SIDS fights misconceptions in interior design with accreditation, education

The organisation is setting up a digital platform to speed up accreditation from 6 to 2 months.

There is a troubling misconception about the scope of work of interior designers in Singapore. It is such that practically anyone — even celebrities from renovation programmes or influencers who have built their own homes and gained a following — can seem to pose as one.

The Society of Interior Designers Singapore (SIDS) has decided to blow the whistle and rightfully elevate the profession through accreditation and education programmes.

Under the accreditation programme of the SIDS, interior designers are evaluated and certified based on their work experience portfolio and academic qualification. They can be accredited in three different tiers, with the first tier being the highest.

Through the programme, SIDS aims to distinguish qualified professionals from untrained individuals. This is particularly important since interior designers, unlike registered architects, do not undergo a formal registration process.

In an interview with the publication, SIDS President and Founder and Managing Director of the Spirit Of Design Analogy (SODA®) Tung Ching Yew said the organisation plans to expand the accreditation criteria as the industry progresses, making it more stringent.

“This expansion of accreditation criteria may cover other areas of expertise within the interior design field. This is to ensure that our scheme remains relevant and comprehensive when we are assessing the applicant,” Tung told Singapore Business Review.

To speed up accreditation, SIDS has been working on setting up a digital accreditation platform that will streamline the application and review processes.

“Right now, it takes a longer time to do the assessments, so some designers may have to wait up to six months to receive their accreditation status, but with this digital platform we hope to reduce the reviewing process to two months,” Tung said.

Since its introduction in 2021, the SIDS accreditation programme, SIDAS (Singapore Interior Designers Accreditation Scheme), has significantly elevated the profession and increased public confidence in professionals in the field, he said.

“Homeowners and businesses are now more confident working with accredited interior designers because they know these designers have gone through the evaluation from SIDS. And we have a very stringent criteria,” Tung said.

Demonstrating the programme’s impact, one of the SIDS-accredited designers received and closed at least five inquiries. “That five projects have led to more referrals and expanded the designers’ whole business in less than two years,” Tung said.

He is hopeful that more players in the private and public sector recognise the SIDS accreditation framework. In this regard, what they can do is incorporate the accreditation framework as part of their preferred requirement for standard submissions in tenders. 

“This will ensure that only qualified and accredited interior designers are considered for projects. This way we can uphold the standards and credibility of the profession,” Tung said.

In the residential space, he told Singapore Business Review that he hopes more homeowners prioritise engaging accredited interior designers for their renovation.

“This will ensure that they are working with professionals who have been thoroughly vetted and possess the necessary qualifications and expertise, so they can have peace of mind and be guaranteed high-quality design solutions,” he said.

Education and awareness

Another misconception that the accreditation helps to quash is on the professional roles of interior designers.

According to Tung, a lot of end users perceive interior designers as the contractor as well. Some contractors also attempt design work, which risks the profession, especially if they fail to complete projects, which damages the reputation of the interior design industry. 

“Professionally, contractors are builders who are an integral part of the design ecosystem, but they are managed and instructed by interior designers. It’s important to have this distinction between contractors and the designers. The builder should not adopt the professional titles as an interior designer,” Tung said.

As of now, SIDS has been working on educating the public on the visionary nature of interior design, saying that the profession goes beyond space planning and choosing materials. SIDS has been embarking on a campaign to educate the public about the true scope and depth of the interior design profession.

"Today’s interior design practices goes further to investigate intangible topics such as cultural heritage, digital and AI technology, Service Design and Experience Design. At times, these subjects requires multidisciplinary or transdisciplinary practices. In a transdisciplinary methodology, the designer should lead various stakeholders from different trades in a specific design direction to achieve the desired outcome,” Tung said.

“This campaign will highlight the extensive training and education that interior designers undergo and the significant role they play in shaping future directions through design,” he added.

Completing its efforts to elevate the interior design profession, SIDS is also supporting interior designers with continuous professional development (CPD).

“The CPD ensures that interior designers remain at the forefront of the industry and continuously learn the expertise and finesse of interior design through curated lectures, symposiums, and master classes,” Tung said. “Through this education initiative, interior designers will be more knowledgeable about advanced topics and emerging trends in design.”

In conclusion, Tung sought the public and private sectors’ help in assisting SIDS to elevate the industry through policymaking.

“I think the government agencies can advocate, together with SIDS, for policies that can protect the professional titles within the interior design industry by establishing strong regulations and guidelines. This will help prevent unqualified individuals from misrepresenting themselves as interior designers,” the SIDS president said.