The Colorado Interior Design Coalition (CIDC) is a not-for-profit, volunteer organization that acts as the Interior Design profession's leading advocate for legislative concerns in the state of Colorado. Our collective goal is to establish standards and legal recognition for the practice of interior design as it relates to the health, safety, and welfare – more... of the public.
The professional Interior Designer is qualified by education, experience, and examination to enhance the function, safety, and quality of interior spaces. Interior design combines knowledge of building codes, critical and creative thinking, communication and technology for the purposes of improving the quality of life, increasing productivity, and assuring the protection of occupants. Interior design services include consultations, programming, space planning, design analysis, drawings, project management, specification of furniture, fixtures, and finishes, reflected ceiling plans, and the fabrication of non-load bearing elements of interior spaces in 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 comply with fire codes, building codes, the design of ergonomic work spaces, planning spaces that provide proper means of egress, and providing solutions for the handicapped and other persons with special needs. Interior designers are active members of building development teams working hand-in-hand with architects, engineers, contractors, brokers, building owners, and facility managers.
Registration or certification is not required in Colorado to practice or use the title "Interior Designer." Twenty-six states have implemented title and/or practice acts for the profession of interior design, and six additional states have legislation pending. ASID and IIDA have national standards that have been adopted by the majority of these states for defining professional interior designers and establishing standards of minimum competency.
Colorado currently has a permitting statute that was enacted in 2001 allowing qualified interior designers to submit plans for permit within their specified scope of service. This law is the first of its kind in the state. Currently, however, there is no registry or board in place to regulate the number of qualified professional interior designers, and consequently the statute has been underutilized by interior designers and consistently misconstrued by city and state officials. The governor allowed the bill to become law without signing it, saying it is "a legitimate effort to address restriction in Colorado's architecture laws that unfairly limit the nature of the work that interior designers can perform." With that said, we still have a lot of work to do.
As interior design professionals, it is incumbent upon us to ensure we are included in matters directly affecting our ability to practice. CIDC's role is to ensure the integrity, vitality, and recognition of the profession. With your membership, CIDC can continue its work with state leaders and legislative advancements, ensuring fair regulatory processes, addressing immediate and future concerns, and maintaining state-wide, industry acceptance. – less – More from ZoomInfo »
