Designing maximum programs with minimum staff.

Among the plethora of design associations poised to provide support for interior designers, one has chosen to target the residential interior designer exclusively. It is partially for this reason that Faye Laverty refers to the association as the "other" design society. As the executive director of the Interior Design Society, High Point, North Carolina, Laverty knows the importance of the services and programs that IDS provides for its nearly 3,000 members. And with only two full-time employees on staff, she has a wealth of experience in doing much with little, while taking advantage of help from IDS's parent organization, National Home Furnishings Association (NHFA), High Point, North Carolina.

Founded in 1973, IDS's original intent was to represent only residential interior designers working in retail store environments; however, with the extraordinary hours required of most retailers, few had time to devote to mutually beneficial chapter activities. Consequently, 65 percent of the members are independent designers. Those who work in retail stores, manufacturing, trades, and education round out the total.

Building professionalism. Although IDS is a large association in terms of membership when you rank it against other associations with the same small-sized staff, Laverty emphasizes lofty standards rather than membership size as the benchmark for the society's success. "Of course we want to continue growing, but we deliberately try to keep our membership to a size we can manage. Since our top priority is to serve our customers, we like to know who they are."

It is this concept of personalized professional service that drives IDS's programming. In what might be called "trickle-down" service, the overarching idea behind IDS's programs is to foster excellence in the practice of residential interior design. Thus, it is no surprise that the activities of IDS include the following:

1. Education. "We stress the practical aspects of interior design through national and local seminars," Laverty explains. She is particularly proud of the new training programs "that are of immense value to the industry and even more so to the consumer."

2. Business services. If the devil is in the details, IDS is taming that devil with support services (depending on the membership category) like Visa/MasterCard processing, discounted long-distance telephone service, designer tools and publications, and employee benefits programs.

3. Networking opportunities. Conferences and seminars are particularly important venues in providing interface with colleagues. "Anyone who has ever attended one of our annual education conferences has remained a loyal member," says Laverty. This May's conference in Natchez, Mississippi, features 17 scheduled house tours and a briefing on the Natchez area by architectural historian Ron Miller.

4. Professional support. IDS fiercely supports its own in the form of legislative representation to ensure equitable treatment in the field. The focus on equitable treatment led IDS to partner with its parent, NHFA, to develop the only certification and licensure examination in existence today specifically for residential practitioners. Though Laverty admits she is not in favor of exclusivity through licensure, she supports designer registration to keep standards high and to ensure the right training and experience.

The entire project, which culminated in the creation of the Council for Qualification of Residential Interior Designers, adds new dimension to the industry in terms of quality control and credibility - factors that harmonize well with the theme of high standards.

Redesigning the future. IDS receives much support from NHFA, whose employees provide administrative services for IDS, such as switchboard operation, accounting, and mailing. Laverty emphasizes, too, that IDS is fortunate to have a group of dedicated volunteers who are active in the association. Still, efficiency and service are always challenges for IDS. In the interest of delivering additional services efficiently, the association is putting the finishing touches on a Web site, a major effort to add new dimensions to the networking abilities of an otherwise loosely affiliated group of independent business people. Through the Web, IDS will be connected not only to its 27 local chapters around the United States but to NHFA and its 12,000 retail store members. An innovation of note is a plan to provide referrals across the Web, allowing consumers to identify interior designers in their local areas.

Other organizational efficiencies may include outsourcing the production of the IDS newsletter Portfolio and expanding the society's partnering programs with local manufacturers and retailers.

One of Laverty's favorite projects is the redecorating of a women's halfway house in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. "This is not only a heartwarming story," she notes. "At the same time, IDS gains recognition, and the individual designers become rather well-known as they make contacts to seek materials and help from manufacturers and other community sources."