Positive news came out of NeoCon last week, with ASID's CEO Randy Fiser presenting the Interior Design 2015/16 Outlook and State of the Industry report. Some of the most significant findings: The industry is expected to continue to grow, with the number of designers and design firms near or ahead of 2007 figures, and the dollar value of sales and product specified at record levels. Plus, there are a number of signs that the industry has fully recovered from the 2008 recession. Billings and inquiries are both on the rise and projected to continue to grow, which bodes well for the future of the industry and its jobs outlook.

Randy Fiser

The findings are based on public and private data, including surveys of more than 200 working interior designers as well as ASID's first Think Tank Challenge, which gathered the insights of six leaders from top firms spanning a number of disciplines. The think tank named six "micro-trends" for 2015 and 2016, including: Health and Well-Being, Technology, Sustainability, Urbanization, Globalization and Resiliency.

“Designers are now expected to solve increasingly complex problems—designing office spaces that encourage health and well-being, integrating multiple generations in one home, minimizing the environmental footprint of a new hotel, or creating retail spaces that utilize the latest technology in an effort to maximize profits,” said Fiser. “To meet this growing demand, providing proper education, training, and tools is critical. Our goal as a society is to share that knowledge through ongoing research and education.”

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