A Breakdown of the Most Widely Respected Interior Design Certifications

SYSTEMS & OPS

Apr 7

The designers I’ve worked with over the last several years come from various educational backgrounds. Some have had Bachelor's and/or Master’s degrees in interior design, some have been licensed architects, some have 2-year design degrees, and others have a degree in business or some other field.

Whether you went to design school or not, there is always a lot to learn about the industry. There really is no one way for getting started as an interior designer. Certifications acknowledge a level of expertise and ability to take on projects.

Since interior design is not a fully licensed profession, I’m never one to judge, as long as someone is doing high-quality work that i) exceeds client expectations, ii) is a sound use of the clients’ monetary investment, and iii) meets code requirements. Be sure to check out our Residential Codes Handbook here; something every designer needs whether they’re formally trained or not.

And, if you think of the self-taught designers out there today who are so incredibly talented — if they needed to meet certain educational or licensing requirements, they might have never been able to bring their extraordinary gifts to the world.

Not to mention that formally trained or not, when it comes to running the day-to-day operations and providing an elevated client experience, that’s an entirely separate topic that likely isn’t covered within most interior design degree programs anyway.

Whether you went to design school or not, there is always a lot to learn about the industry that can really only be honed through the experience of doing. Some designers have built their knowledge by working at a design firm under the direction of more experienced designers, others have worked with builders, some have worked at showrooms or retail stores that offer design services, and some have designed their own homes and found they had a natural talent.

There really is no one prescribed pathway for getting started as a residential interior designer. And if you ask a lot of designers how they got to where they are today, you’ll hear a wide range of answers about the different paths to their success.

Most designers will tell you that learning never stops. And contrary to what HGTV would have the general population believe, with their one-day full house renovation and furniture design projects, interior design is a broad and complex profession, where no one can ever achieve true mastery over all aspects.

With every new project, there is something to be learned. And working directly with people always adds an element of surprise (like, will the client show up to their consultation, or will their teenager? OR, will the client be at install day and ask me to grab THEM a coffee so they can watch me set up their space…). Fun times.

New material technology means that designers need to learn about new products and their attributes and applications all the time. Emerging and evolving software programs require designers to hone their skills over and over again. Maybe a newer designer focuses on certain kinds of projects, but with more experience broadens his or her horizons to include more complex undertakings.

Regardless, there is always an opportunity to learn something (that is when you need to; I’m not talking about information consumption without applying what you’ve learned).

That is one reason I dedicate so much of my time and my team’s time toward creating resources and articles to provide interior designers with helpful and instructive information every week!!! Join The Weekly Install here.

While I can teach you everything I know about business practices, developing and implementing effective workflow processes, and setting boundaries to build a business you love, I am not a trained designer. If you are looking to expand your knowledge within certain project types, or you want to validate the high level of expertise you already possess, pursuing a recognized design industry certification may be something to consider.

Below is a listing of the most well-established and widely respected certifications for interior designers, so you can decide whether pursuing any would be helpful to your professional development.

NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Qualification)

The NCIDQ exam and certification are more often completed by commercial designers, compared to residential designers. It does require a design degree — either a 4-year degree plus two years working in the field, or a 2-year degree plus four years working in the field — in order to be eligible to take all portions of the exam. But it is considered the highest level certification an interior designer can earn. For states that have practice acts or title acts that allow designers to become a certified or registered interior designer, passing the NCIDQ exam is the key requirement (in California, it is the CCIDC exam).

A designer who has passed the 3-part NCIDQ exam can use the NCIDQ designation after their name this way: Mary Jones, NCIDQ. To remain in good standing, NCIDQ certificate holders must complete six hours of continuing education every two years and pay a renewal fee.

ALA (American Lighting Association)

The American Lighting Association serves the residential lighting industry and offers educational and credentialing opportunities to designers who want to gain expertise in lighting. They offer four professional certifications: Lighting Associate, Lighting Specialist, Certified Lighting Manufacturer Representative, and, the highest designation, Certified Lighting Consultant. There are various educational end exam requirements for each of these credentials, described here.

With advancements in LED technologies, the field of lighting design is increasingly complex and technical. For a designer who wants to specialize in lighting and perhaps work as a lighting consultant to other designers (ooh, if you do this I’d love to learn more), these certifications, and their accompanying education requirements, are quite important.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)

Designers who are particularly interested in sustainability may be interested in certifications offered by the U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC). You may have heard of LEED. LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The USGBC gives LEED certifications to building projects at various levels, depending on the degree of sustainable practices the design of that building achieves.

Additionally, the USGBC offers credentials for designers to pursue to earn the knowledge and skills necessary to implement green building practices in their design work.

The first credential a designer can earn by studying materials published by the USGBC, and by passing an exam, is LEED Green Associate. After gaining more experience in green building design, designers can achieve a higher level of credentialing: the LEED Accredited Professional or LEED AP accreditation within a specific specialty area. There are various specialty areas in which different design professionals can become proficient, but for a residential interior designer, the HOMES specialty area focuses on the design and construction of houses that use fewer resources and produce less waste.

To earn either a LEED Green Associate or LEED AP credential, a designer must pass a rigorous exam and complete continuing education within topic areas related to sustainable building practices.

NKBA (National Kitchen and Bath Association)

For designers who specialize in kitchen and bath design — as opposed to full home design — the NKBA offers a range of resources and credentials. They offer events, training webinars, and publications to provide designers with information, education, and networking opportunities. NKBA also sponsors an annual national industry trade show called KBIS.

They currently offer two certifications: Certified Kitchen and Bath Designer (CKBD), and Certified Master Kitchen and Bath Designer (CMKBD). To earn the CKBA certification, designers must complete online self-paced coursework provided by NKBA. The quantity of NKBA educational hours required depends on previous design education. Work experience in the field, and in the kitchen and bath industry may be required, again depending on previous levels of design education, and prior design work experience. Additionally, there is a CKBD exam that must be passed.

The higher level certification — Certified Master Kitchen and Bath Designer — has additional eligibility and completion requirements. Eligibility, education, and exam requirements are fully described here for CKBD and here for CMKBD. Both CKBD and CMKBD credentialed designers need to complete ongoing continuing education requirements.

RIDQC (Residential Interior Design Qualifying Exam)

This RIDQC certification, earned by passing an exam, is specific to residential interior design practice. So it may be ideal for designers who do a general variety of project types for homes. There are a range of backgrounds that fulfill eligibility requirements: completion of a 4-year bachelor’s, a 2-year associates degree in interior design, or a degree in architecture, completion of certain specific online residential design programs, four years of hands-on interior design experience, or two years of hands-on experience combined with some formal college-level education in design.

The exam includes a multiple choice question portion and the requirement to complete a design project. Passing the test and earning the RIDQC certification is appropriate for residential interior designers only. It does not replace the NCIDQ exam to qualify for practicing commercial interior design. And it does not allow a designer to use the self-designation “Registered Interior Designer” or “Certified Interior Designer” in states that have interior design title legislation. Instead, passing this exam allows you to use the designation: “Certified Residential Interior Design Professional” or to say that you have earned the “Residential Interior Design Certification.”

No matter where you are on your path of interior design, it’s pretty much a guarantee you will learn something new every day. Whether it is through formal education, certification programs, on-the-job training, or that wild and crazy client who taught you what to NEVER do again, we are here to provide the resources you need to run the business side of things.