2008-05-07

Watch for further information to appear in this space. RS Field Design Inc., along with a group of Halton Business women, are developing a new fundraising initiative to be launched in Spring 2009.

Why a Designer's Credentials Matter

However distinctive or distinguised your custom home is, the space isn't really your own until you own it. And as counterintuitive as it might seem, sometimes you need someone else to share your vision in order to make it real: an Interior Designer. Enter the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO). The organization enjoys the distinction of having legislation named after it. Under the ARIDO Act, only those interior designers who meet said organization's stringent standards are entitled to use the professional title of Interior Designer in this province. (Interior Designers of Canada - IDC - and the National Council for Interior Design Qualifications - NCIDQ - are similarly discriminating national associations.) A measure of professional respect, it gives added heft to a field that relies on intangibles - the art and science of light and colour, texture and scale - as much as a command of ergonomics, building codes, and technology and environmental issues. True, you can find some amazing design talents outside of professional designations, but you can sometimes risk a lot as well. Registered Interior Designers are old hands at problem solving. Trained to meet demanding prerequisites, they're ready to offer creative and technical solutions as they manage the assembly of your interior environment. And should things go awry, they carry liability insurance. Hiring based on word of mouth? As friends, family and acquaintances for names of designers they would recommend. Take time to interview a variety of candidates, quiz them on their design process, schedule and price point, and take their questions about what you're hoping to achieve. You should be extremely comfortable with their design thinking - check their referrals and trust your gut. But however natural the pairing seems, take steps to ensure that the project and process is of the highest quality. Always sign a contract prior to any work commencing. And before that, call the governing organization to verify that you're dealing with a pro. After all, you wouldn't let just anybody into your home.

Reprinted with permission from Hamilton Magazine's Interiors, Fall 2007 issue, www.townmedia.ca.

Living Green

RS Field Design Inc. produces a quarterly newsletter, Living Green, which provides information on green design. To sign up, complete the information on the Home Page.

Publications

RS Field Design Inc. has been featured in the following publications: The Hamilton Spectator, West of the City, and InBurlington Magazine. Roxanne Field is the former Design Editor of InBurlington Magazine.

Community Involvement

RS Field Design Inc. has been a local sponsor of YouthFest and has hosted an Evening of Interior Design to benefit the Burlington Youth Wellness Foundation. In addition to contributing through hosting events and volunteerism, RS Field Design Inc. has made auction donations to The Carpenter Hospice, the Burlington Art Centre, the Burlington Firefighters Association, Appleby College, the Rotary Club of Burlington, the United Way and the Halton Children's Aid Foundation.

RS Field Design Inc. is proud to have donated our expertise to the breast Cancer Support Services offices, the Palletta Estate Project, and the Carpenter Hospice. Roxanne Field and Daphne Jaques have volunteered as co-chairs for the "Close to Our Hearts Gala" in 2005 and 2006 and sat on the steering committee for 2007. We are very pleased to have contributed to the 2007 "live" auction component of the gala, raising the largest single amount through an auction prize. RS Field Design Inc. has also been a long time supporter of the Burlington Art Centre and of the Children's Clay Studio project.