Working with Qualified Professionals – NCIDQ: National Council of Interior Design Qualification

You probably wouldn’t see a doctor if he or she dreamed of going to medical school and put some bandages on a couple of sprained wrists a few times. So why would you choose a designer who has never been formally taught or attended a FIDER accredited university or pursued their NCIDQ certificate? Not quite sure what I am talking about? Read on to understand the importance of selecting a designer over the thousands of decorators out there. There is a difference!

Make sure you require the same level of competence from your interior designers as you do from the architectural, engineering and other building professionals on your team. Making sure you are working with qualified professionals on a project can save you time and money—and reduce your liability as well.

All NCIDQ Certificate holders have been educated, trained and examined to protect public health, safety and welfare. When you hire an NCIDQ Certificate holder, you hire a professional with proven knowledge, experience and proficiency in the latest interior design principles and practices, contract documents and administration and decision-making skills.

Like the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, NCIDQ is composed of U.S. and Canadian regulatory boards—and we take our responsibility to protect the public seriously. NCIDQ Certificate holders have completed a minimum of six years of specialized education and experience and passed a rigorous, two-day exam based on NCIDQ’s independent, comprehensive analysis of the profession and the daily practice of interior designers in a range of settings.

The NCIDQ Certificate meets the interior design profession’s legal and regulatory standards established by 29 U.S. states and Canadian provinces as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. However, unlike architecture, in most of these states and provinces the practice of interior design is unregulated. That means your greatest assurance of high qualifications is the NCIDQ Certificate.

This examination is something that I am currently pursuing myself as a designer. I recognize and appreciate the importance behind this licensing and hope that it becomes more formally recognized by the public and those considering working with or hiring a designer.

It will give me the ability to market myself with credentials that not everyone in the field has, not to mention the grueling months upon months of studying I have put myself through. It is something to take pride in as a professional. Even in my studies I have learned things that I may not have known otherwise. The material I have learned through my studies alone is a great accomplishment. I am happy to assure my clients that I have a wide range of knowledge and experience in the core and roots of architecture that will impact how I work with them both on a creative and functional level of design.

Make sure you know who you are working with! Any other designers out there who are NCIDQ certified, or going through the process? Tell me your story!

Water, Water Everywhere, and Not a Drop to Drink

As a designer I have always specified Kohler or Sterling products because they are well made, beautiful products and made in America. Their faucets, sinks and toilets have been  on the cutting edge
of  technology for conserving water. In taking some courses in LEED certification a few years ago, I learned that “Kohler has been concerned since the 1970’s about water conservation and have global teams of engineers working to improve water efficiency with beautiful designs, excellent performance and keeping them affordable.”

Kohler’s faucets have water saving aerators. The faucets with the WaterSense label will save over 14,700 gallons of water each year, unlike older faucets.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program reviews manufacturers products and gives awards to those whose products conserve water. In 2008, Kohler was named as a Manufacturing Partner in the WaterSense program. To obtain this prestigious award, there must be demonstrated overall excellence in the water-efficiency arena as well as increase the awareness and advance the overall mission of WaterSense. So why would a plumbing manufacturer get involved in this?

In their brochure, Kohler states “that less than 1 percent of the world’s water supply is accessible for human use. Nearly one billion people in the world lack safe drinking water.” By the year 2013, at least 36 states in the United States anticipates local, regional or statewide water shortages.

Toilets account for 25 percent of daily indoor water use in homes in the United States. Out of that, one-half of all toilets in homes in United States are older, less efficient models, which waste approximately 1.6 billion gallons of water each day. For a single individual, a High Efficiency Toilet can save 16,500 gallons of water a year.

What does this mean to you?

If you are paying for your water, multiply the rate they are charging you by 16,500 (per toilet in your house), and that is how much you could save by replacing your toilet. Do the same with the faucets you have in your house. If for no other reason than saving money, it is worth changing out your old toilets and faucets.

Altruistically, by conserving water we all work towards a better future for our families and our children’s children. After all, 2013 is not that far away. Kohler, in addition to creating water conserving products, also reclaims and reuses the rise water in their faucet facility and product testing labs, thereby saving millions of gallons of water.

