Opinion: Defining the Interior Designer

Commercial interior designers and manufacturers spend a great deal of time thinking about how the public uses space, yet the average person spends very little time thinking about how interior design works. Misconceptions abound. Design is (literally) all around us, but unfortunately, public awareness of the art, science and complexity of design is an ongoing project  —  as is advocating for the distinct role of interior designers in protecting the health, safety and well-being of the public.

Last month, interior design advocates from around the country convened in Chicago during IIDA’s 2025 Winter Chapter Leaders Conference and Advocacy Workshop. At the workshop, our agenda was typical, ranging from national legislative updates to panel discussions and networking. Yet as often happens in face-to-face gatherings like these, the sum became greater than its parts: What emerged organically was a clear proclamation to strengthen public awareness of the profession. Attendees enthusiastically agreed that while we will continue to push for interior design to be legally recognized in all 50 states, we also want to ensure that the profession is widely known and understood as readily as its partners in the built environment, architecture and engineering. 

“I am tired of having to explain what I do,” said several attendees, lamenting the common misinterpretation of commercial interior designers as decorators, a stereotype perpetuated by HGTV. Others made comments like: “I’m tired of having to say, ‘I’m an interior designer but I work on the commercial side,’ or ‘I’m an interior designer, but I work in code-regulated spaces, designing libraries and airports!’ The consensus? Designers want to be able to say, ‘I’m an interior designer.’ Period.” 

Broadly speaking, the interior design field covers a range of professions, from decorators to residential interior designers to those working in code-regulated spaces such as hospitals, airports, libraries, nursing homes and schools. Stacey Crumbaker, President-Elect of IIDA’s International Board of Directors and Vice President of Advocacy, often refers to the “spectrum of interior design” as a way to illustrate the fact that all these professions fall under the interior design umbrella. 

So, how can we help more people understand what distinguishes a commercial interior designer working in code-regulated spaces from these other professions? Simply put, this segment of interior designers prioritizes their role in protecting the health, safety and welfare of the public. They undergo formal education, thousands of hours of paid and supervised experience, and many take and pass the NCIDQ exam, an internationally recognized, rigorous certification exam.  

Currently, the profession of interior design is regulated in 29 states plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, for a total of 31 jurisdictions. In states with legislation, qualified interior designers are typically able to register with their state by showing proof of NCIDQ certification and by demonstrating competencies in areas such as fire and life safety, building codes, building materials and ADA accessibility standards. Once registered, those practitioners can use the qualifying title used in their state: registered, certified or licensed interior designer. While the term commercial interior designer is a common shorthand, these titles better delineate the scope of interior designers working in code-regulated spaces.

For states with legislation, registered (or certified, or licensed) interior design falls under the umbrella of occupational licensing. Professions under this umbrella are wide-ranging, with one major commonality: They exist to protect the health, safety and well-being of the public.

Although the type of legislation in place varies from state to state, 24 states have legislation called a title act, which, as the name implies, recognizes the profession and title of interior design within that state. Yet legal recognition and daily vernacular are not the same.

What can commercial interior designers do to grow understanding of their profession? It’s a concept interior design advocates are reckoning with, knowing that growing public awareness will only help make the case for legal recognition and regulation in the 21 unregulated states. Around the country, interior design advocates are doing their part, educating lawmakers and those in the built environment about their capabilities and what that means for the communities they serve. You can do your part as well. Next time you encounter someone who thinks interior design is only about paint colors and throw pillows, kindly educate them that interior designers prioritize and work to improve public health, safety and well-being. In time, hopefully sooner rather than later, we’ll get to the point where commercial practitioners can simply say, “I’m an interior designer.” Period.

Editor’s Note: Marci Merola is the Senior Director of Advocacy at IIDA, where she works with state chapters around the country working to strengthen their advocacy efforts, as well as to maintain and expand regulation of interior design. Marci brings 20 years of advocacy experience to IIDA, working at both the state and national level, and mostly in the association and nonprofit sector. Marci has a bachelors degrees in English and journalism from Northern Illinois University, and a master’s degree in information science from Dominican University. She is a native Chicagoan.