North Carolina Law is a Step Forward for Interior Design
Celebration time is here!... Woot… Woot… You are probably wondering what the excitement is all about. Well, it’s about North Carolina adopting Nation’s Most Holistic Interior Design Practice Law. The new Senate Bill 188 was signed into law by Governor Roy Cooper on July 8, 2021. What this means is Registered Interior Designers in North Carolina can stamp and seal construction documents for permit. It is a huge steppingstone for Interior Designers everywhere.
Before this law was passed only corporate architects could stamp and seal construction documents. That meant if you were not removing any structural walls a registered interior designer could not sign the documents. It also meant one had to be the corporate (commercial) side to stamp seal. Now this new bill recognizes Smaller Architecture Firms and registered Interior Design Firms organized or domesticated in North Carolina State that holds a current firm certificate. If I was in the state of North Carolina, I could stamp & seal construction documents for Nonstructural elements since I am a Certified Interior Designer. It would be the preparation of working drawings and documents relative to interior construction, materials, finishes, space planning, furnishings, fixtures, and equipment’s.
Being the chair of ASID – MN Government Affairs, I was excited when I read this on the ASID website North Carolina Takes Bold Action Adopting Nation’s Most Holistic Interior Design Practice Law. Education is a big part of what I do professionally & personally; it can be educating a client on the best type of flooring for their home or helping my 1st grader with his math. This is what I do naturally. Having this law passed in North Carolina will help other Registered Interior Designers in that state distinguish themselves from decorators. It goes back to my blog posted on May 7 ,2021 between the difference of an Interior Designer vs an Interior Decorator. Interior Designers are about the health, safety, function, and beauty of the space/room. The interior decorator is only looking at it aesthetically (beautifully).
With this law being passed, I am hoping more states continue suit and see the value an Interior Designer brings to the construction team. We need to move the profession forward for all Interior Designers and not be held back with bureaucratic hurdles and additional expenses that are currently being passed onto clients and consumers. We need to yell to the rooftops that interior designers play a key role in public/private safety solutions, wellness, understanding safety codes, and ADA-friendly environments. With interior design profession being predominantly female this bill will enable growth and creation for us. I am so excited for what the future brings for Interior Designers.
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