American Society of Interior Designers

The American Society of Interior Designers, commonly known as ASID, is a nonprofit professional organization representing interior designers, students, educators, and companies serving the interior design sector. Its work is centered on strengthening interior design as a profession, improving the quality and safety of designed environments, and providing members with education, research, networking, career resources, and advocacy. The organization operates primarily in the United States and also has chapters and members in Canada. ASID traces its institutional roots to the American Institute of Interior Decorators, founded in 1931 as a national professional association for decorators. That organization changed its name to the American Institute of Decorators in 1936 and later became the American Institute of Interior Designers in 1961. A separate development occurred in 1957, when the New York Chapter of the AID adopted the name National Society for Interior Designers. As professional groups multiplied across the United States during the 1960s and early 1970s, the AID and NSID emerged as two of the largest organizations. Their merger in 1975 created ASID and consolidated a significant part of the profession’s national representation. The Society serves practitioners working across residential and commercial design. Relevant practice areas include homes and model homes, corporate and office environments, health care, hospitality and entertainment, government and institutional facilities, retail and store planning, and facilities management. Its membership structure distinguishes among professional, allied, educator, student, student advancement, and industry partner participants. Professional members generally combine accredited education and relevant experience with successful completion of the National Council for Interior Design Qualification examination, while other categories provide routes for qualified practitioners, educators, students, manufacturers, representatives, and related organizations to participate. ASID’s professional-development role includes continuing-education programs, conferences, chapter activities, publications, research distribution, networking, and employment resources. Its information programs address subjects such as design practice and business trends, materials and technology, building codes, government regulation, flammability standards, sustainability, universal design, product performance, design psychology, and the needs of different occupant populations. The organization also supports recognition programs, including Fellow of ASID honors, and provides member-oriented digital and career services. Advocacy is another central part of ASID’s identity. The Society has supported legal recognition of interior design while emphasizing that regulation should not unnecessarily restrict practice or use of the terms interior design and interior designer. It supports state-qualified designers’ ability to use regulated professional titles and perform additional services where jurisdictions permit them, and it recognizes the NCIDQ examination as a benchmark for minimum professional competency. Its legislative work has sought expanded practice rights for registered interior designers in various states. ASID has identified sustainable design and design for an aging population as major platform issues. Its affiliated ASID Foundation, established in 1975 as a charitable organization, supports research, scholarships, education, innovation, and dissemination of knowledge intended to improve public health, safety, and welfare through interior design. Through the Society, its chapters, educational institutions, industry partners, and foundation activities, ASID functions as a professional network and an institutional advocate for the interior design field rather than as a consumer product brand.

The institutional history of ASID reflects the consolidation of professional organizations representing interior design in the United States. In 1931, the American Institute of Interior Decorators was established as a national organization for decorators. It adopted the shorter name American Institute of Decorators in 1936 and later changed its name to the American Institute of Interior Designers in 1961, reflecting the profession’s evolving terminology and emphasis on interior design as a distinct field. A related organization developed in New York. In 1957, the New York Chapter of the AID changed its name to the National Society for Interior Designers. During the following decades, professional groups and local clubs expanded across the United States as the occupation developed beyond traditional decorating and became more closely associated with education, technical knowledge, building regulation, health and safety, and professional credentials. By 1975, the American Institute of Interior Designers and the National Society for Interior Designers were two of the largest national organizations in the field. They merged that year to create the American Society of Interior Designers. The merger gave the profession a broader national association and provided the institutional basis for ASID’s chapter system, membership programs, educational activities, publications, research, and advocacy. ASID subsequently developed a structure that includes professional designers, allied practitioners, educators, students, and industry partners. Its activities cover both residential and commercial practice, including corporate, health-care, hospitality, institutional, retail, and facilities-management environments. The Society’s professional role combines technical and business education with ethical standards, continuing education, research, networking, recognition, and public-policy work. The organization’s policy agenda has included legal recognition of interior design and the ability of qualified practitioners to use regulated titles and perform additional services where state law allows. ASID has supported the NCIDQ examination as a measure of minimum competency and has participated in efforts to expand interior designers’ practice rights in individual states. Sustainability and design for an aging population have also been identified as platform issues. The ASID Foundation was created in 1975 as the organization’s affiliated charitable foundation. Its stated purpose is to support research, scholarships, education, innovation, and the distribution of knowledge that can improve public health, safety, and welfare through interior design. Together, ASID and the Foundation represent the profession through a combination of member services, education, research, advocacy, and public-interest initiatives.

