How to hire an interior design consultant

How to hire an interior design consultant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step interior design consultant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an interior design consultant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new interior design consultant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an interior design consultant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The interior design consultant hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An interior design consultant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, interior design consultants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents interior design consultant salaries for various positions.

   Type of Interior Design Consultant	Description	Hourly rate
   Interior Design Consultant	Interior designers make interior spaces functional, safe, and beautiful by determining space requirements and selecting decorative items, such as colors, lighting, and materials. They read blueprints and must be aware of building codes and inspection regulations, as well as universal accessibility standards.	$20-42
   Kitchen And Bath Designer	As the name entails, kitchen and bath designers design kitchens and bathrooms using their interior design skills and knowledge of space, colors, lighting, and textures. They typically begin working on their projects by doing a tour and talking to clients to better understand their requirements... Show more	$15-38
   Project Designer	A Project Designer provides assistance in project design and development activities based on customer requirements. They develop solutions to client architectural complexities.	$22-42

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Real Estate
   • Window Coverings
   • Space Planning
   • Aided Design
   • Product Knowledge
   • Design Services
   • CAD
   • Design Solutions
   • Retail Sales
   • Design Concepts
   • Sketch
   • Design Presentations
   • Residential Clients

   Check all skills

   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.
   • Experience in HVLP, airless spray painting, tiling and finish carpentry.
   • Input data into point-of-sale (POS) system accurately and in timely manner.

   More interior design consultant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the interior design consultant job description is a good way to get more applicants. An interior design consultant salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an interior design consultant in Oklahoma may be lower than in New Mexico, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level interior design consultant. Additionally, an interior design consultant with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average interior design consultant salary

   $61,447yearly

   $29.54 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level interior design consultant salary

   $42,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 21, 2025

   Average interior design consultant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$78,226	$38
   2	Oregon	$70,867	$34
   3	Washington	$69,931	$34
   4	New York	$68,289	$33
   5	Texas	$65,744	$32
   6	Massachusetts	$62,901	$30
   7	Connecticut	$61,529	$30
   8	Wisconsin	$60,117	$29
   9	Ohio	$58,542	$28
   10	Colorado	$58,052	$28
   11	Nevada	$57,682	$28
   12	Maryland	$56,692	$27
   13	Minnesota	$55,221	$27
   14	Virginia	$54,904	$26
   15	North Carolina	$54,886	$26
   16	Indiana	$53,440	$26
   17	Georgia	$52,984	$25
   18	Louisiana	$50,008	$24
   19	Florida	$47,484	$23
   20	Illinois	$44,552	$21

   Average interior design consultant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	RH	$106,873	$51.38	94
   2	Jerry Pair & Associates	$60,052	$28.87
   3	Smith & Noble	$58,607	$28.18
   4	PDI	$52,186	$25.09
   5	WG&R Furniture	$49,929	$24.00
   6	Living Spaces Furniture	$48,654	$23.39	3
   7	County of Nevada, CA	$47,398	$22.79

4. Writing an interior design consultant job description

   An interior design consultant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an interior design consultant job description:

   Interior design consultant job description example

   Current Living Spaces Employees: Please apply via your internal Workday Account.
   
   Living Spaces is a growing home furnishing brand and we continue to open new locations. We know in order to stay current with the times and trends, we have to perpetually update our look and selection. What has truly sustained our growth - from 1 to over 20 locations, from 100 employees to over 2,000, from a humble home furnishings store to a widely recognized and respected lifestyle brand - are the talented individuals who have taken us there. We are looking for innovative, driven, and passionate professionals to join our team so we can reach even greater heights together.We believe that a great team member experience leads to an even better guest experience. That is why we place a huge emphasis on building a great culture within our teams. Our ideal candidate will have natural talent: meaning, they possess the capacity and commitment, along with an openness to being coached around skills that will ensure they delight and exceed the expectations of our guests in all areas of Living Spaces business. We also believe in our team members taking ownership of their performance and how that contributes to the overall success of their role.
   
   Position Summary
   This position's primary responsibility to service in-store guests with a selling strategy that follows the guidelines of our Guest Engagement Model, while emphasizing the Interior Design. Will service any influx of scheduled design appointments made in-house, through our Commercial business channels, or via appointment setting technology by analyzing collected information pertaining to the project's requests/constraints
   
   Position Description
   Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
   Greet and engage guests and execute sales proficiency using Living Spaces Guest Engagement Model and supporting behaviors Determine guests' goals and requirements of their design project Provide relevant design advice, product knowledge, and product recommendations Present customized room designs, including sample fabrics, furniture, tables and accessory recommendations Maintains current knowledge of merchandise lines; product features, benefits and availability Master product knowledge and brand design inspiration Processes customer transactions in the Point of Sale system Completes required training in the expected timeframe, and participates in ongoing learning opportunities Actively support and contribute to the store team with the goal of helping the entire team delight guests and achieve revenue targets Ensure that the stores is “Grand Opening” ready by completing the daily task list and style guides Ability to work weekends and most holidays Able to work in a fast-paced environment
   
   Qualifications
   Education/Experience: Associate degree (A.A. or A.S.) or equivalent from a community college or four-year college in interior design. 1-2 years experience in a customer service, retail, or furniture store environment. Equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
   
   Computer Skills: To perform this job successfully, an individual must have experience in Microsoft Office programs. Knowledge of design software programs is a plus.
   
   Certificates and Licenses: Vocational certificate or degree in interior design. Must successfully complete the internal certification program at Living Spaces.
   
   Equal Opportunity Employer
   It is our policy to abide by all federal, state, and local laws prohibiting employment discrimination based solely on a person's race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, physical disability, mental disability, age, military status, or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition (including but not limited to, cancer related or HIV/AIDS related), sexual orientation, or any other protected status except where a reasonable, bona fide occupational qualification exists.
   
   E-Verify
   Living Spaces participates in E-Verify. All newly-hired team members are queried through this electronic system established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to verify their identity and employment eligibility.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find interior design consultants for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   To find interior design consultant candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as dribbble, authentic jobs, working not working, coroflot.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with interior design consultant candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new interior design consultant

   Once you've selected the best interior design consultant candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an interior design consultant?