By design
My daughter once made noises about becoming an interior designer, and had she continued her studies in that direction, I’d be willing to bet that she would have succeeded.
And I’d also be willing to bet that she’d wonder how come the state issues licenses for this sort of thing, which means that she’s not at all alone:
A small, pro-cartelization faction of the industry, led by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), has successfully lobbied Oklahoma and other states to censor interior designers unconstitutionally through so-called “titling laws.” These laws permit anyone to practice design, but allow only a select few state license holders to call themselves “interior designers” or use the words “interior design” to describe what they do.
The advantages of such a speech monopoly are obvious: anyone who goes looking for an “interior designer” on the Internet or in the Yellow Pages will find only government-licensed cartel members, while overlooking all of the highly capable designers who do not first pass an expensive exam, meet arbitrary standards and pay the state for a license.
This comes from a press release by the Institute for Justice, a legal foundation based in Virginia which has successfully challenged a New Mexico law of this sort and is planning similar actions in other states. The Institute today filed suit in the US District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma on behalf of three designers: Kelly Rinehart, Maria Gore and Jeffrey Evans. Says Rinehart: “In all my years of work not one client has ever asked me whether I’ve taken a special government-licensing exam.”
As for my daughter, today she is a railroad dispatcher — but a stylish one.
Brian J. »
30 September 2008 · 7:29 pm
If it saves one child from having to live in a room whose accessories clash, it is worth it.
McGehee »
30 September 2008 · 8:32 pm
“What am I being charged with?”
“Practicing feng shui without a license.”
Tatyana »
30 September 2008 · 10:03 pm
Practicing feng shui without a license
That’s exactly the sort of things that separates an interior designer – a real one – from the wannabes who look for easy money.
Why not start denying licensing to doctors, lawyers, architects and engineers? Why pick on interior designers? Afraid on taking one someone your own weight?
God only knows how many illiterate morons I’ve met in my 15 years on the job who told me “My godfather and all members of my Reading Club told me I have such a good taste – I should have been interior designer!” Every damn (and dumb) secretary feels fit to be a critic.
FYI: there is no nationally recognized licensing practice exist at the moment. We are encouraged, though, to participate in voluntary certification tests, 2 days in a row 4hrs each, that is provided by NCIDQ. And about time, I say.
In my own experience during the exam (I’m a Certified Commercial Designer, if that’s not clear yet), only the people who call themselves “decorators” or “feng shui” practitioners, or “design educators”, or “decorating consultants” were having difficulties with passing. And for some reason they tend to have 40 years experience, by the look of them.
Thanks a lot, Chaz. You reminded me why I sometimes hate the public I swore to serve.
CGHill »
1 October 2008 · 7:08 am
There are always good reasons to hate the public.
On the other hand, while I certainly don’t have an issue with certification, I question the necessity of having it backed up by state boards who generally aren’t answerable to anybody. Don’t your credentials speak for themselves?
Tatyana »
1 October 2008 · 8:50 am
Certainly, I’m against state/federal governments getting involved with any professional certification. But the idea of certification is a good and necessary idea.
“Having style” does not qualify an individual to be an interior designer.
Having 30 and 40 years experience with writing a column in town paper about “style” does not qualify. Having 50 years experience stroking the residential clients’ lapdogs in Long Island beach houses and holding their hands while walking fabric showrooms does not qualify. Hell, even being a licensed, AIA-ed architect does not qualify. They no zilch when it comes to my training.What qualifies? Here’s the definition of Interior Designer. And I do more than that.
I’ve seen “designers” like the ones mentioned in the article you post about. They have no idea how to use CAD. They know nothing of lighting source’s chemical composition. They “trust” the millworker when it comes to drawing a section of a cabinet. They charge a comission on goods they recommend. They don’t understand the difference between California and New Jersey Fire codes. They can’t carry intelligent conversation with their plumbing engineer. Security guys can sell then a Brooklyn bridge – and then they would talk the client in buying one: they have no understanding how magnetic lock works.
Of course they’re opposed to licensing. I bet they are not certified by any other agency, either. All they have is years of BSting their clients.
No wonder one sees disparaging attitude in public for the profession.
Brian J. »
1 October 2008 · 12:29 pm
I should guess having someone who’ll pay you to do it would qualify you for the position.
But rent-seeking always trumps principle. My uncle, a “conservative” Republican who sells real estate, backed state law changes to make it harder/impossible for non-Realtors to sell property.
Tatyana »
1 October 2008 · 12:43 pm
Brian, I guess you’ll pay anybody if you need a doctor and he says (s)he’s one.
Please explain what you meant by “rent-seeking”?
McGehee »
1 October 2008 · 1:53 pm
Knowing Brian, he’d demand a list of that “doctor’s” patients, and would talk to a bunch of them.
And he’d probably get a much better idea of how competent said “doctor” is than a state medical license would tell him. After all, what do you call the guy who graduated last in his class at med school?
