About ASID
Mission Statement
ASID is the definitive resource for professional education, knowledge sharing, advocacy of interior designer's right to practice, professional and public education and expansion of interior design markets.
What is ASID?
The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) is the oldest and largest professional organization for interior designers. ASID was established in 1975, resulting from a merger of two interior design associations formed in 1931. With more than 30,500 members, ASID establishes a common identity for professionals and businesses in the field of interior design. Our members include 20,000 interior design practitioners, 7,000 students and 3,500 manufacturers and representatives of interior design products and services. Of those designers, 4,000 practice residential design; 6,400 practice contract design; and 9,600 practice a combination of both residential and contract design. Most ASID design consultants specify the products and services used in their design work, and more than 70 percent of ASID professional designers own or manage their own design firms.
Why ASID?
ASID provides education for design practitioners that helps their businesses conform to environmental and safety standards. ASID design consultants receive the most current information on appropriate materials, technology, building codes, government regulations, flammability standards, design psychology, product performance and more. Armed with this knowledge, ASID designers protect the health, safety and welfare of people in interior environments. Currently, there are 48 ASID chapters spanning North America. These chapters are the focal point for the designer's involvement in ASID and its programs. Chapter activities provide support for a designer's individual practice, education, community service projects, marketing and industry relations.
ASID interior design consultants specialize in a wide range of areas. In the commercial sector, our members provide design and consulting services to the office, health care, institutional, hospitality and retail environments. In the residential field, our members' services range from space planning to designing a home office to customizing a home to meet specific client needs.
Membership Qualifications
- Professional Membership: Reserved for interior designers who have passed the NCIDQ exam. Existing members are encouraged to take the exam and notify ASID headquarters when they receive an NCIDQ certificate number upon passage of the exam so that they may be advanced into Professional status.
- Professional Educator Membership: Meets the requirements of Professional membership and is engaged as a department chair or full-time instructor in a post-secondary program of interior design education that requires 40 semester credit hours in interior design courses.
- Allied Members: Specifically for interior designers who have completed 40 semester/60 quarter credit hours in interior design education from an accredited institution (university/college or technical school) are eligible.
- Allied Educator Membership: Meets the requirements of Allied membership and is engaged as a department chair or full-time instructor in a post-secondary program of interior design education that requires 40 semester credit hours in interior design courses.
- Student Advancement to Allied Membership: This special advancement opportunity is only available to ASID student members in good standing (active membership with fully paid dues; lapsed members are not eligible), who have recently graduated. New graduates must submit their official transcript, showing the date of graduation and coursework that reflects 40 semester/60 quarter credit hours of interior design education. Reduced dues pricing is available up to one year after graduation.
Download this document for more information about Membership Qualifications.
Membership Benefits
When it comes to return on investment, topping the list for members of professional societies is:
- A package of benefits offered to improve their business operations.
- Educational objectives or social networking needs.
The ASID is no different. We regularly survey our membership to determine what members want from their membership and develop new benefits in anticipation of future needs. Often, our biggest challenge is not creating new member benefits, but rather making those benefits known across our 40,000 members.
The next time you have a need regarding your business operations or the practice of interior design, we hope that you will look to your ASID member benefits as your first resource. Highlighted are some of the most innovative and recent member benefits ASID offers members.
Download this document for more information about Membership Benefits.
