A New Chapter in Interior Design Advocacy: Joining the ASID National Advocacy Committee
By Linda Fougerousse, NCIDQ Certified Interior Designer | Interior Transformation
I am excited to share that I have been appointed to the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) National Advocacy Committee. This opportunity will allow me to contribute to something I have believed in throughout my career: protecting, strengthening, and advancing the interior design profession.
After more than 30 years as an interior designer, I have seen our industry evolve in remarkable ways. Yet one challenge remains constant—ensuring that the public, legislators, and other design professionals understand the knowledge, education, experience, and responsibility involved in professional interior design.
My involvement with ASID’s National Advocacy Committee gives me an opportunity to help advance that understanding on a broader level.
Why Interior Design Advocacy Matters
Interior design is an often misunderstood profession. Most people believe we focus primarily on aesthetics. While creating beautiful spaces is certainly part of what we do, our responsibilities extend far beyond selecting furnishings, finishes, and colors.
Professional interior designers work with space planning, accessibility, building codes, life safety, construction documentation, and the many technical considerations that influence how interior environments function.
Advocacy helps ensure that these professional responsibilities are recognized and that qualified interior designers have appropriate opportunities to practice within their areas of expertise.
An important part of that effort involves protecting regulated professional titles and supporting standards that distinguish qualified interior designers from individuals who have not met the education, examination, and experience requirements associated with those credentials.
This is not about discouraging creativity or diminishing the role of interior decorators. It is about recognizing that certain design responsibilities require specialized knowledge and professional accountability.
Protecting Our Right to Practice
One of the issues I feel most strongly about is the ability of qualified interior designers to sign and seal their own nonstructural interior construction drawings, where authorized by state law.
For years, interior designers in many states have faced restrictions on submitting their own technical drawings for permitting, even when the work falls within their professional expertise.
Illinois took an important step forward in 2022 with the passage of House Bill 4715, expanding professional practice rights for Registered Interior Designers, including sign-and-seal authority for qualifying interior technical submissions.
As a Registered Interior Designer in both Illinois and Florida, I understand the importance of professional recognition and the responsibility that accompanies these privileges.
While progress has been made, regulations continue to vary across the country. Advocacy remains essential to educating policymakers, clarifying professional qualifications, and supporting legislation that appropriately recognizes the technical capabilities of qualified interior designers.
Why I Chose to Serve
My decision to join the ASID National Advocacy Committee is rooted in a commitment to a profession that has been an important part of my life for more than three decades.
I believe that the time, education, experience, and dedication required to become a qualified interior designer should be recognized and respected.
I also believe we have a responsibility to support the next generation of designers by helping establish a professional environment where their qualifications and expertise are valued.
Through this committee, I look forward to collaborating with fellow interior design professionals, contributing my experience, and supporting advocacy initiatives that promote professional recognition, appropriate practice rights, and public awareness.
I am particularly interested in helping communicate the value of interior design to legislators and decision-makers who may not fully understand the technical scope of our work.
Meaningful change requires education, collaboration, and a willingness to participate in the conversations that shape our profession.
Looking Toward the Future
At Interior Transformation, we have always believed that thoughtful design is a combination of creativity, technical knowledge, careful planning, and attention to detail.
That philosophy guides our work with clients, whether we are developing a more functional floor plan, remodeling a kitchen or bathroom, or helping homeowners create spaces that better support their needs.
My involvement with the ASID National Advocacy Committee is an extension of those same professional values.
I am honored to have the opportunity to contribute to the future of interior design and to work alongside others who share a commitment to professional standards, public safety, and the continued advancement of our industry.
Interior design is more than what we create. It is also about the knowledge, responsibility, and professional expertise we bring to every project.
I look forward to being part of the conversations and initiatives that help move our profession forward.
Design | Detail | Deliver
Linda Fougerousse
NCIDQ Certified Interior Designer
Registered Interior Designer — Illinois & Florida
ASID National Advocacy Committee Member
Interior Transformation