Myth vs. Fact

Myth: Interior designers don’t really affect the health, safety and welfare of the public.
Fact: Every decision an interior designer makes in one way or another affects the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

Life Safety. In a fire, interior materials play a major part in spreading flames and producing toxic gasses. Statistics prove that more people die in fires as a result of inhaling toxic fumes and smoke than from flames themselves. According to the NFPA, the National Fire Protection Association, the average annual number of fires in buildings accessed by the public (not including one- and two-family homes or apartments, industrial and manufacturing facilities, storage facilities, and garage dwellings) total 61,640 and are responsible for 64 civilian deaths and nearly 1300 civilian injuries each year. The number of these fires where interior finishes and content, often within the purview of an interior designer, were ignited first total 8460 each year. That’s over 700 fires per month. That’s over 23 deaths and 330 injuries annually. And it makes up a whopping $399.1 million dollars each year in direct property damage.

Even more significant to life safety is the fact that a large percentage of the loss of life and property occurs well outside the area or room of the initial fire. This is primarily due to the rapid spread of flame and toxic smoke to other areas and floors of the building, fed by poor performing interior finishes and content. In fact, in dormitories, sorority and fraternity houses,  religious properties and eating and drinking establishments, 100% of the civilian deaths occurred outside the initial fire area – they died elsewhere on the floor, on another floor or even outside the building of the original fire. In public assembly sites (gymnasiums, arenas, theatres, airports, museums, libraries, courtrooms, etc.), one half of the civilian deaths occurred well outside the area of the fire. And nearly 80% of the direct property damage occurs outside the fire area as well.

Many public and commercial spaces are finished by an interior designer long after the original building is completed. Interior designers are specially trained in interior materials and their properties, including flammability and toxicity, and are uniquely qualified to select interior finishes that meet or exceed local, state and national fire codes.

Interior designers are also charged with establishing proper means of egress that meet or exceed code. Other considerations include audible and visible fire alarm systems and emergency exit lighting.

Accessibility and Aging. In addition, interior designers deal with accessibility issues, ergonomics, sustainability, clean air issues, lighting, acoustics, and design solutions for those with special needs. With 79 million people over the age of 35, and the number growing daily, there is an increasing need for universal design, i.e. designing interiors and products to be useable by people of all ages and all physical abilities. With knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act design requirements, interior designers make the interiors of public spaces and residences barrier free. Interior designers are also capable of adapting existing environments to be barrier free for persons who are physically challenged.

Trained and qualified interior designers study and implement accessibility codes and guidelines daily. In space planning, interior detailing, and interior specifications, the implementation of accessibility codes and guidelines is essential. Space must be allowed for the proper turning radius of a wheelchair. Telephones, electrical outlets, call buttons, etc. must be specified at an appropriate height for an individual in a wheelchair to access them. Additionally, hardware specifications must provide for individuals without the full use of their limbs. Interior designers ensure public way finding in large facilities.

As problem solvers, interior designers combine their knowledge of colors and textures, and the physical, emotional, and psychological response to those colors and textures to create maneuverable interiors for people with physical, mental, and visual disabilities.

Similarly, interior designers make a difference in the lives of elderly According to the National Safety Council, the leading cause of death in the home is falling. Falls took the lives of 10,700 people in 1998. More than 86% of these people were 65 years old or older. Understanding environmental needs for the aging (both physical and mental) has become a special design imperative for this country. In 2000, people 65 years of age or older represented almost 13% of the population. This number is expected to grow to be 20% of the population by 2030. Interior designers are creating environments that focus on the special mental and physical needs of seniors, providing safer and more easily maneuverable spaces.

Other Health Factors. Interior designers are specifically trained in other matters of general health and well being. A qualified interior designer understands the relevant safety code and practices necessary to design a safe, effective space. When designing a hospital or clinic, for instance, a qualified interior designer will know which type of products and finishes are flame retardant, antibacterial and antimicrobial, which products will withstand harsh cleansers and strict sanitary protocols and which colors and types of lighting will aid recovery, enhance healing or help a surgeon focus while operating. When designing a residential or commercial space, a qualified interior designer is prepared to address other issues such as product maintenance and life cycle, indoor air quality, ergonomics and issues of environmental sustainability.

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Myth: This bill will put people out of business.
Fact: This bill takes great care to protect businesses already operating in Tennessee and will actually expand business opportunities for Tennessee interior designers.

