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Interior design experts, professors and students say Massachusetts’ lack of recognition of commercial interior design as a licensed profession is leaving its industry out of step with other states.
Passing Rep. Christine Barber and Sen. Joan Lovely bills (H.324, S.254), they say, would legitimize the practice by establishing a new Board of Registration of Commercial Interior Designers and a new “licensure scheme” for the practice, related definitions and registration requirements, according to a committee summary.
“For decades, our three organizations – the [American Institute of Architects] Massachusetts, the [American Council of Engineering Companies] Massachusetts and the [Massachusetts Federation of Building Officials] – stood in opposition to earlier versions of commercial interior design licensure,” Executive Director of the Massachusetts chapter of the American Institute of Architects John Nunnari told lawmakers Monday.
“Today, I’m proud to say we are here in full support,” Nunnari said, citing the bill language that he said mirrors the architectural licensing statute and maintains consistency across regulated design professions.
The Senate passed a similar bill in 2024 that later died in the House.
“It provides clear definitions and boundaries enabling the building officials to determine when an interior project falls within the scope of licensed architecture or engineering,” Nunnari continued. “Most importantly, it respects scope limitations — registered commercial interior designers may not practice architecture or engineering, nor may they alter structural life, safety or primary building systems.”
Massachusetts could become the 30th state to pass legislation to “regulate and elevate” the interior design profession, according to Stephanie McGoldrick, assistant professor of interior design at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. UMass Dartmouth is the only public university in New England that is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation.
“It can be puzzling when we review the current status of interior design legislation nationwide and our students see that Massachusetts is not included in the list of states in which they can obtain professional recognition and a license,” McGoldrick told lawmakers Monday.
“[Students] may find that it’s more lucrative to pursue a design career elsewhere where they can have autonomy and utilize their degree to the fullest,” McGoldrick continued. She named Maine, Connecticut and Florida as states her students have chosen to practice in instead of Massachusetts.
Any individual who passes the interior design examination administered by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification, and is approved by the newly-formed board, would be able to use the title “Registered Commercial Interior Designer” under the proposal. The bill would also establish the process for license application, renewal and re-activation.
Architecture firms collaborate closely with designers and engineers, registered architect and past president of the International Interior Design Association Matthew Hyatt said Monday. He called the proposal an opportunity to recognize interior design “as an equal profession in the state of Massachusetts.”
“We are not seeking to equate certified interior design with architects. We’re recognizing instead commercial interior design as its own practice and subject to the same kinds of considerations,” Hyatt said.
“We’re also looking to remove a barrier for ownership that many commercial interior designs face right now. In order for a company to compete on a Massachusetts state project, the majority of the owners of the company have to be registered architects or registered engineers in the state of Massachusetts,” Hyatt said.
The proposal would allow registered interior designers to count as part of that majority, “unleashing potentially a whole lot more folks within our organizations who can lead projects all the way through permitting and construction legally,” Hyatt said, which could increase bandwidth for companies.
