PART 1:What’s in it for me?
PART 2:A terrible thing to waste.
PART 3:Study, study, study.
PART 4:Congratulations…but you’re not done yet!
PART 5:Keep it real!

FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION:

Illinois Interior Design Coalition (IIDC) www.iidcpac.org or info@iidcpac.org

National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ)http://www.ncidq.org

Council for Qualification of Residential Interior Designers (CQRID)http://www.idfpr.com

Illinois Department of Professional Regulation – Interior Designhttp://www.idfpr.com
/dpr/WHO/intd.asp

American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Illinois Chapterwww.asidillinois.com/

International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Illinois Chapterhttp://www.iida-ilchap.org/

Welcome

The Illinois Interior Design Coalition (IIDC) has created this five-part series of short articles to better assist interior design professionals gain an understanding of the importance of achieving professional status by becoming an NCIDQ Certificate Holder and a registered Interior Designer in the State of Illinois.

Registration is a necessity for keeping the interior design profession at its highest level. The Illinois Interior Design Title Act prohibits anyone not registered by the state from representing or identifying him/herself as a “Registered Interior Designer” or “Registered Residential Interior Designer”. The title act protects the public’s health, safety and welfare by qualifying registered design professionals based on education, experience and passing either the NCIDQ or CQRID exam. If the Title Act is not protected, we lose our status as a design professional. Remember, the International Building Code (IBC) directly references “design professionals” within the code. If we have no laws, we have no profession and we cannot practice.

IIDC’s role is to protect the title act every day on behalf of all the Registered Interior Designers. Many organizations challenge the title act on a regular basis, both in our state and nationwide. We need your continuous support to protect what we have in Illinois.

Support starts by becoming a Registered Interior Designer to prove to project team members, employers and clients that you have met the minimum industry standards for education, experience and examination. You wouldn’t hire a lawyer that hasn’t passed the bar or a physician without credentials. The same expectations should apply to Interior Designers.

Many designers who work at larger firms that do not request registration of their staff question the value of being registered. This is a level of professionalism you should require of yourself, not something you pursue only because someone is making you do it. Keep in mind that you may not always work at that firm. Other firms may require this of employees for advancement in the firm. You may move to a state with similar laws in place that would accept your registration in Illinois as reciprocity to be registered in their state. You may someday start your own firm and will want your registration to set you apart from your competition. Be prepared by being registered!

Click on the titles to the left for the full articles.