Fuchsia Design builds a foundation for growth with national certification

Autumn Fuchs has many reasons to celebrate the first anniversary of her residential interior design firm, Fuchsia Design. Besides successfully building a strong client base in year one, Fuchs also joined a very elite club when she became one of only a few residential designers to become NCIDQ certified (National Council for Interior Design Qualification).

The NCIDQ certification process is a three-day exam consisting of two days of multiple choice and a 10-hour-long drafting exam. It tests on things like mechanical systems, electrical, accessible and sustainable design, codes, and building practices. Fuchs says that NCIDQ is not a requirement for interior designers, but she wanted to set the bar very high for herself and differentiate her business from the competition. "For me, it is important as a interior designer to have the highest level of certification in the  industry," she says. "It really sets me apart from other design firms."

Fuchsia Design specializes in residential projects and targets both new home and deep renovation ("taking homes down to studs" says Fuchs). She says her typical clients are individuals who are excited about the entire design process and have a strong vision for what they want to accomplish. "My clients value design and are excited about their home. They know what they like and enjoy collaboration."
 
Besides building Fuchsia Design, Fuchs also facilitates a networking community for designers, West Michigan Interior Designers, which has grown to over 150 members to date.  "I always believe the interior design industry can achieve more when we work together" she says.

In the very near future, Fuchs anticipates taking her business to the next level when she hopes to add 5-10 designers to her team.

To learn more about Fuchsia Design, you can visit their website here.

Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor