Decorators don’t nec. require any training but designers do. There are self taught ‘designers’ but likely they have staff who are able to read architectural drawings and produce them etc. It’s possible to get away without the training in residential design but definetly not in commercial design. But to be a designer you have to be able to understand and direct construction in either milieu.

Taste and creativity – you might be right. Maybe these things can’t be taught. But you can learn about proportion etc. I have seen the work of designers where consideration for scale would be helped by a little design education…

Im not saying design school isn’t valuable, it is. Im just saying that there are a lot of self taught decorators who are very creative and create beautiful and original spaces.

Design and art schools vary in quality. Some top tier universities have only adequate art and design schools, and vice versa. Sometimes private schools offer better programs than public schools, but sometimes not. The universities that have broad-based programs in architecture, urban design, interiors and fine arts like Parsons, RISD and my Washington U are probably the best, though they are expensive and don’t take all applicants, but they also have night schools for those already working. Obviously, I bristled at being told architecture schools were useless by the gentleman who never set foot in one!

Standards of professional practice and charging are obviously both objective and personal issues because they involve our livelihoods and sense of self worth. Some professional interior designers here feel their profession is lowered by “suzy decorators” who are untrained hobbyists, much as I am concerned that even well-intentioned, self-trained, unlicensed “architects” will have gaps of knowledge that lessen our profession standards. I don’t think interior designers should be pressured into a given system, but I think it is very useful when we understand how each other practices, how we can all add to our knowledge base, and ask ourselves if we can structure our practices and charges to our own benefit and that of all design professionals. I wonder if the AIA and ASID have presented such a discussion forum. If not, this was a good place to start!

And now I’ll to give it a rest for a while and let others have a turn! – Gary

I was a little taken aback by your comments. One, you may not like my style which is indeed quite different from yours, which is much more conceptual and can’t be compared at all to my young family-friendly, northern Westchester clientele designs. Also, I took all of the photos myself. However, I have to say that your comments hurt my feelings and I don’t think this is the forum to trash another designer’s work. I made the comment about design school, because I went for three years and did a lot of “pretty projects” that had almost nothing to do with the real aspect of designing. I do think that for designers doing contract work, that it makes sense to get the degree, but not really for residential design, beyond basic drafting, historical styles, space planning, color, specifying and business.(and perhaps a few more) The rest I learned when I went to work for a woman who had, had NO training whatsoever who had a store in Westchester. But you have to remember that i am designing for families with young children with strollers and soccer balls, etc. Also, they have very limited budgets. My system has worked nicely for me and I was simply sharing my approach. I am not open to price negotiation, except in rare cases. I present the bottom line price and if its too high. I will look for something in their price range. I tell my clients that I am like a “walking/talking store”. When they “think store”, they feel better. It is rarely an issue for me. Quite frankly, my actual mark-up varies greatly, but is competitive with store prices of the same or similar items and is lower. And yes, most of my clients are completely clueless about design and sometimes I am working with things they already own and certain limitations in their own taste level.

To Gary: Thank you. I do not provide architectural services, but on occasion, I do have to work with architects and contractors and I either charge a flat fee for my time, or an hourly.

I did go to the NY School of Interior Design for three years (from 88-91) and did tons of pretty projects which didn’t really teach all that much on how to be a designer. Maybe its improved since my time there in the late 80s. I hope so. I did do very well there, however and even beat out 40 other students at the NY Design Center’s sponsored annual competition, I place first and was awarded a very nice scholarship.

Mandy – Thank you for your insight. You have spoken eloquently and concisely. BTW, there are some US states moving toward licensing exams for interior designers, though I don’t know which have adopted legislation, but there are many firms practicing interior architecture today with the same rights and responsibilities as architects. I’ll summarize what I know and don’t know and then do research before I comment further:

Everyone – I know that most major metropolitan areas have long had very strict building codes and licensure requirements for architects, engineers and land surveyors. ALL of the buildings designed in any of those areas must receive a permit on a set of construction drawings prepared and sealed by a licensed architect or engineer, with the exception of minor home renovations. Some outlying communities allow simple homes and large pre-engineered sheds, like Butler Buildings, to be drawn by unlicensed individuals. Many years ago, certain rural counties had no building codes and it showed in their haphazard quality of construction. I do not know what the licensure standards are in most developing suburbs today that are spreading into previously unregulated rural counties. Or what licensure requirements were in back in the day when our beautiful historic small towns were built. I do know that there was extensive architectural training back then, but not if licensing was uniformly enforced.

If outlying communities allow untrained, unlicensed individuals to design homes or other types of buildings, it may help to explain why modern US suburban architecture and town planning is so functionally and aesthetically challenged; a cardboard confection surrounding by shouting signs which often has little sense of place, civic pride or permanence. It is amazing to me that the “richest country on earth” has devolved from building such beautiful cities into building such ordinary suburbs. I support the laissez faire entrepreneurial spirit in consumer products and services, but buildings, suburbs and cities should not be disposable consumer items designed by the manufacturer. You can’t easily recall a building, like you can a car when the accelerator sticks.

I also know that a licensed architect or engineer works for the homeowner and is their advocate. A draftsman typically works for the contractor and his interests are aligned with theirs. An enlightened home builder will act like a professional, but the interest of many tract home builders is to provide the minimum product for the greatest profit. The overhead of house drawings done by licensed individuals vs. unlicensed ones is small compared to the cost of the home. The cost of the unlicensed draftsman is hidden in the contractor’s cost. And the cost of discomfort let alone failure is enormous. I’ve seen or read of homes where the disintegrating masonite siding, cracked vinyl or synthetic stucco had to be stripped off. Sometimes the lowest first cost is not the best cost.

I’ve inspected many buildings and have also been a judge at the local Homer Awards and seen many construction and aesthetic defects like sunlight between sill plates and foundations, squeaky floors where joists had no cross-bracing, no fire-stopping or bracing in walls, two-story stairs with no intermediate landing, unmatched moldings and odd-sized leftover floor spaces. And these all occurred in outlying suburban and rural communities. Structural safety, egress, energy conservation, well designed rooms amenable to furniture, windows properly placed for light and view, and other quality of life features should be available to most consumers, not just the wealthy. There is no perfect system, but which do you think is the safest and surest way to go? Would a prudent person let a novice represent them in court or do surgery on them? Then perhaps we shouldn’t let novices design our buildings. I would never deny anyone the right or pleasure or to work in a design field, and I respect self-educated individuals, but in the case of architecture and engineering, where public safety and civic good is part and parcel, I think it’s wise to have supervision by trained and licensed people.

I will attempt to find out how other communities operate and if my opinion is in the majority or not! In the meantime, I would love to hear your opinions! – Gary