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Thank you for
your interest in the
New Hampshire Interior Design Coalition.
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The New Hampshire Interior Design Coalition
(NHIDC) a 501c(6) non-profit corporation is
comprised of professional interior designers,
interior designers practicing under sole
proprietorships, recent graduates and students
of interior design, industry partners and design
professionals in related trades. NHIDC’s members
are a both a visionary and pro-active group of professionals
interested in consumer health, safety and welfare – a benefit
offered exclusively by the unique value of professional interior
design. |
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NHIDC
welcomes you and encourages you to explore this site to
be informed about the interior design profession, its
standards, and professional associations and why setting
a standard in New Hampshire for professional interior
design is so important.
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U.S.
Legislation - Interior Design Regulation |
NHIDC has prepared a bill for certification
for consideration by the NH Legislature
providing the opportunity for interior design
practitioners, qualified by education,
experience and examination to be certified which
will enable their recognition as a design
professional under the definition provided by
the State of New Hampshire.
Recently, New
Hampshire adopted the International Residential
Building Code (IRC) containing specific and
important compliance information for all those
working and providing services in the built
environment. Consumers planning new construction
or renovations should be aware that this
development affects them and the professionals
hired to work on their project. |
Interior Design: More Than Meets the Eye
Video Produced by ASID National 2004
Consumers can be confident that state
certified
interior designers have met a minimum level
of professional qualifications.
Watch the above
video for more information. |
Currently,
NH has no law or certification in place assuring
consumers of code compliance by a design professional.
NHIDC is working to ensure consumers have a clear choice
when seeking an interior designer for their project.
NH does
not recognize interior design as a credible, viable
profession. While the government has a definition of
interior design, and includes the services of a
professional which can affect the health, safety and
welfare of consumers, NH fails to recognize this
definition or the adverse affects consumers may be
subject to while working with an untrained person.
See
Legislative Terms/Definitions.
Interior design practice affects consumers on a broad basis;
young and old, sick and healthy, homeowners, private and public
businesses, healthcare, educational, hospitality and retail
establishments.
It has long been
understood and taken for granted that commercial design requires
a solid knowledge of applicable fire and building codes as
well as the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) to safeguard
the welfare of the public. But with fire being the major
cause of death in single family homes, residential design bears
the same responsibility to be educated in flame retardant
fabrics, wall coverings, upholstery and all products used in the
home. Residential space planners share the same body of
knowledge of building and safety codes when working on
remodeling or new construction projects.
Currently,
consumers have no advocacy group to help protect them or to help
clarify the qualifications of an interior designer. They
wrongly “assume” that their personal health, safety and welfare
concerns are being considered. Employees and the public at large
make use of buildings everyday without a thought to the
qualifications of those who’ve designed those spaces. They
entrust their welfare to others who must pre-qualify designers.
Regulation will ensure consumers are working with a state
registered professional.
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The Profession of Interior
Design |
The interior design profession has been broken apart by design
and decorating media including “shelter” magazines and HGTV to
name a few. Through these vehicles, the public receives a
distorted and bracketed view of the scope of services; the
educational commitment and the body of knowledge college
students acquire through the study of interior design.
Unfortunately, this has led to the belief that “anyone” can be a
designer and many with art backgrounds or fashion design
backgrounds or those who have a natural talent with color theory
state they are designers even though they’ve had minimal or no
continuing professional education. This is a grave disservice to
consumers and to the interior design profession.
In fact there is
growing opposition to regulating interior design due to this
fact alone. These groups of opposition are attempting to destroy
the 30-year effort led by ASID, the most well-known and
respected professional organization for the profession toward
their work to set a high standard and regulate the profession.
Interior Design is
a viable, necessary and worthwhile career and efforts to
undermine the importance of this career only confuse the
consumer. Architects, building officials, builders, electricians
and plumbers in New Hampshire are discovering that interior
designers are the “missing link” and can offer and provide many
services that these trades do not and will not offer.
As such, the
interior design profession should be listed among those of the
NH Joint Board of Licensure and Certification which includes
allied design professionals of the built environment and whose
purpose is to protect consumers’ health, safety and welfare.
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The interior
design profession has in place nationally recognized regulating
bodies for accrediting educational programs; verifying
diverse design experience; administrating the professional
examination and qualifying continuing education credits. |
The NHIDC joins
national professional associations such as ASID, and IIDA in
providing standards for the practice of interior design when if
affects the health, safety and welfare of our New Hampshire
citizens. These National organizations set the standards for the
interior design profession.
We seek collaboration and goodwill within the community of
design professionals, construction contractors and retail
establishments as well as others who contribute to the built
environment.
NHIDC has the
support of AIA NH, the NH State Fire Safety Marshall, Building
Code officials, insurance companies and New Hampshire colleges
offering degree programs in interior design education. These
establishments understand the importance of the professional
interior designer and recognize the vital element the trade
provides as part of the built environment.
Support
NHIDC by
signing our
online
petition.
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