, call herself an interior designer? Much to the chagrin of many who have endeavored to prove their professional interior design status via education/experience/examination and legislation the answer is “YES”. I know we want to be respected for doing more than simply making a room “cozy”. I don’t have the answer….well yes I do….read my 250 previous posts….but as long as we sit back and let others define our profession we need to accept it. Rant over. Peace Out
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