Drawing the Line: Faculty and Students Rally Against Tennessee's Interior Design Deregulation Bill

“It's a war on design.”

That's how Interior Architecture Professor Lexi Howard describes Tennessee Senate Bill 2224 and its companion House Bill 2530. Legislation that, if passed, would repeal the certification requirements for interior designers across the state. Proposed by Sen. Jack Johnson and Rep. William Lamberth, the bills have ignited a fierce response from East Tennessee State University's Interior Architecture department. As the legislation works its way through subcommittees and undergoes rewrites, faculty and students alike are rallying together by writing letters and contacting representatives to make their voices heard in defense of the safety standards and professional accountability that interior design certification protects.

Professor Elizabeth Lewis

When Professor Liz Lewis learned of the legislation, she wasted no time alerting her students. “The house is on fire,” she told them, and she meant it. Leading by example, Lewis wrote directly to the Tennessee General Assembly, making the case for why certification matters beyond aesthetics.

“Removing licensure would weaken public safeguards and blur the distinction between qualified, code-trained professionals and unregulated practice,” she wrote. “Licensure is not a barrier to entry; it is a mechanism of accountability.”

That accountability is something Lewis, alongside Professor Howard and Program Coordinator Dean Isham, strive to instill in every student before they graduate. ETSU's Interior Architecture program is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). This distinction reflects the program's commitment to producing graduates who are fully equipped technically, professionally and ethically to practice interior design.

Program Coordinator Dean Isham

To the average person, interior design might conjure images of HGTV renovations and Pinterest mood boards. But the reality of the profession runs far deeper than aesthetics. In Tennessee, interior design certifications are based strictly on technical knowledge. Certifications cover everything from emergency compliance to accessibility requirements, such as the mandate that 10% of residential spaces meet accessibility standards for things like shower design and electrical outlet placement. Strip away those requirements, and Lewis and Isham warn that the industry will become a “race to the bottom,” where clients will inevitably choose the cheaper designer over the safer one. A third-year student agreed, noting that the bill's implications would affect more than design professionals.

“This bill is a risk to the public,” she said.

Karis Warner, a fourth-year Interior Architecture student preparing to graduate this May, said she was “disappointingly surprised” when she read Lewis’ email notifying students of the legislation. For Warner and her peers, this is not a notional policy debate; it’s something that could impact their careers that are already underway. Third-year studio students described feeling frustrated and scared when they heard the news, aware that having invested so much in the program, changing course now wouldn’t be easy. When asked if they would remain in Tennessee if the bill passed, nearly a third said they would relocate to a state with stronger protections for interior designers.

Second-year students were equally unsettled, if more blunt about it. Many heads nodded across the room when one student said that learning to be an efficient and competent designer feels “almost like it's for nothing” if the bill were to pass. Despite the uncertainty the legislation brings, students were quick to express pride in the program they chose. Small class sizes, challenging hands-on projects, and ETSU's outstanding reputation were among the reasons students cited for choosing the Interior Architecture program. One sophomore who transferred from another university put it simply: “ETSU could give me the resources needed to succeed at a cost-effective price.”

When Lewis urged students to take action against the legislation, many did not hesitate. Students wrote emails and letters to their representatives, with some going a step further by encouraging family members to do the same. Several third-year students have already heard back, receiving thanks for their concern and their willingness to engage. Second-year students echoed a similar sentiment, with several saying the experience made them more likely to contact their representatives again in the future. Though the bill presents a real threat to their careers in Tennessee, something meaningful has emerged from the fight: a group of young designers who now understand the power of their own civic voice, and aren't afraid to use it.

If SB2224 and HB2530 are enacted, every state bordering Tennessee would offer stronger protections for certified interior designers. According to Lewis, firms and talent would likely relocate to where their certifications are protected, triggering a “brain drain” that could leave Tennessee as a “dry area” for interior design.

The talent coming out of ETSU's Interior Architecture program speaks for itself. Two current students are interning at Disney, and another is at Universal. One program graduate has been featured in Interior Design's prestigious "30 Under 30," a distinction reserved for young professionals already leaving their mark on the industry. If the bill passes, Tennessee may find itself watching its most promising designers build their careers somewhere else.

The house may be on fire, but ETSU's Interior Architecture department is not watching it burn. With the legislation currently undergoing a rewrite, the outcome is still far from decided, and both faculty and students are keeping the pressure on. They have written letters, contacted representatives, recruited family members and made their voices heard in the Tennessee General Assembly. As Professor Howard put it, this is a war on design, but this department has made clear it intends to fight.

Whether the legislation passes or not, one thing is certain: the students of ETSU's Interior Architecture program are trained, passionate and ready to defend the profession they chose.

This is a developing story. For the latest updates on Senate Bill 2224 and House Bill 2530, track the legislation directly on the Tennessee General Assembly's website.

Photo Contributor: Kellsie Hicks