• 1975

  AID and NSID merge to form ASID

  [1]American Society of Interior Designersen.wikipedia.org

  The American Institute of Interior Designers and National Society for Interior Designers combine to establish the American Society of Interior Designers.

• 1975

  ASID Foundation is created

  [1]American Society of Interior Designersen.wikipedia.org

  An affiliated charitable foundation is established to support interior-design research, scholarships, education, innovation, and public welfare.

• 1961

  AID becomes the American Institute of Interior Designers

  [1]American Society of Interior Designersen.wikipedia.org

  The American Institute of Decorators changes its name to the American Institute of Interior Designers.

• 1957

  New York Chapter becomes the National Society for Interior Designers

  [1]American Society of Interior Designersen.wikipedia.org

  The New York Chapter of the AID adopts a name emphasizing interior design rather than decorating.

• 1936

  Organization adopts the American Institute of Decorators name

  [1]American Society of Interior Designersen.wikipedia.org

  The founding organization changes its name as professional terminology and organizational identity evolve.

• 1931

  American Institute of Interior Decorators is founded

  [1]American Society of Interior Designersen.wikipedia.org

  The first national professional organization in the institutional lineage of ASID is established for decorators.

A national professional association and knowledge network for interior designers and allied industry participants, positioned around professional credibility, education, research, ethical practice, public welfare, and advocacy for the legal recognition and effective practice of interior design.

• Membership

  Professional Membership

  ASID’s highest professional membership category is intended for designers who have completed qualifying interior-design education and experience and passed the NCIDQ examination. It connects practitioners to chapters, professional resources, continuing education, advocacy, networking, recognition programs, and the Society’s design knowledge community.

• Membership

  Student Membership

  Student membership is designed for people enrolled in qualifying interior-design programs. It provides an early connection to ASID chapters, peers, educators, professional information, career resources, and opportunities to learn about the practice and credentialing expectations of the field.

• Publication

  ASID ICON

  ASID ICON is the Society’s professional magazine. It covers design research, business trends, Society and chapter activities, and issues relevant to interior-design practitioners. The publication functions as part of ASID’s broader effort to distribute professional knowledge and connect members with developments in the field.

• Professional development

  Continuing Education

  ASID offers educational programming through conferences, chapter activities, and industry events. Topics may include materials, technology, codes, regulation, sustainability, universal design, product performance, and professional practice. Programs can support continuing-education requirements and ongoing competency development for interior designers.

• Research and charitable programs · 1975

  ASID Foundation

  The ASID Foundation is the affiliated charitable organization associated with ASID. Its activities support research, scholarships, education, innovation, and knowledge dissemination intended to advance interior design and benefit public health, safety, and welfare.

• 2009

  Revision of legislative policyStrategy

  Background

  ASID sought to clarify its position on legal recognition of interior design and the professional roles available to qualified practitioners.

  Action taken

  The Society revised its legislative policy to support legal recognition, regulated professional titles for state-qualified designers, appropriate expanded services, and the NCIDQ examination as a competency benchmark.

  Aftermath

  The policy provided a framework for ASID’s advocacy concerning state regulation and expanded practice rights.

  Source

• 1975

  Merger of AID and NSIDM&A

  Background

  The interior-design profession was represented by numerous national and local organizations, with the American Institute of Interior Designers and National Society for Interior Designers among the largest.

  Action taken

  The two organizations merged to establish the American Society of Interior Designers.

  Aftermath

  The merger created a broader national professional association with chapters, membership categories, educational programs, research, and advocacy activities.

  Source

• 2019-09-21

  Rogers Design Group wins 2019 Design Excellence Award[3]Rogers Design Group荣获2019年度设计卓越奖prnewswire.com

  Reported: 2019-10-15

  Rogers Design Group received the 2019 Design Excellence Award from the American Society of Interior Designers' Florida South Chapter, placing first in the Residential Transitional Design category.

1. 1American Society of Interior Designersen.wikipedia.org
2. 2American Society of Interior Designers official websiteasid.org
3. 3Rogers Design Group荣获2019年度设计卓越奖prnewswire.com