Share this on

Small Firm Designers: Most are Women

A copy of the report is available online.

Mairi Beautyman -- Interior Design, 7/13/2005 12:00:00 AM

This week, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) released a report on small and medium interior design firms in the United States--and some of the findings may be surprising. Inside Small and Medium Design Firms focuses on the make-up, operations, projects undertaken, and products specified by these firms.

A total of 602 interior designers from 405 firms provided information for the survey. Of these designers, four in five are women, two out of three are age 45 or older, and nearly all--95 percent--have a college degree. Though, only one in four (27 percent) has passed the National Council for Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ) exam. "Large A&D firms often grab the big projects and the headlines, but they are in fact few in number," says ASID president Anita Baltimore. "This report provides knowledge about this important market to practicing designers, would-be designers, and those who provide products and services to the design industry in their business and marketing planning."

According to the survey, these firms normally complete 25 or fewer projects a year. About 80 percent are residential--specifically, single family homes or individual rooms. Nearly half surveyed only do residential projects.

A copy of the report is available online at www.asid.org. click on the link to "ASID Publications and Research Reports" to download a copy of the order form. Complete copies are $150 for non-ASID members.