Free to Design: Florida Entrepreneurs Take On the Interior Design Cartel

Florida is ground zero in the nationwide battle to cartelize the interior design industry.
http://www.ij.org/economic_liberty/fl_interiordesign

A small group of well-funded industry insiders led by the American Society of Interior Designers has been relentless in its pursuit of ever more restrictive laws. Studies have shown that interior design regulations result in higher prices, less variety, and fewer employment opportunities, especially for minorities and older mid-career switchers.

On May 26, 2009, the Institute for Justice joined with three interior designers—Eva Locke, Pat Levenson and Barbara Gardner—and the National Federation of Independent Business to file a lawsuit in federal court in Tallahassee challenging Floridas interior design law.

The Institute for Justice is the nations leading legal advocacy group for economic liberty—the right to earn an honest living free from excessive and arbitrary regulation. IJ has successfully challenged anti-competitive interior design laws across the country. Floridas suit promises to be the biggest fight yet in the battle against the interior design cartel, and may finally put an end to restrictive interior design laws nationwide.

More on IJ's interior design cases: http://www.ij.org/interiordesign

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[Joeyyyyyy08]

LOL is this a joke?! This is the land of freedom and opportunity. The freedom is your choice to go to school and choose a major. The opportunity comes after you go to school and get licensed. Just because you have a mid life crisis doesn't give you the right to call your self an Interior Designer. There are people in America who work very hard to be called INDs. Shoot I want to be a Doctor but in order to do that I have to get the proper training. Wait till my classmates see this.

[shimmers773]

Why can't we call it what it is. If you have not gone to school to get the proper education to be an Interior Designer, then you should call yourself an Interior Decorator. These are two completely different fields of work. This is not about excluding people of different financial or ethnic backgrounds; this is about having the proper education and certification to call your self an Interior Designer. I don't understand why we can't call a decorator a decorator and a deisgner a designer.

[seerofdestiny]

if you want to change carriers and become a designer GO TO SCHOOL all other designers out there have been thru training to gain that title you cannot call your self a designer without the proper training you need to in order to ensure your your clients safety and the NCIQ is very relevant to ensure that our clients will be safe......it figures a cuban would want the easy way out go design in your country if you don't want to adhere to the laws of this country. stop the pity party

[SpareSimian]

Texas regulates ID and the cartel there opposes removal of regulation:

w w w supporttaid org

[rambacancha]

this the best happened to florida i hope the same will happened to the practice act of architecture all over the US .

FREE ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE NO MORE RULES.

[edwinspain1]

Why can't these people bake goods for the poor instead of spending our taxes on frivolous? you should not call yourself an Interior Designer. I have a degree in Interior Architecture from a prestigious University, yet I cannot call myself an architect because I am not license. It is that siple. Is this fair? YES it is. I respect all architects who have had the education and pass the NCARD and have fullfill the experience needed to be licensed. why can I do the same as an Interior Designer?

[mcapps1]

Admit it, you're just a glorified decorator and about as "professionally qualified" as a graphic designer or web designer. About the only harm you could do is to give your client a headache with your color scheme. Stop trying to be so elitist and obviously scared of the competition. If you were a professional designer, your portfolio speaks to your skill not a sheep skin.

I'm a naturally skilled artist and I don't need someone to teach me how to be creative, i was born this way.

[djdudemanhey]

Playing the race card is really pretty desperate dont you think Clark (Rhetorical question- cuz I know you dont care as long as you have clients with deep pockets)?

Your mastery of the obfuscation of interior decoration and interior design is admirableNOT!

Where do you find these people?

[idesign67]

The next time you lay your head down in a hotel room somewhere ask yourself a few questions. Are these curtains flame retardant ? What is the flame spread on this carpet? Do these swags and jabots meet ASTM standards? Was this room done by a decorator with a business card and a little flair or by a degreed, certified, licensed professional interior designer? An interior designer has the ability to cause a lot of harm to a lot of people. I put in my time and effort why can't you do the same?

[MsLoleeb]

I agree with shimmers773. The fields of work are entirely different. Designers work closely with architects and are required to know codes, flammability requirements, durability, etc.. Decorators decorate - designers design. It's simple.