When it comes to your interior design business, it’s impossible to overestimate the importance of community. From clients who come your way by word-of-mouth to vendors, contractors, and tradespeople endorsed by trusted fellow designers, your business is built on it. That’s why being part of groups created specifically for design pros can be so invaluable in boosting the success of your business.

Maybe you’re looking to expand your professional circles, continue your design education, or crowdsource advice and tips. Perhaps you’re a new designer looking for a mentor — or are a seasoned pro who’s had a great one, and you want to pay it forward. And who wouldn’t want access to trade discounts, get nominated for design awards, and score VIP invites to the industry’s hottest events?

Learn how professional trade organizations and other communities for design industry pros can help you do all that and more  — all while building connections, credibility with clients, business savvy, and your confidence as a designer.

American Society of Interior Designers

One of the country’s leading professional organizations for interior designers, ASID promotes the power of design with a community of 25,000 professional interior designers, students, and industry partners. Join to tap into the organization’s deep pool of resources, including insightful research and trade discounts — plus health insurance and retirement programs. And get inspired with ASID’s Impact of Design Series, which highlights projects that harness the power of design to improve the human experience.

Members can also attend national events like ASID at High Point Spring Market 2024 and GATHER: Catalyst 2024 national conference, and connect with fellow designers in their area through one of 350 local chapters.

Design Leadership Network

Could you use a little career coaching from Nina Campbell? How about some design advice from Ilse Crawford or Celerie Kemble? These A-list industry leaders are all fellows of DLN’s Design Fellows Council, a group of industry leaders focused on design education, and chaired by industry insider (and shelter magazine editor-in-chief) Michael Boodro.

Membership is open to pros in the fields of architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and adjacent creative fields, and several different membership tiers are offered. Once you join, you can join Expert Access discussions related to running and growing a design business, intimate peer-to-peer forums, and Signature Events like design summits and workshops all over the globe.

Interior Design Community

IDC started about a decade ago when Laurie Laizure, CEO of a bespoke wallpaper firm, wanted to launch a space for creatives to share the do’s and don'ts of building websites and maintaining a social media presence.

Since then, it’s evolved as tech trends and social media platforms have come and gone. Today, members can gain valuable business and marketing tips, hear the latest design news, and collaborate with fellow designers via IDC’s diverse presence, which includes their website, blog, podcast, and fun pop culture-focused Instagram page with 100k+ followers.

What They Don't Teach You In Design School

Veronica Solomon didn’t have a mentor when she started her own interior design business, so she had to learn every aspect of the business on her own. But once she hit her stride and found success, she formed a Facebook group to help support newbie designers who are where she was over a decade ago.

“I see young designers struggle with some of the things I did. Finding a mentor who is willing to teach them the ropes is difficult, because they often fear that they are training their next competition,” the Houston-based design pro says on the Facebook page. “This group was created to provide mentorship to designers who are looking to start a business or looking to up-level. I will spend some time passing along the knowledge, expertise and skills that I have learned about running a successful design business.”

The group is open to interior designers and decorators, architects, design students, and home stagers who are looking to get started in the industry, hone their skills, share their knowledge, or to simply connect with their peers.

Designer Society of America

With more than 14,000 design members around the globe, DSA is one of the largest design societies in the world. Through webinars, home study courses, market tours, newsletters, and other helpful resources, the organization seeks to build a more inclusive design community and help industry pros maximize their potential.

DSA also offers a Professional Rewards Program to eligible members who attend trade shows and participate in continued education, which can be used towards discounts and other benefits.

International Interior Design Association

This future-focused professional organization seeks to evolve and improve the design industry by advocating for advancements across a diverse range of topics (education, design excellence, legislation, leadership, accreditation, and community outreach to name a few).

IIDA also connects designers near and far with a community of local and international peers: their network spans over 15,000 members across 58 countries.

Along with those big-picture perks, membership (which is available for every career level) also comes with tangible benefits like exclusive research and content, access to the IIDA Ecomedes Platform, discounts on business insurance and other professional services, and reduced fees for design industry events and competitions.

International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers

Build an international community of like-minded design pros with a membership to IFI, which has served as the only global federation for the interiors community since 1963.

Not only does the nonprofit organization build fellowship within the global design community, but it also aims to raise the bar for industry standards, implement forward-thinking policy, and be a bridge between designers and the general public.

Looking to expand your design business? IFI is also a great platform for showcasing your work on an international stage.

Interior Design Educators Council

If you’re a student or educator of interior design, you’ll want to explore the vast library of academic research, teaching and community resources, and scholarship opportunities available through IDEC, which aims to cultivate the “next generation of interior design leaders through academic research, collaboration, and community.”

Interior Design Society

Founded in 1973 by the National Home Furnishings Association, this independent national organization based in High Point, NC is one of the country's largest design groups. Geared specifically towards the residential interior design industry, IDS is based on four core values: professionalism, community, influence and growth.

Member perks include virtual webinars and other programming, annual conferences, and a Member Lounge at High Point Market with complimentary bag check, headshots, and business coaching. Plus, membership includes a dedicated profile on theidslist.com, a consumer-facing platform where you can attract new clients by showcasing your portfolio.