DANIELLE NELSON: PROTECTING THE INTERIOR DESIGN TITLE

JNS Interior Designer, Danielle Nelson

Compared to most states in the U.S., Colorado is unique in the sense that we have no legislation protecting the interior design title, meaning that anyone has the right to call themselves an interior designer regardless of whether they have the necessary education or certifications. This leaves Colorado with an influx of unlicensed individuals who can refer to themselves as “interior designers” without meeting the proper requirements. As a result, it’s extremely important that Colorado takes action to protect the title of interior designer.

The Significance of the NCIDQ

To officially hold the title of interior designer, one must take the NCIDQ (the National Council for Interior Design Qualification) exam. The NCIDQ exam is intended to test designers’ knowledge and education on current codes and design standards to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. To qualify for this exam, you must obtain a degree from a CIDA (Council for Interior Design Accreditation) accredited university and meet a minimum number of work experience hours. The exam has three tests - fundamental, professional, and practicum.

The NCIDQ is important to interior designers because it advocates for our profession. By becoming a certified interior designer, it strengthens our fight for proper legislation and Title Acts. Designers that have passed the test have proven their knowledge and expertise in understanding codes and design standards. For clients, this allows them to feel more confident and better served knowing that their interior designer is certified.

Legislation

When I graduated from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Architecture, most states in the U.S. did not have legislation or Title Acts in place to protect the term interior designer. However, our fight for legislation is becoming more recognized and almost half of the U.S. now requires a Title Act and three states have gone as far to adopt the Commercial Interior Design Certification Act.

Unfortunately, there is a large community against putting the proper legislation in place. There are many unlicensed designers, without proper education and certification, promoting themselves as an “interior designer” to the public. This lack of legislation is a major advantage for those unlicensed designers since a Title Act means they would instead have to declare themselves interior decorators. A decorator does not hold the same merit as a designer, which would likely lose business.

As for me, I plan on continuing my professional education journey and will be pursuing LEED and WELL certification next. Later down the line, I am also looking into Ergonomics and EDAC certification. Although obtaining these certifications is extremely difficult, I am so proud of the work I have put in to call myself an interior designer, and I hope Colorado takes action to protect this title that holds such significance in our industry.