Ashley Harkins
Licensed Interior Designer ID4805
Florida State University, B.S. in Interior Design
National Council of Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) Licensure
Voted Best Interior Designer by ECM 2009-2014
Ashley loves this area and the opportunity to transform spaces in one of the most beautiful places! Whether it’s a condo, second home or a primary residence, Ashley’s comfortable style is always a welcome addition to any interior. She is known for her project management and organization making her a top choice for new construction specifications and the demanding building process. An expert with color and scale, Ashley has the ability to guide her clients’ decisions to best reflect their unique personalities and aesthetic. She is easy-going, easy to communicate with and wants to enjoy the design process at every stage.
After graduating from FSU with a degree in Interior Design, Ashley made her way back to this area and worked for a large design firm and furniture company, Resort Interiors for 6 years. From there she moved on to a boutique firm specializing in high-end design, Exquisite Interiors, where she gained another 6 years of experience working on a variety of projects local and beyond. In 2008, she ventured out to start her own boutique design firm and Design Avenue began. Since then, Ashley has executed many exciting design ventures and even tried her hand at the Gift Shop world with a local store front for 5 years. Ultimately, attention to design jobs prevailed and she gave up the gift shop in favor of focusing fully on interior design.
Local Business since 2008
Destin Chamber of Commerce Member
Licensed Interior Design Firm, ID4805
About Design Avenue:
Design Avenue is a local interior design boutique offering a full-service resource room with a wide variety of manufacturers in:
- Furniture and Fabrics
- Window Treatments
- Accessories
- Wall Décor
- Lamps
We love a variety of projects including new construction specifications, furnishing any room in your home or condo, remodeling endeavors, and more! We specialize in turn key projects; creating a complete, finished product ready to enjoy, but we look forward to the challenge of any design task, large or small
What’s a Licensed Interior Designer?
Licensed or Registered Interior Designer:
To become a “Licensed or Registered Interior Designer” there is a very extensive path to follow.
First, you must obtain a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, preferably from a Council for Interior Design Accreditation interior design program and then 3,520 hours of approved work experience after all education is completed.
Once you have completed the specific degree and experience requirements, you now qualify to apply for the NCIDQ Examination (National Council for Interior Design Qualification). The NCIDQ exam is a 3-Part Examination consisting of Fundamentals, Professional Practices and a Practicum Section.
When an individual passes the NCIDQ, they can apply for a state license in Florida and call themselves a Registered or Licensed Interior Designer and practice residential or commercial interior design. These designers are required to complete 20 credit hours of Continuing Education each year to maintain their licensed status.
Interior Designer:
In the state of Florida, you used to only be able to call yourself an “Interior Designer” if you were licensed. When this law was revoked a few years ago, it allowed individuals without a state license to utilize this title. The state still requires an occupational license to practice but they are restricted only to residential design. One who refers to themselves as an “Interior Designer” can be either formally trained and chose not to take the step to become licensed OR they have no formal training.