The Society of Interior Designers of Australia (SIDA) was founded in 1951. It was the earliest Australian association of interior designers and interior decorators, and was first known as the Society of Interior Designers.

The aims of the Society in the early Fifties reflected the desire to advance the art of interior designing and to promote interior design services to the public as well as to assist designers entering the field. They clearly stated the need to advance the standards of interior design and decoration and to uphold a code of ethics and professional practice.

By 1964 the society had members Australia wide, and on September 4th was incorporated under the Companies Act as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. Those whose signatures appeared on the document of incorporation were; Mary White, Leslie Walford, Thomas Harding, Merle du Boulay, Malcolm Forbes, Margaret Wardell, Marion Hall-Best and Barbara Campbell.

While the objectives of the new Society included many of the aims of the founding body, they were broadened considerably under the new Memorandum and Articles of Association. They included co-operation with other bodies and organisations within Australia and overseas and an increased emphasis on interior design education in Australia. Importantly also, they included provision for the Society to acquire real estate and hence was set in operation the objective of establishing a National Headquarters for SIDA. This came into reality when in November 1977, the National Executive with the agreement of members, purchased a property at No 2 Paddington Street, Paddington, Sydney.

With its new emphasis an education the Society, in the mid-Sixties, approached the Department of Technical and Further Education (TAFE), putting forward a proposal for the creation of a Diploma Course in Interior Design for aspiring designers.

After contributing on the Course Formation Committee, Executive members were delighted when they saw their efforts give rise to the course being commenced at Randwick College of TAFE in Sydney. This Course also lead indirectly to others being set-up in other parts of Australia thus realising the aims of the Society in the area of education.

By the beginning of the 1990’s some of the Directors realised, that to capitalize on their strength and to remain relevant in the coming 21st century, they needed to consider joining forces with similar bodies, specifically the Design Institute of Australia (DIA). Talks with the DIA and later the Australian Textile Designers Association (ATDA), progressed and finally on July 1st, 1998 the three bodies unified under the name of the DIA.

At the time of unification, the Board of SIDA resolved to retain its financial assets and to convert its corporate structure into a Foundation, and to use its funds to further develop the knowledge, skills and ethics of interior designers and decorators. It planned to do this through grants to institutions and other bodies, and by establishing scholarships to assist with the further education of designers, decorators and design educators.

Geoffrey Stewardson, May 2002.
With the assistance of notes by Alex Dalrymple

SIDA Presidents

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Mary White 1963 - 1964

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Leslie Walford 1965 - 1966

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Ed Dykes 1967

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Barry Little1968 - 1975

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John Hall 1976 - 1977

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Leslie Walford 1978 - 1979

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Barbara Bridges 1980 - 1981

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James Morland 1982 - 1983

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Terry Brooks 1984

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James Morland 1985 - 1987

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Geoffrey Lopez 1988 - 1989

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James Morland 1990 - 1991

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Rosemary Macey 1992 - 1993

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Geoffrey Stewardson 1994 - 1995

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Meryl Hare 1996 - 1998

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