Do you believe in doing business primarily with those companies that practice and produce environmentally conscious products? Are you thinking about replacing any of your toilets or faucets in the near future? Will you consider WaterSense labeled products?

Are We Designers or the Design?

I was reading an article the other day and it stated that according to Dino Dini, a video game developer, “design underpins every form of creation from objects such as chairs to the way we plan and execute our lives.”

I was fascinated with the concept. I had always thought of design as part of an applied arts. As a group of friends were discussing this concept, a friend stated that even some of the holidays we celebrate have been designed. Some were created to bring awareness (Earth Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc) and others were made for what seems to be commercial purposes.

During the discussion, we talked about design as a process, which typically includes research, discussion with one or many, rethinking, more interaction with other “designers,” the putting forth of a concept, more discussion and redesign and finally implementation.

When we spoke about interior design, engineering design, graphic design and even the concepts of branding, we found that each of these required a great deal of time and interaction between the designer and the client or clients. There was a need to “get it right” for others or for it to be commercially successful. There is also the need to understand the limits of budget, time, the material or technology available to implement the concepts or ideas.

The discussion about art and Pollock’s work, where design might be for one’s self, led to fields such as culinary – where the infusion of flavors and spices may be as subjective as the art to the artist. 

It is the same with fashion designers. When they create, it tends to be a design based on a client. It can also be an individual creative process of creating from the stimulus or combination of materials. Is this creation then redesigned using more mundane materials so it can be commercially reproduced?

The discussion was not finished – it may never be finished – but it certainly had all of us thinking of design much differently than when we began the conversation. In our lives, are we the designers or are we the designed or some combination?

How to Know When You Have Selected the Right Designer

If you’ve ever thought about working with an interior designer, some doubts may have crossed your mind. Many times I have had the experience of my clients deciding to work “under cover” without their spouse knowing that they were consulting a designer. And yes, they dreamed up this fabulous design that was magically executed perfectly!

Often people feel that designers are too expensive, or that you’d get stuck with a room you wouldn’t like because the designer only thought about a solution that they would enjoy, not you as the end user. Using a designer should be a good experience. It can give your home a sense of comfort, function, and beauty. And it doesn’t have to go over your budget.

Working with a designer can save you money in the long run. There are often times that designers can provide resources that you may not have thought of. We also alleviate design mistakes, by making sure that there is a proper fit and follow through on everything. And the solutions that are loaded with creativity are probably things that you would have never thought of. Here are some simple steps that will help the communication flow well between you and the designer.

Prepare yourself – Decide on a budget. Collect color swatches you like. Have pictures to illustrate what you like and what you don’t like. Think about the furniture pieces you hope to keep. Listen to all ideas, but never go against your heart.

So, once you’ve found a designer, what happens next? How can you be helpful, remain in control, and ultimately end up with a design that is pleasing? A good place to start is this overview of design and what the designer charges for their time. Is their fee structure built in to the purchasing of goods or are they billed hourly and the products are “passed through” at the discount that they receive.

Communicate with your Designer – Listen. Talk. Listen. That’s it in a nutshell. The designer will tell you what they feel the best course of action will be for your space. It is important for you to be frank about your budget limitations (everyone has them). You wouldn’t walk into a Ford dealership if you wanted a Bentley. And you may dream of the Bentley but can really only afford the Ford. It is ok. There is a nitch for everyone and the level of creativity doesn’t need to stop just because you have a lower budget in mind. Actually, the lower the budget, the more challenging and enjoyable I find the project to be!

This brings us to money. No one likes sticking to a budget, but everyone has one! Be conservative. Plan a project with goals and phase-in purchases over a few months or years if necessary. Make sure you’re very clear on exactly how you’ll be charged, when your designer needs deposits, how you’ll be billed, what you get, and when the work should be complete. Will you be charged for phone calls, shopping trips, or in-home consultations? Are purchases marked up or discounted?

Finding a Local Designer – There are also some interior designers that offer online design advice and planning for a fee. Several of these are listed online. Often times my clients come to me on a referal basis. Don’t be afraid to ask your friends who helped them with a fabric or the perfect cabinetry. Chances are they are proud of their homes and are happy to share the designer that they used. However you choose to proceed with your project, whether you consult with a designer, by the hour or the day, for a room or your entire home – you’re sure to learn a lot and have a more beautiful and functional living space as well.

