Interior designers are usually seen as women that help
people coordinate colors and picks out pillows. This is mainly because the
public is not educated in what we really do. We can’t really blame them since
things like HGTV, Youtube, and lack of regulations reinforce these stereotypes
that you can wake up one morning and be an amazing interior designer. We are
portrayed in a way that makes it seem like everything is pretty rugs and Fung
Shui.
Interior designers learn their skills through four years
of schooling, two years experience under a licensed interior designer, and must
take an exam to become licensed. Through this path, interior designers can
create functional and aesthically-pleasing spaces that are created through
research, psychology, and safety codes. While doing research on the image of interior
design on the image, I discovered that we are portrayed in a way that makes us
seem unnecessary. If the public doesn’t understand what we do, how can we
expect them to know that they need us? As a community, we need to make a point
to educate the public and teach them the difference between decorator and
designer.
Interior
designers can work on both residential and commercial projects, while interior
decorators can only work on residential projects. This is because in your own
home you have the right to do whatever you want with it, while businesses must
follow codes and ADA. Decorators do not have the knowledge to provide these
requirements. Sure, if you want your living room rearranged and paint colors
picked out, a decorator can do that. But when it comes to public safety, a
designer can prevent falls, loss of life in fire, building collapses, and
promote universal design, functionality, and an overall better experience in
spaces.
You
wouldn’t want your doctor, attorney, or hair stylist to be unlicensed? So why
deregulate the profession that affects all of the interior environments you
experience? Decorators say designers are a “cartel”, that we are keeping them
out of the field because we fear for our jobs, and that we are being unfair for
wanting them to go to school, get experience, and take an exam to be licensed.
We work very hard to meet these qualifications and learn very valuable
knowledge. Design does not just happen. It is a skill that is honed.
I love how you bring other careers that the public instantly care they are licensed. Its a skill or path that should be respected.
ReplyDeleteExactly! When we were fighting deregulation in Florida in 2011, we were lumped into the same bill as hair-braiders. If hair-braiders get to be licensed, we most definitely should be.
ReplyDelete