Without a legal definition of interior design and a defined scope of practice, interior designers run the risk of losing their ability to provide certain services through the regulation of other design professions. This can mean loss of work for interior designers.

Given the mobility and global nature of businesses today, interior designers are unlikely to practice in the same city or state throughout their careers. The ability of interior designers to work on a project across state lines or to move their business from state to state depends on establishing a standard scope of practice and professional qualifications for interior designers. If Tennessee’s interior design registration regulations are less stringent than those of other states, we may lose registration reciprocity (the acknowledgement of another state’s regulation as similar to its own) with those states, and with it, the ability to work in that state without a time-consuming and costly application process. And of course, we run the risk that we might not meet that state’s practice requirements at all. Not to mention the fact that, without appropriate regulations in the state, unqualified interior designers from other states will be free to practice in Tennessee.

Since the Interior Designers Title Act passed in 1991, ‘registered interior designer’ have been regulated – and the use of the term ‘interior design’ has been protected from use in company and firm names. Everyone who is currently registered under the 1991 Title Act will automatically be registered under the new bill and their work scope will remain precisely as it is without restriction to all project types, regardless of square footage or occupancy classification.

While they may not refer to themselves as ‘interior designers’ or as providing interior design services, other design-related positions such as decorative design consultants, interior decorators, retail consultants, among others, will be able to continue to offer their services as they have done in the past – within the confines of the existing 5,000 sq. ft. rule.

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Myth: This bill means that interior designers can practice architecture.
Fact: Interior design is a unique profession, separate from architecture.

Legislation will clarify the differences in the services provided by a qualified interior designer versus those of an architect as well as a non-qualified designer. Furthermore, legislation will set guidelines for interaction between all licensed professionals i.e., architects, engineers, interior designers, etc. No one, including architects, may call themselves an interior designer unless they become registered as such in Tennessee.

The scope of services that will fall under the charge of the interior designer will be limited to work within the building shell while adhering to all code and regulatory requirements. The work of an interior designer is limited to non-structural interior elements or components that are not load-bearing and do not require design computations for a building’s structural frame including those related to seismic forces. Common non-structural elements or components include, but are not limited to, ceiling and partition systems. These elements employ normal and typical bracing conventions and are not part of the structural integrity of the building. When an interior designer uses the term “partition”, it means a wall which does not support a vertical load of a building’s structural frame other than its own weight, but may support loads attached to it such as cabinetry, shelving or grab bars, and does not extend further from the floor of an interior area than to the underside of the structural deck above.

Interior design also includes the design and specification of products that are independent of the building structure, i.e. window treatments, furnishings, artwork, flooring, wall coverings, cabinetry and other built-ins, etc. Interior design focuses on meeting the functional needs of the user while incorporating current regulatory standards for accessibility issues, sustainability and life cycle maintenance and cost.

The qualified interior designer will be able to create space plans that provide proper means of egress, drawings, elevations, details, and specifications for use in the fabrication of the design, location of power and communications locations, reflected ceiling plans, lighting designs, selection and specification of materials and finishes, and furniture layouts for there projects. There are several provisions in the law requiring the participation of an architect under specific project circumstances defined by the State Fire Marshal. The qualified interior designer will know when the appropriate licensed professional should be included in as part of the design team for any given project.

Licensed interior designers will also be qualified to offer project management and construction phase services such as bidding, negotiation, coordination of other professionals, budgeting, scheduling, reporting and post occupancy evaluations.

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Myth: The NCIDQ is not a good exam; anyone can take it and pass.
Fact: The NCIDQ examination content reflects the tasks, skills, and abilities necessary to practice interior design while protecting the public health, safety and welfare.

The National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ), an independent, not-for-profit organization of state and provincial credentialing bodies, provides the public with the means to identify interior designers who have demonstrated the minimum level of competence needed to practice interior design. In fulfillment of this purpose, NCIDQ works with an experienced testing consultant to develop and administer the examination in interior design, the same organization which assists in the development and administration of the certification examination for the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. One hundred percent of the Examination covers those aspects of the practice of interior design that affect the public health, life safety and welfare. As part of its ongoing effort to ensure the relevance, validity and psychometric quality of the examination, NCIDQ conducts a Practice Analysis Study for the Profession of Interior Design every five years to ensure that the examination reflects current interior design practice.

