Well friends! This is a huge HUGE huge day for myself and my career. I recieved my results from my NCIDQ exam on Monday and I PASSED!!! I am now officially a professional interior designer. This is a three part exam which I took for the first time (after my two years of internship) last September (in the middle of planning my wedding!) and I passed two of the three at that time and took the other portion again in April and on Monday I got an email from NCIDQ that I was now officially certified to practice interior design!!!
This is the BIG step for a designer and it basically makes me a designer legally which is the biggest greatest thing ever!!!
Things have been crazy with moving and unpacking and I just have not got to blog so forgive the lateness but I knew I had to share the news with my blog friends!!
Wahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Below I have added a few definitions of interior design from several of our professional organization websites. In order to make it a little more clear what it is that I do - there is often a misconception and misunderstanding about design - hopefully this will help to paint a more clear picture.
An "interior designer" designs, consults, studies, draws, and manages design construction contracts relating to nonstructural interior elements of a building or structure. A "nonstructural element" means an element which does not require structural bracing and which is something other than a load-bearing wall, load-bearing column, or other load-bearing element of a building or structure which is essential to the structural integrity of the building. "Interior design" includes, but is not limited to: reflected ceiling plans, space planning, furnishings, and the fabrication of nonstructural elements within and surrounding interior spaces of buildings. "Reflected ceiling plan" means a ceiling design plan which is laid out as if it were projected downward and which may include lighting and other elements. "Space planning" means the analysis, programming, or design of spacial requirements, including preliminary space layouts and final planning. "Interior design" specifically excludes the design of or the responsibility for architectural and engineering work, except for specification of fixtures and their location within interior spaces.
A professional interior designer is qualified by education, experience and examination to enhance the function, safety
and quality of interior spaces. Professional interior designers combine critical and creative thinking, and knowledge of
building codes, communication and technology, for the purposes of improving quality of life, increasing productivity and
protecting the health, safety and welfare of those who occupy the spaces they design.
Interior designers’ services include consultations, programming, space planning, design analysis, drawings, the specifications of fixtures and their location, furnishings, reflected ceiling plans, and fabrication of non-load-bearing elements of interior spaces of buildings. All drawings and documents prepared relative to the design of interior spaces are done so in compliance with applicable building and safety codes.
Every decision an interior designer makes, in one way or another, involves life safety and quality of life. Some of those decisions include specifying furniture, fabric and carpeting that meets or exceeds fire codes, complying with other applicable building codes, designing ergonomic work spaces, space planning that provides proper means of egress, and providing solutions for the handicapped and other persons with special needs.
Thanks for stopping by and celebrating with me!!
-L
