What is A.S.I.D.?

The American Society of Interior Designers is the oldest and largest professional organization for interior designers with the largest residential and commercial membership. With more than 30,000 members, ASID establishes a common identity for professionals and businesses in the field of interior design.

Of the Society's 20,000 practicing interior designers, 6,500 practice primarily in the commercial field with 4,000 practicing primarily as residential designers. The remaining 9,500 work in both commercial and residential design. Professional members of ASID must pass rigorous acceptance standards: they must have a combination of accredited design education, full-time work experience, and pass a two-day accreditation examination (National Council for Interior Design Qualification - NCIDQ). Only members who have passed these standards of education, in-field experience, and NCIDQ certification may use the professional appellation of A.S.I.D. or ASID after their name; other members are either Allied ASID or ASID Industry Partners (manufacturers of design-related products and services).

ASID promotes professionalism in interior design services and products for the workplace and home. To keep up with the unique needs of its members, ASID conducts independent research on topics related to the practice and business of the profession. ASID designers receive the most current information about appropriate materials, technology, building codes, government regulations, flammability standards, design psychology and product performance. Your environment. Your ideas. Our job is to understand. Interiors can look many different ways, but how they work is more important. Designing environments that satisfy your needs requires understanding your space's current and future uses.

ASID interior design consultants are trained to deal with more than the furnishings and finishes that go into making a space look wonderful. They use analytical problem-solving skills that focus on your needs and aspirations. Designers listen, understand and ultimately create a space that exceeds your expectations.

WHAT IS N.C.I.D.Q.?

Successful completion of the NCIDQ examination is a prerequisite for professional registration in those American states and Canadian provinces that have enacted licensing or certification statues to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. The NCIDQ examination must also be passed by every interior designer applying for “professional” membership to A.S.I.D.

On June 9, 2001 the State of Colorado joined most of the other United States allowing the construction drawings of an NCIDQ certified interior designer to be submitted to a Building Department for construction approval, as long as the interior designer’s work did not contain load-bearing components, such as design of building core, columns, roof, or foundation. Tenant build-out projects, retail, business and medical reconfigurations of space, and home decoration and remodeling are among a few project types generally included in this Statute. The designer must show documentation of NCIDQ certification (called “licensing” in most states) and of professional liability insurance. For further information, refer to House Bill 01-1153, or give us a call and we’ll fax over a signed copy making this bill into a law.