How To Become An Interior Design Consultant: What It Is and Career Path

What is an interior design consultant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Bill Darcy,

Morten Bustrup

Their work starts by meeting with their clients to assess their design needs. This is followed by drafting schematics, designs, sketches, and blueprints using computer design software. They create interior design plans for existing or new spaces and recommend interior design elements. This involves specifying necessary materials, product sourcing, and budgeting. Moreover, they consult with real estate firms to help locate a space that befits a client's needs. Additionally, they promote and market their business.

Most interior design consultants have a bachelor's degree in interior design or a related field. However, some employers prefer candidates with a master's degree. Applicants may need a state license to work. You must be familiar with computer-aided design software and design software. Key skills include communication, creativity, and visualization skills. These professionals earn an average salary of $41,702 per year. This ranges from $26,000 to $67,000.

What general advice would you give to an interior design consultant?

Bill Darcy

CEO, National Kitchen & Bath Association

This year has thrown curveballs at us like never before, and the job market is just one of the areas that has been upended," said Bill Darcy, NKBA CEO. "One thing the pandemic has proven is that our homes are multitasking more than ever - like home office, home school, gym, spa - and our kitchens are getting quite a workout, as the family's central hub and gathering space. People are anxious to remodel, so they may customize their spaces to accommodate these new needs. This is one sector where business is robust, and many of our NKBA designer and remodeler members can't keep up with the volume of work. So, entering the workforce in a design or remodeling capacity holds a great deal of promise. Work and jobs are plentiful - and our research shows that design, construction and remodeling activity is likely to continue well into next year and beyond. Of course, no one can predict the course the pandemic might take or other factors might affect the economy, but I would suggest that this is an excellent time to explore internships and apprenticeships in the skilled trades, because these professional pathways, as well as kitchen, bath and interior design, are likely to yield solid opportunities for the foreseeable future.

ScoreInterior Design ConsultantUS Average

Salary

4.8

Avg. Salary $61,447

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.7

Growth rate 1%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.14%

Asian 4.57%

Black or African American 1.48%

Hispanic or Latino 7.59%

Unknown 4.08%

White 82.14%

Gender

female 80.94%

male 19.06%

Age - 40

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 40

Stress level

6.7

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an interior design consultant

Explore interior design consultant education requirements

Most common interior design consultant degrees

Bachelor's

68.4 %

Associate

19.1 %

Master's

5.2 %

Start to develop specific interior design consultant skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	49.59%
Real Estate	26.27%
Window Coverings	6.78%
Space Planning	2.33%
Aided Design	1.69%

Complete relevant interior design consultant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New interior design consultants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an interior design consultant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real interior design consultant resumes.

Research interior design consultant duties and responsibilities

Manage the integration of multiple demonstration rooms into a comprehensive solution displaying design possibilities, implementation techniques, and corporate capabilities.
Create 3D Revit models, construction drawings, and serve as a junior interior design coordinator.
Sketch preliminary design plans, including electrical and partition layouts.
Manage the integration of multiple demonstration rooms into a comprehensive solution displaying design possibilities, implementation techniques, and corporate capabilities.

Prepare your interior design consultant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your interior design consultant resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an interior design consultant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable interior design consultant resume templates

Build a professional interior design consultant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your interior design consultant resume.