Design Research by ASID
ASID research projects focus on the business, impact, and practice of design. They span design career stages, space types, and topic areas.
DESIGN INDUSTRY & PROFESSION
ASID 2025 State of Interior Design Outlook Report
The 2025 ASID State of Interior Design Outlook Report, sponsored by Sherwin-Williams, outlines the current state of interior design, segmented into three key areas: People, Business, and Services. Over the last decade, the interior design community has experienced remarkable growth, embraced new opportunities, and celebrated many successes. Discover essential insights that reveal the evolving dynamics of the industry.
ASID 2025 Economic Outlook Report
The 2025 ASID Economic Outlook Report, sponsored by Sherwin Williams, breaks down key trends impacting the design industry, from inflation and interest rates to labor shortages and consumer demand. This second installment of the Outlook research series equips interior designers with vital economic data and predictions to navigate their businesses through the year.
ASID 2025 Trends Outlook Report
Gain insight into the influences shaping the interior design landscape. Predictions for the year ahead include analysis of the workforce’s emphasis on collaboration and alternative education pathways, the redefinition of family life, and the incorporation of design elements that evoke joy, among others.
ASID 2025 Designing a Succession Plan: Insights for Firm Owners
ASID, in partnership with Greenway Group, presents this in-depth report to help design firm owners navigate the complexities of succession planning. With a focus on internal ownership transitions, the report addresses both the emotional and operational challenges that come with preparing for leadership change. It offers practical strategies to create a long-term plan that preserves firm values, supports staff, and ensures business continuity. Report sponsored by Sherwin-Williams.
ASID 2024 Compensation & Benefits Report
ASID 2024 Compensation & Benefits Report, which draws on data collected as part of the ASID Member Census conducted in 2023, provides interior design employees and employers with current data on labor market trends, salaries, benefits, and drivers of job satisfaction. With this information, employees can better assess their current job situation and make informed decisions about their future career choices, and employers can have a better understanding of the factors that most influence employees’ hiring decisions, performance, and retention.
ASID 2024 Talent Acquisition Report
The ASID 2024 Talent Acquisition Report will explore challenges and present strategies design firms can use to help leaders tailor and update their talent acquisition strategies. Regardless of the number of employees, firms of different sizes are impacted by the same demographic shifts and can customize many of these strategies and ideas to fit their culture and resource constraints.
DESIGN PRACTICE RESEARCH
ASID IMPACT REVIEW: INSIGHTS BRIEFS
How has COVID-19 impacted designers and the profession of interior design? ASID has the answers for you — the ASID INSIGHTS Briefs explore the critical role interior designers play in shaping the built environment in the wake of the pandemic.
Use the ASID INSIGHTS Briefs to identify opportunities to connect, lead, and collaborate on issues related to the built environment.
ASID FOUNDATION INITIATIVES
In our mission to support informed, sustainable, and healthy initiatives in the design of built spaces, the ASID Foundation provides funding to individuals and groups. ASID, its members, and donors are proud that since 2012, the ASID Foundation has awarded over $1,000,000 through our programs.
Learn about the ASID Foundation Research Projects and support the ASID Foundation!
THE IMPACT OF DESIGN SERIES
The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) believes that design impacts lives, and collaborates with others to promote the value of interior design. These select projects support this mission and have gone through pre- and post-occupancy research to educate designers and clients on the power of design.
The worldwide chemical landscape, viewed from the perspective of pollution and exposure pathways, has experienced a 40-fold increase in chemical production in the last century, and the rise in synthetic products coupled with the focus on airtight buildings to conserve energy has led to a rise in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), particulate matter (PM) and chemical related indoor air quality (IAQ) issues, resulting in building-related illness, litigation and leasing problems. Additionally, an increase in weather-related disasters, warmer temperatures, and changes in precipitation have increased ground ozone, mold, and pathogens. Evolving environmental conditions, particularly those related to climate change, are impacting building materials and increasing the risks to human health.
In response to the growing body of knowledge on the impact of materials on indoor air quality and human health, new rating systems, product declarations statements, protocols and regulations have been introduced. Unfortunately, the increase in extreme weather events has created new challenges, beyond carbon emissions and changed the way materials behave in these new environments.
Once equipped with greater awareness, interior designers can drive market transformation collectively towards healthier spaces. Interior designers have an opportunity to reduce indoor pollution and achieve better building resiliency by proactively incorporating design measures that (1) evaluate potential impacts from extreme weather events and (2) prioritize the selection of materials, finishes, and furnishings that minimize risks to human health.
Interior designers have the opportunity to improve building resiliency and thus mitigate some of these climate-related outcomes for occupants.
- Step 1 | Use an integrative design process. Bring the owner, design team and additional experts and/or stakeholders together early in the design process to establish goals, set priorities and identify occupant risks.
- Step 2 | Proactively evaluate potential impacts. Prioritize the materials, finishes and furnishings that minimize risks to human health to reduce indoor pollution and achieve better building resiliency.
- Step 3 | Convey strategies and assess outcomes. Communicate to ensure alignment, engage stakeholders and demonstrate results for greater transparency and trust.