Casual Living’s exclusive survey of interior designers was fielded during February and March of 2008. More than 200 practicing interior designers returned completed surveys. Returned surveys were representative of the sampled population of interior designers in the United States. Most of those who returned surveys were free-lance interior designers. Just under one-fifth were interior designers associated with either a furniture store or a casual furniture specialty store. Slightly more than one-tenth were interior designers allied with either an architectural/engineering firm or a builder/construction firm. Three-fifths of the firms replying generated less than $500,000 in total design revenues for 2007. Nearly one-quarter had design revenues of $500,000 to $999,999.

Asked about membership in national design-related associations, just about three-fifths said they belonged to at least one. The most frequently mentioned design association was the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) named by nearly two-thirds. Another 10% each said they belonged to either the American Institute of Architects (AIA) or the Interior Design Society (IDS).

The survey was conducted by Casual Living’s research team, led by Judi Fulbright, research specialist, and assisted by Cynthia Myers, database coordinator, and Patrice Rahming, research assistant.