KBB - August 2008 - (Page 24)

Continued from page 22 Q: What makes a good project great? A: It’s all about the details. our environment from the ravages of unfettered, irresponsible development-—there is no evidence that the unrestricted practice of interior design has in any way negatively impacted the public or created a danger that needs gover nmental oversight. I haven’t heard a public outcry for governmental regulation of the interior design profession, have you? I urge all K+BB readers in the kitchen and bath business to take these attempts to legislate design seriously, and to nip them in the bud. Fight tooth and nail any attempt by the self-serving interests of one group to rule over and judge the merits of the rest of us. —Fu-Tung Cheng, Cheng Design I am a proponent of Interior Design Legislation and am currently rallying to pass a bill in Tennessee. I encourage you and your readers to visit www.tidc.org to get an idea of what the bill is about and its beneﬁts to the community. I highly recommend the Myth vs. Fact section, which addresses the issues brought up in the NKBA article. One important note, Edward S. Nagorsky stated: “The bill also makes certain that anyone certified by the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) as a ‘certified kitchen designer’ or a ‘certified bath designer,’ or both, may continue their planning and execution of the design of residential kitchens or baths. There is no restriction of the terms ‘certiﬁed kitchen designer’ or ‘certiﬁed bathroom designer.’” Interior Design Legislation is not meant to hold back designers, but rather to elevate the profession and hold interior designers to the high standards that we work hard for. —Laura Barse, Hnedak Bobo Group Cheers to the NKBA for its excellent article on the whole debacle over licensing for interior designers! Here in Texas, we have to be careful of using “interior designer”—we use “design consultant”—but they’re trying to strip us of the word “design” entirely! That, I can live with. However, taking away our livelihood simply so that they can practice their elitism does not sit well with me! I am very relieved others have noticed the unfairness and elitism of ASID’s stance and its licensing process. If more people, companies and organizations stand up for what is right, this world and this country will be a better place much sooner. —Michelle Zimmerman, Style House Design I was appalled to read the article in your 7June 2008 K+BB issue titled, “Lawful Enterprise.” Having been on the Board for the Maryland Chapter of ASID for more than 10 years, I assure you that you are misleading your readers and misrepresenting ASID in your article. We do use the NCIDQ exam as a guideline for professional membership to determine minimum competence in the ﬁeld of interior design, as do other professional organizations such as IIDA. I do feel that the public needs to be aware of the difference between designers and decorators, and legislation is the only real way to prevent untrained individuals from presenting themselves to the public as “designers.” If this causes consumer “confusion,” so be it! At least the public will be aware of the difference and not be surprised later when things don’t turn out just right! How could the article say that “such laws do nothing to further the protection of public health, safety and welfare”? My mother was (until recently) a resident of a privately run Retirement Community of several hundred residents in Maryland. Recently it was renovated, by the owner’s wife, who “had a ﬂair” and called herself a designer (ha!). The chairs (which were very heavy!) were too short for the dining tables, so the residents needed help getting in and out, as well as a pillow, to sit up to the table correctly. The fabric on the seats was a drapery fabric that had not been ﬂame-retarded and will not hold up to upholstery use! The ramps and stairs needed to have a change of color on the ﬂoor to designate a level change for old eyes, as the previous design had. The hand railings were painted the wall color and virtually disappeared (how helpful!). I could go on and on, but if this place caught ﬁre while the residents were dining, there would be many more Continued on page 26 Luxury Grab Bars Decorative Specialties Shower Systems Since 1961, JACLO® has been creating highquality elements that complete the fullycoordinated bath suite. Their extensive line of specialty plumbing products and accessories including showerheads, handshowers, grab bars, supply valves and even toilet tank levers are available in 18 popular decorative ﬁnishes and many custom ﬁnishes. Products are ideal for matching new hardware to existing ﬁxtures or can be combined to create a stylish and cohesive bathroom suite. www.jaclo.com 800.852.3906 C i rcle No. 167 http://www.tidc.org http://www.jaclo.com http://www.jaclo.com

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KBB - August 2008
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KBB - August 2008