In conducting the Practice Analysis, NCIDQ determined that six performance domains characterize the work of interior design: Programming, Schematic Design, Design Development, Contract Documents, Contract Administration, and Professional Practice. The weighting structure of the examination is derived from each domain’s relative importance and criticality. The performance domains provide the logical and analytical basis for each part of the NCIDQ examination.

The NCIDQ examination consists of two comprehensive multiple-choice sections and a practicum section. The first of the multiple-choice sections, consisting of 150 questions, is titled Principles and Practices of Interior Design. It addresses the domains of programming, schematic design and design development. The second multiple-choice section, consisting of 150 questions, is titled Contract Documents and Administration. It addresses the domains of contract documents, contract administration and professional practice. Many questions on both of these examinations incorporate drawings, pictures, symbols and textual formats typical in the interior design profession, requiring candidates to recall, apply, and analyze information. The NCIDQ examination also features a practicum section, Schematics and Design Development, which requires candidates to produce a design solution. Candidates receive a program based on a multifunctional facility including at least three of seven areas of specialization (residential, corporate/office, hospitality, retail, healthcare, institutional and educational). All candidates for a given test date receive the same problem. The problem requires candidates to (a) interpret the program into schematics; (b) produce plan drawings; and (c) develop appropriate specifications. Work products must address the principles of universal design. The examination is scored according to standardized guidelines by Qualified Council Jurors who have completed a comprehensive training program.

Since the administration of the first exam in 1974, NCIDQ has continually updated the exam to maintain its reliability, security, and credibility. Experienced interior designers representing a wide range of practices and perspectives meet year-round to develop and validate multiple-choice and practicum problems. The examination is given two times a year; two new versions of the exam are given each year.

In the October 2005 examination, the pass rate was 61% for the Principles and Practices of Interior Design section, 59% for the Contract Documents and Administration section and 64% for the practicum section Schematics and Design Development. 44% of exam-takers that took all three sections in October 2005 passed all three.

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Myth: If I don’t have a Council for Interior Design Accreditation (formerly known as FIDER) accredited degree, I can’t practice in Tennessee.
Fact: Many Tennessee interior design programs are accepted by the licensing board.

If your degree meets the credit hour requirements for interior design-related coursework and was issued from a Tennessee school that had an interior design program in effect on April 16, 1991 and was also accredited either by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) or licensed by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), your degree has already been determined by Tennessee’s licensing board to be acceptable.

If your degree meets the credit hour requirements for interior design coursework from a program not accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (formerly FIDER), you may apply for registration to the state licensing board using the path outlined for non-accredited programs which requires additional diversified and appropriate experience hours.

The state licensing board will review other programs, including those of other states, for substantial equivalency to accreditation by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation. The process evaluates the curriculum under which you graduated and compares it to the Council for Interior Design Accreditation standards from the same or nearest year. If your degree program is found to be substantially equivalent to a Council for Interior Design Accreditation degree, it will satisfy the education portion of the application requirements.

It is important to remember, the Tennessee licensing board will not accept degrees from correspondence schools or self-study programs.

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Myth: Licensing doesn’t really matter. All practicing interior designers are grand-parented in anyway.
Fact:  Licensing does matter.

There is no carte blanche grand-parenting provision in this bill. All interior designers who wish to register under this act must meet the full requirements of the law. For those interior designers who are currently registered under the 1991 Title Act, thay have already proven their fitness to practice interior design under the new law. Remember, to register under the 1991 Title Act, interior designers were required to prove their status as professional interior designers, providing documentation of a minimum of 6 years professional experience.  By the time the new bill goes into effect in July of 2008, that adds up to a minimum of nearly 19 years of professional experience. And from 1994 until now, everyone registering under the 1991 Title Act has had to meet or exceed the high educational, experience, and examination requirements called for in the new bill.

In January of 2007 there were 517 registered interior designers in Tennessee. Of that 511, 31% of them meet the education, experience and examination requirements called for in the new bill. There are currently 511 NCIDQ certified interior designers in the state. That means that nearly 70% of Tennessee’s qualified interior designers are not regulated at all. If so many qualified interior designers are not regulated in our state, how many non-qualified interior designers are practicing? For clarity to consumers of interior design services and for the sake of public health, safety and welfare, interior design licensing does matter.

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