Tatyana »
1 October 2008 · 2:50 pm
Talking to a bunch of patients? What a great method of employing a professional. The best rec, probably, would come from the deceased – they have nothing to say, so definitely nothing negative!
Tell me McG, are you in a profession of any kind? Any diplomas, certificates, licences to your name? Would you get a better job without them? Would you offer in lieu of professional qualifications to your potential employer/customer a list of “satisfied clinets”?
Besides, it looks like for all your smug condescension to my profession you don’t know how to read: you still stick “state” into your comment, ignoring what I said about governmental involvement.
unimpressed »
1 October 2008 · 3:23 pm
Tatyana, I read McGehee’s post three times and I think you over-reacted more than a little. He was putting down state licensing as much as you were, maybe more. He said “get a much better idea of how competent said “doctor” is than a state medical license would tell him”. I read that as meaning the interviews would give him better information than the state accreditation–which appears as if he thinks it worthless–as do you. My take is that he was AGREEING with you.
Tatyana »
1 October 2008 · 3:34 pm
*unimpressed – read his first “feng shui” comment.
Besides, any interviews with service provider (that category includes, for the purposes of this thread, member of any trade who sells his technical knowledge for money: structural engineer or an operating nurse) or his customers always come AFTER making sure this professional completed certain level of education and work experience.
Hell, I won’t even trust a hairdresser if all she has to offer as qualification is good opinion of 10 of her clients!
CGHill »
1 October 2008 · 9:24 pm
The term “rent-seeking” is defined at great, even humongous, length here.
McGehee »
2 October 2008 · 11:44 am
Which anyone else here knew was a toss-away joke.
unimpressed »
2 October 2008 · 4:27 pm
Tatyana: I still think you are wrapped just a bit too tight. I thought the feng shui comment was him being a smartass (I was right) and was not in any way smug or condescending. You took extreme umbrage to a generaly purpose catty remark as if were pointed directly at you. You hadn’t even posted a comment yet, there was no way for anyone to know that it was in any way pertinent or applicable to you.
As far as the “design” field is concerned, I consider it pretentious, primarily because MY sense of style is virtually non-existant and can’t comprehend what all the fuss is about. Never mind that I can’t afford the service even if I had a desire to “keep up with the Joneses (or Vanderbilts, etc.)”.
unimpressed »
2 October 2008 · 4:31 pm
(Forgot something)
I have several female relatives that watch EVERY design (clothing, interior, et.al.) reality show that is aired. Much of what is on the show(s) just turns my stomach -including- the clothing of the judges of the designs. I’ve already stated that my sense of style is non-existant and I swear that even I could do better.
Tatyana »
2 October 2008 · 6:56 pm
*U, re: TV “design” shows: a handy phrase to remember is “I’m not a doctor, I just play one on TV”. The problem is, the participants honestly think they ARE designers. Just for fun, try to find out their credentials: I don’t recall, when I was watching, even one having so much as completed 4 years of formal education in FIDER-affiliated college.
That, actually, confirms what I said above about necessity of certification – and every secretary’s ability to judge.
It might be presumptuous of me, but I believe Chaz is aware of me being an ID – after a few years of reading each other’s blogs and comments someplace else. Not sure about the rest on the thread – but knowing or not knowing is not the point.
It’s the general attitude towards profession – and I met it countless times. For some reason it is not considered serious one. Will anybody say architect is not a serious profession? But we do 70% of what architects do (in my current office I do 95%), and then some – things they don’t know.
CGHill »
3 October 2008 · 6:31 pm
Actually, I’d misremembered you as an architect, but the correction is welcomed.
There are times when I’ve watched that HGTV stuff and thought “I can do better than that,” but “better than that” does not necessarily equal “good,” nor is it necessarily within spitting distance of “original.” (Similarly, I’ve written five songs, but three of them turned out to be “Walk — Don’t Run.”)
Tatyana »
4 October 2008 · 8:53 am
I’d misremembered you as an architect
is that supposed to be an excuse for apology?
CGHill »
4 October 2008 · 9:34 am
It wasn’t intended as such. (On those exceedingly-rare occasions when I am apologetic, it’s usually excruciatingly obvious.)
Tatyana »
4 October 2008 · 3:58 pm
It should be one of those occasions, Chaz.
CGHill »
4 October 2008 · 5:01 pm
Well, I am sorry if I appeared to impugn you or your profession, or if I left anyone with the impression that said profession was unworthy. It was never my intent to deliver an insult disguised as a post.
But as I said way up there near the top of the thread, I don’t have any issues with certification per se; I simply don’t see why it’s necessary to back it up with the power of the state. Maybe J. Random Consumer lacks the expertise to do comparison shopping, but that, to me, is an indication that he needs to smarten up before he writes large checks, not a mandate to the legislature to protect him from his presumed dimness.
Tatyana »
4 October 2008 · 5:13 pm
Fine.
CGHill »
17 October 2008 · 1:41 pm
And now we hear that Joe the Plumber really isn’t a plumber by someone’s estimation. Not that he should take up interior design or anything.