What is Interior Design? : About : IIDA

The profession of Interior Design is relatively new, constantly evolving, and often confusing to the public. NCIDQ, the board for Interior Design qualifications, defines the profession in the best way: The Professional Interior Designer is qualified by education, experience, and examination to enhance the function and quality of interior spaces. Read the full definitionfrom NCIDQ.

Throughout the process the journey of the creative process, designers are constantly defining themselves and redefining their work. Weve culled a few observations from our Members, friends and Board Members. We hope it provides a glimmer of inspiration for you in your work and your life.

Good design combines usefulness with at least one of the following: beauty, comfort, efficiency, economy, or durability.

-Michael Maurer, Principal, The Gettys Group, Chicago

Design is everywhereIt touches and affects everyone. Design is human-centered.

-Jack Weber, IIDA, LEED AP, Design Principal, Gresham, Smith and Partners

Design is the expression of the envelope that surrounds you at work, at home, at play, everywhere. Its creating an experience, an emotion, or a story of your surroundings; helping lifes functions to be pleasing to the senses while organizing you.

-Jessica Mann Amato, IIDA, LEED AP, President Elect IIDA NY Chapter and Senior Project Manager, NELSON, New York, N.Y.

Design is a series of decisions that result in a series of consequences, good or bad. Good design results from making informed decisions from a knowledge base, realizing that each choice we make has a real and lasting impact on the lives of the people we serve, our communities, and the world at large. It could even be said that, as creators of environments, we are on divine assignment. What an awesome responsibility!

-Vicki VanStavern, IIDA, LEED AP, President, VanStavern Design Group Inc.

Design is a holistic, creative process approach to solving a problem or need. It requires clear definition of need and a good understanding, derived from research, of the physical/functional needs of the solution and where it must serve. In addition, the artistic design influence of scale, emotion, form, materials and color are embedded in what we call cultural content.

-Chuck Saylor, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Izzydesign

Everything is design. Its intrinsic, not just added to a project. From the name of a company, to its branding, and productseven the way the phone is answeredis a question of design. We, as designers, are problem-solvers for our clients.

-David Galullo, IIDA, CEO, Design Principal, Rapt Studio

Design is my life.

-Richard N. Pollack, FIIDA, FAIA, President and CEO, POLLACKconsulting

Design is the fulfillment of ambition, gratification and reward. Successful design is the tuition to immortality through the benefit to others.

-Neil Frankel, Frankel + Coleman, Chicago

To me, design is about the hope that sparks in an insight... an insight that often springs whole from moments of clarity in seeing into a systems' behavior... an insight that allows others to see and engage, building toward an inventive and useful whole.

-Dave Lathrop, Manager of Workspace Futures Perspective, Steelcase, Grand Rapids

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What is Interior Design? : About : IIDA