Breaking Down Barriers:
Diversity & Equity in Design

Dive into the challenges of diversity in Canada's interior design industry, exploring the barriers for marginalized groups and initiatives for equitable change.

Interior design is a field that has long been associated with exclusivity. But where one-of-a-kind designs and high-end pieces may have their place, coveted interior design careers in Canada have been largely inaccessible for many racialized people.

The absence of diversity is undoubtedly an issue within the interior design industry, stifling creativity and blocking new perspectives. 

“The industry could benefit greatly from having more people with diverse experiences and backgrounds around the table with influence. Those differing perspectives being included lead to new ideas and outcomes that are just not possible without them. Unfortunately, the talent pool in our industry is still not reflective of the client base that we serve,” says Yasmien Fadl, Head of Workplace Design and Experience for TD Enterprise Real Estate and co-chair of JennAir Disrupting Design advisory board. “We still do not have enough tangible action or support from industry peers to make this a much more equitable experience for Black and Indigenous designers and other marginalized groups.”

Challenging the status quo starts with facing the realities of interior design today, including the barriers to equitable representation and inclusive work environments. It’s what sparked the JennAir Disrupting Design program and its commitment to challenging the underlying systematic and social challenges racialized designers face in Canada.

These are complex issues filled with nuance and a range of lived experiences, but there are several important commonalities worth understanding. Here’s a look at a few of the key challenges Canada’s interior design industry must tackle.

Lack of representation and diverse leadership

It goes without saying that lack of talent isn’t the issue for racialized people looking to advance in interior design – but lack of opportunities can be. The lack of diverse representation within the industry, especially at senior leadership levels, is a negative cycle in itself. From stereotyping and unconscious bias to outright racial prejudice, there are persistent systemic barriers preventing racialized designers from breaking into the industry and moving up within it. 

There is little data on the demographics of interior designers in Canada, which goes to show the challenge isn’t well studied. However, the International Interior Design Association reports thatonly 36% of newly licensed architects are women—and of that, a mere 2% are Black. 

But even without clear statistics, the underrepresentation of Black, Indigenous and racialized people in the industry is obvious to many interior design professionals.

When registered interior designer Robin Fraser started her career 35 years ago, she says there weren’t many people who looked like her. “I could walk into a room and be the only person of colour in the design crowd,” she says. “It was isolating.” 

That absence, especially in leadership roles, can be demoralizing to those hoping to enter the field, and a hindrance to those trying to advance to the next level. In Robin’s case, she had to work even harder than some of her colleagues to set herself apart in a positive way and have others recognize her value. 

And from Yasmien’s perspective, that environment hasn’t changed enough. “I don't think that we've evolved enough to ensure that we have equity in terms of the voices at the table and the amount of influence that those voices have,” she says.

Lack of diversity in the top ranks of the industry can be especially discouraging. “If you think about what life or your professional advancement might be able to bring you, if you see so few racialized designers in positions of influence – it becomes really difficult to comprehend the reasons why,” Yasmien says. “People underestimate the impact that can have on your self-worth and your ability to see yourself in those shoes.”

There are also glaring gender gaps in design leadership, which adds to the challenge for many women and non-binary designers, especially those part of marginalized communities. Although the interior design industry skews nearly 80% female, women in leadership positions are few and far between. According to the International Interior Design Association, women account for only 25% of design leadership positions. 

“I think it's still disappointing not to see others who look like me or have a similar background in influential positions,” says Yasmien. “For me, I would say the biggest challenge was always this glass ceiling. There are many firms where racialized people hit a glass ceiling and they're never able to make that conversion into partner or principal, while others are fast-tracked in that process.”

For Yasmien and Robin, who are both racialized women, this glass ceiling presents a longer ladder to climb, having to fight harder to be invited into the room or to be taken seriously. Robin believes that there may not be a way to get around this until society changes its biases. “I think we’re starting to get there. Every large corporation has a [diversity, equity, and inclusion] program. So that’s an amazing stride but it's not enough.”

The education gap

Before even entering the doors of an interior design firm, aspiring designers need to pursue their education in the field. Becoming a licensed interior designer requires a high school and post-secondary diploma, but there are still gaps in who can access this education. 

Toronto Metropolitan University’s first-ever self-ID report, for example, found that Black, Indigenous and racialized students were underrepresented in various faculties, including interior design. 

It’s important to note that there are vastly different educational experiences between and within different racialized groups. Statistics Canada data shows, for example, that some Asian populations attain post-secondary education at rates much higher than the national average. At the same time, there’s a persistent gap in post-secondary graduation rates between many Black youth and their non-Black counterparts. While most Black youth aspire to a university degree, they are less likely to think they will obtain it.

And Robin, who is also a professor of interior design at Sheridan College, believes that it starts in high school when many racialized students aren’t given the proper guidance they need to pursue a university degree.

“I can speak to this because my two kids went through it...there’s a general consensus that kids of colour don’t belong in this stream,” says Robin. “So, you don’t get into university because you don’t have the requirements.” 

And among the students who do go on to university, there is still a financial struggle. A huge barrier is the cost of education. “Nine times out of 10, those students are looking for a way to make money to get by,” says Robin. “So, you’re relying on grants or loans. And that community needs a clear path, and it’s a financial path because students need money to go to school.” 

This is why JennAir has collaborated with The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University to create the JennAir Scholars Award. The $375,000 scholarship will support Black, Indigenous and racialized students in the Bachelor of Interior Design program and the planned Master's program over five years. It is the highest dollar value design scholarship available at the university. 

By the end of 2023, six students had received scholarships under the program, building important momentum for the future of Canada’s interior design industry.

Access to interior design mentorship

The lack of diversity within our educational institutions and the interior design industry fuel another challenge – the feeling that you are navigating your experience alone. With so few racialized interior designers in schools and the workplace, seeking out mentors who can understand, empathize and advocate is challenging. 

Having a support network to relate to you and advocate for you is invaluable in helping racialized designers thrive in their careers and realize their value. “It probably might have been a bit easier to digest what was happening and understand my worth and value earlier on if I had a network of mentors and sponsors that could propel me forward and encourage me and help to build more equity into the journey,” Yasmien says.

Yasmien and Robin are both passionate, active mentors to racialized designers who have gone on to success. “If I had someone who could tell me the way of the world, I would have been so much better,” says Robin. “My legacy is that I pass it on to others and hopefully, they do better than me.” 

The JennAir Disrupting Design Mentorship Program launched with this in mind, matching racialized student designers with established industry professionals who can help guide their success. JennAir is also a proud sponsor of the Association of Registered Designers of Ontario (ARIDO) mentorship program for mid-career designers.

“I'm glad we have [JennAir Disrupting Design] because it will set up an important relationship and gives people that value so early on in their career and propel them forward to have more equitable opportunities,” Yasmien says. “My hope is that it brings so much value, or at the very least it gets us to a tipping point that establishes a foundational mentorship program for budding designers, that they maintain throughout their professional careers.”

Disrupt with us

The JennAir Disrupting Design program aims to break the structural barriers for Black, Indigenous and people of colour to have better access to study and work in the design sector – because better representation of racialized Canadians in interior design will drive stronger, more diverse design work. There’s still a long way to go. Learn more about how to get involved with JennAir Disrupting Design programs.

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