24 Nov Professional Interior Designerism
There is a huge misconception with Interior Designers. This needs to be addressed in order for everyone to have the knowledge of what Interior Designers do. Interior design is not just about the aesthetics. Yes, that is what you see immediately when you walk into a building; however, as you continue through a space, you WILL start to notice things if they are awkwardly placed, inconvenient or if there’s a lack of natural movement. All of these important aspects in an interior are the biggest part of designing an interior. I’m going to explain a little of the Interior Design background so you all have a better understanding.
Interior Design is an important factor to every single building in the world. The functionality, movement, aesthetics, way finding and accessibility all have a huge impact on the interior spaces. Interior Design is now a degree program where the students are educated in all the aspects of design including learning about construction, space planning, safety of occupants and working with the building codes. Although aesthetics are important, it is not the entire focus of what we do and mostly comes at the final stage in the Interior Design process (see below graph)
Unfortunately, Interior design as a profession, is underrated, mocked and not protected. Anyone who had a good eye for style or colours are technically allowed to call themselves Interior Designers. This is something we are trying to change and hopefully will happen soon. Its frustrating to mention that I’m an Interior designer when the in the eye of the general public, that means that it took you 4 years of schooling (or none at all) to learn how to pick out colours and fluff pillows. The title “Interior Designer” should be changed to “Interior Architect”. We take a shell of a building and create a space inside that meets all the requirements of the occupants. We remove and add walls to create spaces that function properly for the users of the space. A great deal of time is taken by talking to the owner and/or others that use the space to determine the specific functions of each space and what the requirements are. With this knowledge we are equipped submit a design that meets all the criteria laid out for it to function effectively, efficiently and safely with style. In order for the project to be implemented, there are many legal documents we need to submit such as construction plan packages and specification booklets. Other services include space planning, plans for permits, project management, finish and material selections, supervision of site construction to make sure it’s all going according to plan, and of course working with other consultants and professionals.
So how do you know if someone is an interior designer or a decorator? Simply ask about their education please. A degree in Interior Design is preferable however a diploma can be acceptable as for years, that was the general norm of the education offered. Interior Designers can be registered through the National Council for Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ), it a process of three examinations that test different areas of the Interior Design profession. In order to write the examination an Interior Designer has to have a degree in the Bachelor of Interior Design plus the acquired number of work experience hours. Both Trish and I are working towards our registration process, but it’s a heavy process and takes time to complete. Long story short, if you get a card look for at least the D.I.D (Diploma) or B.I.D (Bachelor) identification. R.I.D (Registered) is even better.
I hope this blog explains more about the Interior Design profession and what you need to look for when hiring an Interior Designer. Please choose responsibly.