The Interior Design 2014 Outlook and State of the Industry, produced by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Research, forecasts that 2014 will be one of the strongest years for residential spending since 2009. Total industry sales have continued to increase: up 2 percent in 2013, with an additional 6 percent increase forecast for 2014.
“The effects of the recession hit the interior design industry in late 2008, with the number of practicing designers and interior design firms declining to pre-housing boom levels,” said Randy Fiser, executive vice president and CEO of ASID. “However, as highlighted in the first quarter Interior Design Billings Index (IDBI), the number of interior design firms is on track to grow 4 percent by the end of 2014. The data show, between 2012 and 2022, total employment growth in the interior design industry (13 percent) is expected to outpace ‘all occupations’ (11 percent).”
Despite these statistics, enrollment in interior design education programs is down, and only 15 percent of design firms plan to expand their staff. This data, coupled with an increase in the popularity of DIY design, suggest that the industry needs to communicate its value more effectively.
“The state of the interior design industry is sound and promising,” said Fiser. “Designers are embracing new opportunities in technology, evidence-based design and developing new design models for the way people live, work, play and heal in the 21st century.”
