What does a commercial interior designer do?
Commercial interior designer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real commercial interior designer resumes:
- Lead the development of BIM modeling content for the architecture team as a direct report to the executive and lead architects.
- Perform production functions: drafting, documentation and 3-D Revit renderings.
- Implement the use of social media and play a vital role in the transition from AutoCad to Revit.
- Design, modele and render graphically intensive exteriors and interior environments and animations utilizing the latest in visualization technology.
- Demonstrate knowledge of product by creating PowerPoint presentations for clients introducing product lines such as furniture and lighting.
- Design and develop project-based graphics including logos, illustrations, diagrams, and content-supporting imagery as needed.
Commercial interior designer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 22% of Commercial Interior Designers are proficient in Revit, Sketch, and Space Planning. They’re also known for soft skills such as Visualization, Detail oriented, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Commercial Interior Designers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Revit, 22%
Prepared complex Architecture and Engineering construction drawings for residential and commercial projects utilizing AutoCAD Architecture and REVIT.
- Sketch, 11%
Initiated and oversaw development from initial concept sketch to final production, working closely with Chinese engineering and manufacturing vendors.
- Space Planning, 8%
Contracted with commercial furniture dealerships utilizing space planning and product specification services.
- Design Concepts, 6%
Contributed to design concepts and verified material selections.
- Auto CAD, 6%
Prepared and presented final working drawings for manufacturing department using Auto CAD.
- Design Development, 5%
Modify and prepare production drawings during design development phase.
Most commercial interior designers use their skills in "revit," "sketch," and "space planning" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential commercial interior designer responsibilities here:
Visualization. The most essential soft skill for a commercial interior designer to carry out their responsibilities is visualization. This skill is important for the role because "interior designers need a strong sense of proportion and visual awareness in order to understand how the pieces of a design will fit together to create the intended environment." Additionally, a commercial interior designer resume shows how their duties depend on visualization: "provided 3d interior design models to use as visualization and marketing tool. "
Detail oriented. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling commercial interior designer duties is detail oriented. The role rewards competence in this skill because "interior designers need to be precise in measuring interior spaces and creating drawings, so that their drawings can be used by workers such as engineers or other designers." According to a commercial interior designer resume, here's how commercial interior designers can utilize detail oriented in their job responsibilities: "prepared construction documents and details to implement design concepts. "
Problem-solving skills. This is an important skill for commercial interior designers to perform their duties. For an example of how commercial interior designer responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "interior designers must address challenges, such as construction delays or unavailability of certain materials, while keeping the project on time and within budget." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a commercial interior designer: "finish selection - created design plans and offered clarifications and solutions to problems lighting during entire development process. ".
Artistic ability. A big part of what commercial interior designers do relies on "artistic ability." You can see how essential it is to commercial interior designer responsibilities because "interior designers use their sense of style to develop aesthetically pleasing designs." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical commercial interior designer tasks: "draw and sketch artistic architectural and structural features. "
Creativity. A commonly-found skill in commercial interior designer job descriptions, "creativity" is essential to what commercial interior designers do. Commercial interior designer responsibilities rely on this skill because "interior designers need to be imaginative in selecting furnishings and fabrics and in creating functional spaces that serve the client’s needs and fit the client’s lifestyle." You can also see how commercial interior designer duties rely on creativity in this resume example: "maintained project budgets using cost and inventory sheets in excel. "
The three companies that hire the most commercial interior designers are:
- NBBJ Design3 commercial interior designers jobs
- Storr Office Environments2 commercial interior designers jobs
- DSK Group1 commercial interior designers jobs
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Compare different commercial interior designers
Commercial interior designer vs. Decorating consultant
A design consultant is an individual who provides expertise incorporating functionality and aesthetics to a space or product based on the evaluation of the needs of customers or clients. Design consultants may collaborate with other professionals such as architects, graphic designers, or fashion designers to cater to the needs of their customers. They assist in improving existing designs, either in interior designs, fashions, or graphics. Design consultants may also work in different work settings like retail stores, architectural companies, or graphic design firms.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a commercial interior designer are more likely to require skills like "revit," "adobe suite," "design concepts," and "auto cad." On the other hand, a job as a decorating consultant requires skills like "customer service," "in-home sales," "clients homes," and "design consultations." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Decorating consultants tend to reach similar levels of education than commercial interior designers. In fact, decorating consultants are 1.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.6% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Commercial interior designer vs. Design consultant
A design specialist is responsible for creating engaging visual images and digital content to improve customers' brand awareness about the organization's products and services. Design specialists may also work for media production, creating graphic animations for viewers depending on production requirements and media demands. A design specialist must have excellent knowledge of utilizing various software tools and programs, coordinating with the whole design team on adjusting plans, improving layouts according to budget limitations, and submitting deliverables within the set deadlines.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real commercial interior designer resumes. While commercial interior designer responsibilities can utilize skills like "revit," "adobe suite," "auto cad," and "construction drawings," design consultants use skills like "product knowledge," "java," "design solutions," and "leveraged."
Design consultants earn a higher average salary than commercial interior designers. But design consultants earn the highest pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $94,021. Additionally, commercial interior designers earn the highest salaries in the automotive with average pay of $66,116 annually.In general, design consultants achieve similar levels of education than commercial interior designers. They're 3.2% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Commercial interior designer vs. Design specialist
A designer is someone who creates a master plan of the look or workings of something before it will be made. It could be tangible or intangible objects, products, procedures, laws, events, games, graphics, services, and even experiences. Designers are creative thinkers with a great eye to configure the skeletal and structural properties of the targeted output. They work in several fields, such as fashion, architecture, web graphics, and user experience. In spite of the variety of professionals in the design industry, all of them are artistic, passionate, inspiring, and emotionally connected to their projects and brands.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, commercial interior designers are more likely to have skills like "revit," "adobe suite," "auto cad," and "design development." But a design specialist is more likely to have skills like "customer service," "cad," "product knowledge," and "adobe creative suite."
When it comes to education, design specialists tend to earn similar degree levels compared to commercial interior designers. In fact, they're 1.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.7% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Commercial interior designer vs. Designer
Types of commercial interior designer
Updated January 8, 2025
