Do interior designers need to be licensed?
Many are arguing on this very issue as i sit here and type this. My question is why not license them? Interior designers are responsible for the life, welfare and safety of many individuals with every design choice he or she makes. Interior designers are to be qualified by education, experience and examination to design interiors that meet fire - life-safety codes, Americans with Disabilities Act regulations for public buildings, understand flame spread, smoke reduction, traffic circulation, along with many other technical skills. Would you want a person not licensed doing this work for you?
One thing to consider in this argument, is that many designers are seen as decorators, and society seems decorators as something cosmetic and not an integral part of the system like design. I have to say I tilt my hat to really good decorators. I commend them for the services that they do provide. I do not view them as a threat only potential allies later down the road.
Decorators are not designers and hopefully they will stop claiming to offer design services. They only need to be educate along with the legislators and other officials that regulate the practice of interior design.
Education is the key for interior design to make its mark on the world. I say this with thought that through education, we can teach the future generations what it is we truly do. Teach the public we are a profession like any other. Let us unite as one voice and educate everyone. This is the only way to see a change develop. We need to show that design is not HGTV, Trading Spaces etc, by speaking out and up for ourselves. Let us print articles, provide public service announcements, etc. We can be a powerful voice and as such we need to make sure to be heard.
As for as the answer to the original question. Yes interior designers need to be licensed because our profession is like any other that offers public services that could have a direct impact on their lives. We have an obligation to the public, and the government has an obligation to ensure we meet that obligation.
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1 comment:
Tommy,
Well stated here. Licensing discussions often cause one to look at motivations behind someone's opinion of this issue. Sometimes conclusions are motivated by turf protection, sometimes by a belief in the laissez faire philosophy (let the market take care of it), and sometimes by history. Some are well-intended for public safety. Personally, I feel motivated to get on with it and move beyond the issue of whether interior design should be licensed- the evidence seems pretty clear and potential dangers significant.
Regarding decoration, it may be a harbinger of interior design coming to terms with its identity if we can stop bashing decorators and recognize the value they bring to human life as well. When we deny decoration, we forsake a key part of interior designs' very history, IMHO.
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