Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


What is the best way to contact you?

Please use the contact tab  at the top of the web page and fill out the contact form with as much information as possible.


What if I would like to set up a time to talk on the phone with you?

No problem at all - Please use the contact tab  at the top of the web page and fill out the contact form with as much information as possible.  Let me know that you would like to set up a time to talk on the phone.  Please be sure to also let me know what times you are available and what number is best to reach you.


What's the difference between interior designer and decoration?

Interior design is the art and science of understanding people’s behavior to create functional spaces within a structure. Decoration is the furnishing or adorning of a space with fashionable or beautiful things. Interior designers may provide interior decorating services, but decorators are not qualified to provide interior design services.

One primary difference between the two professions is that interior designers are responsible for the elements that affect the public’s health, safety and welfare. For example, an interior designer can evaluate wall finishes based on durability, acoustic properties, cleanability, flame retardancy, allergens, toxicity and off-gassing properties. An interior decorator can evaluate finishes based only on color, style and texture. http://www.ncidqexam.org/about-ncidq/faqs/


Why Hire an NCIDQ Certified Designer?

The right mix of specialists on a project can save you time and money—and reduce your liability, too. Make sure you require the same level of competence from your interior designers as you do from the architectural, engineering and other building professionals on your team.

All NCIDQ Certified Designers have been educated, trained and examined to protect public health, safety and welfare. When you hire an NCIDQ Certified Designer, you hire a professional with proven knowledge, experience and proficiency in the interior design principles of protecting the public health, safety and welfare.

CIDQ is made up of U.S. and Canadian regulatory boards, and we take our responsibility to protect the public seriously. NCIDQ Certified Designers have completed a minimum of six years of specialized education and experience and passed a rigorous three-part exam based on CIDQ's independent, comprehensive analysis of the profession and the daily practice of interior designers in a range of settings.

The NCIDQ Certification meets the interior design profession's legal and regulatory standards established by over half of the U.S. states and Canadian provinces. That makes it the highest qualification in the industry. http://www.ncidqexam.org/about-ncidq/hire-ncidq-certificate-holder/


What are the acronyms - ASID, CID, NCIDQ and what do they mean after your name?

ASID = American Society of Interior Designers.  I am a Professional Practitioner Member of ASID

CID = Certified Interior Designer. I am a certificate holder for the State of Maryland.

NCIDQ = National Council for Interior Design Qualification.  I have passed the NCIDQ and I am NCIDQ Certificate Holder.

The NCIDQ Certification

Today, it is not enough for a provider of interior design services to understand how to create spaces that are aesthetically pleasing. It is at least as vital that they can design public and private interior spaces that meet current safety standards, and that the public feels confident in their ability to do that.

In today’s increasingly competitive marketplace, the NCIDQ Certification demonstrates that you are uniquely qualified through education, experience and examination to competently practice interior design in all of its facets, including aesthetics and safety standards. More than 30,000 people around the world have earned the prestigious NCIDQ Certification, the mark of a professional interior designer.  http://www.ncidqexam.org/