Making sure you are happy – The more information you can give to your designer the better. Your needs, your preferences, and your hopes can be conveyed in both words and pictures. This will give your designer a place to start in creating a design specifically for you. (Make an extra set of color copies if needed.) If you don’t know where to start, grab a magazine or a photo of a place that you have traveled too. In addition, make sure that your thoughts are organized. Make sure that the priorities are set prior to your meeting, it is really easy to get sidetracked during a meeting. Showing someone your whole house may not be a good use of time during your first meeting.

Have you had an disaster experience with a designer before? What went wrong? How about any recommendations of designers that did an amazing job?

What is an Interior Designer?

There is a great deal of confusion on what an interior designer is. In most states, interior designers must be licensed by the state they are practicing in. If you want to practice in Texas and Illinois, you must be licensed in each state because the codes and laws may be different in each state.

To be considered for licensing, an interior designer will have completed a four year college program that focuses on Codes, Materials and Components, Lighting, Design Theory, Building Systems and Design Studios that require solutions to design problems requiring consideration of the humans working in or inhabiting the space.

After completing a bachelor’s degree, interior designers must practice and then they sit for the NCIDQ test (NCIDQ – National Council for Interior Design Qualification) that insures they are qualified to practice interior design. Architects have similar requirements. They too must get their degree, practice and pass a test to be licensed in the state they are practicing in.

Why go through all of this just to pick wall colors and fabrics? Because interior designers must consider much more than just colors and fabrics. We must consider the human aspects of trying to work in a space. If you are 5’, you have challenges that people 5’6” do not have. If you are 6’4”, you also have challenges that 5’6” people do not have. If you are pregnant, and for those of us who have been there, we KNOW we are challenged. Pregnant and with a toddler is beyond challenged.

Consideration of those with disabilities – blind with service animals, wheel chairs – all are considerations in designing spaces that work for the public that will be using them. We also have to consider that in the case of an emergency, people can get out and that the emergency routes are made quickly apparent. So an interior designer must take into consideration all of these aspects when designing spaces, and we pick the color and fabric because we want the interior to be warm, inviting and a pleasure to be in.

How to Find a Qualified Designer in your Area

Investing money in an interior designer to work in your home or office is a huge decision. How do you begin your search? Well, you are lucky because there are some key things to look for before making a decision.

Start looking online for interior designers in your area. They will be listed in the yellow pages and often have a website. Many furniture stores also have an interior designer on staff to work with customer’s who would like to do a whole room or house.

Being able to look at a designer’s portfolio is a huge benefit in the designer search. Just like their clients, designers have certain styles they tend to work best in. You need to make sure it is a good fit for both of you!

Important questions to ask a designer would be if they charge an hourly fee or work on a retainer. Ask how long they have been working in the field. What stores do they tend to work with if they are not located within a furniture or design store? Furniture comes in a wide variety of prices ranges and it’s very important that your designer works with manufacturers within your price range! Ask to talk to past clients. If they were satisfied, they should be more than willing to speak with you!

When looking for listed qualifications, you may come across some these terms. Here’s a little bit of information to help get you through the process.

• Many designer’s are involved in the American Society of Interior Designer’s (ASID) or the International Interior Design Association (IIDA). Allied members of these society’s are involved in the organizations and pay a membership on a yearly basis. They are required to have completed 40 semester or 60 quarter credit hours in interior design education from an accredited institution.
• Professional Members are able to distinguish themselves with ASID or IIDA written after their names. They have completed education from an accredited institution and have work experience in interior design, as well as having passed the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) examination. This is an extensive two day exam that interior designers are tested on their knowledge of the field through education and experience. Professional ASID and IIDA members are required to fill 6 Continuing Education Classes every two years. This is to help insures that they are up to date on codes, products, trends, etc. Some designer’s chose not to pay the ASID or IIDA membership fees and can have NCIDQ certification number underneath their names after completion of the exam.
• It is also a great idea to try to have a designer that is LEED AP, which means they have become an accredited professional through the Leadership and Environmental Design exam. This will help to ensure your home or office is up to date with the sustainability trend as well!

Good Luck with your search!