Regulating Interior Designers

Tips from Real-Estate-Agents.com

by Kathy Maynard, reprinted courtesy of ServiceMagic.com

Q: What credentials and/or licenses are necessary for interior decorators to work within California? Do they have to be ASID? Do certain credentials or licenses indicate a different amount of training or schooling?

A: Like most states, California does not license or regulate "designers," so they generally just need a business license to operate in their city or town. It is a source of frustration to many professional designers that anyone could call him/herself a "designer". There have been many attempts to license designers based on education and experience. For now, however, architects are the only designers licensed in California.

In the absence of governmental regulation, professionals form organizations with training and certification programs to help insure professional standards of education, field experience and adherence to a code of ethics. The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) is such an organization.

When looking for an interior designer/decorator, it is important to verify their experience and professionalism. In addition to checking out their portfolio, look for design degrees from accredited universities and membership in and/or certification from professional organizations such as the ASID. For details about how interior designers earn ASID credentials, visit http://www.asid.org/.

To find an interior decorator or designer, please visit our site at: www.servicemagic.com, type "Interior Designer" into the search box and read the associated articles for advice about finding the most appropriate designers. Then submit a service request and let us match you with the ideal service professional in your area.

Good luck!

Kathy Maynard

-- Tips courtesy of Service Magic