HELP!! I am truly overwhelmed by the process of choosing a reputable school that will allow me to begin the process of becoming a decorator/designer. I have narrowed my search to Rhodec International and was hoping that someone might be able to give some feedback. I understand that I can use the Associate Diploma Course offered thru Rhodec as a stepping stone to the 3 year Diploma Course. I find that appealing. There aren’t any schools in my area so my choices are limited. I understand that Penn Foster’s courses were recently updated by Ron Renner with CID. However, I have reservations about Penn Foster’s credibility in the interior design community. I would greatly appreciate any and all advice anyone will pass my way.Thank you so much for your assistance!
(submitted by D. Downey)
Thank you so much for your email. Let me tell you what I know:
First off, where are you located and/or plan to practice” That makes a big difference. Before you read any further, go read this Q&A that’s relevant to your situation. It addresses some of the important issues that you need to consider.
The two big USA-based interior design professional organizations, ASID and IIDA, recognize Rhodec’s interior design program. In fact, Rhodec has been featured on PLiNTH & CHiNTZ, and quite a few of their talented students (from around the world) have contributed to the magazine.
However, Rhodec is not FIDER-accredited, and thus does not sit well with the regulatory bodies of some states that have strict design legislation. For example, Texas is one of a handful of states that has interior design legislation, and part of that legislation is that you have to now have gone to a FIDER-accredited program if you ever want to be a registered interior designer in the state of Texas.
If you reside in the state of Texas (or another state that has strict design legislation), this issue is a sticky one, and one that I have addressed quite a bit on PLiNTH & CHiNTZ.
I highly encourage you to read a series of articles that I wrote related to this subject, as well as comments that readers (some from Rhodec) sent in on the debate topic. I’m including the link to the last installment, but it has links to all the other articles, and I encourage you to read them in chronological order for clarity.
Though I believe in education, experience, examination and legislation, it’s not the way to go for everyone. Depending on what you want to do, there may be no need for you to become a full-fledged, registered interior designer.
And if you live in a non-regulated state / area, then Rhodec’s program would be good. You could never call yourself an "Interior Designer" in the state of Texas, for example; however, you could call yourself an Interior Decorator, Decorator, Design Consultant, or Décor Consultant and be safe from litigation or reprimand. Decorators can make a great living and bring wonderful value to people’s lives. In fact, I wish that I was a better decorator, but I don’t always have the quick vision!
FYI: A reader from Canada wrote in a question to me similar to your situation. I had a designer out of California answer. Another article that would be great for you to read is "Design vs. Decoration." A note: I know nothing about Penn Foster / Ron Renner, so I cannot comment there. Sorry.
As you can see, there is definitely a place for your talents, and I think you should develop them if you so desire. You just need to know what your ultimate goal (i.e. registered interior designer vs. decorator) and plan accordingly.
