Florida’s Interior-Design Disaster

Brian Walsh / May 05, 2011

We’ve all heard of the fashion police but probably assumed that was just a figure of speech.  It turns out, however, that if you don’t have the bureaucratic blessing of a license and yet deign to select drapes, recommend paintings, or (horrors!) place Persian rugs and decorative partitions for a non-residence in Florida, you could be sent to prison for up to one year.  Further, if you hire a person without a license to do these things for you, both of you could be sent to prison for up to one year.  Sadly, this is not a joke.

Florida is one of a few states that have indeed outlawed the unlicensed practice of interior design.  The Florida legislature is currently reconsidering these prohibitions, but for the time being violators remain subject to prosecution and prison time. (more…)