Associate Residential Interior Designer | Design Build Remodeling

Job Description

Job Description

The Opportunity

At IHR, our Interior Designers are more than designers. They are thoughtful guides who help homeowners turn the way they want to live into beautiful, functional, and buildable homes.

We are looking for an Associate Interior Designer at the beginning of their professional career. This is an opportunity for a motivated emerging designer who has a strong design foundation, a thoughtful portfolio, and a genuine desire to learn how residential remodeling projects move from an early idea through planning, construction, and completion.

You may be a recent graduate, an early-career designer, or someone who has gained relevant experience through internships, residential design, architecture, retail design, hospitality design, or a related field. You do not need to have led projects independently. You do need to bring curiosity, organization, care for the client experience, and the drive to develop your craft within a hands-on, collaborative design-build environment.

You will work alongside IHR’s Project Coordinator, Drafter, Site Superintendent, suppliers, and trade partners. With structured guidance and increasing responsibility, you will support client-facing design work, create design and documentation materials, help organize selections and decisions, and learn how design intent is carried into the finished home.

About Us

Innovative Home Renovations is a residential design build remodeling firm serving homeowners throughout Northeast Seattle. We reimagine existing homes around the way our clients want to live, combining thoughtful design, detailed planning, and exceptional construction in one integrated process. 

A successful remodel is about more than the finished home. We are equally focused on creating an exceptional remodeling experience where homeowners feel understood, informed, confident, and in control throughout their project. 

At IHR, we believe the homeowner is the hero of the remodeling story. Our role is to understand where they want to go, guide the decisions along the way, and bring that vision to life. 

What Success Looks Like in This Role

You will build a strong foundation in how IHR designs, documents, communicates, and collaborates. You will learn to translate client needs and design direction into accurate, organized, and compelling materials. You will prepare thoroughly, follow through on commitments, and ask thoughtful questions when something is unclear.

You will not be expected to manage full projects, own overall budgets, or independently lead complex client or construction decisions. Instead, you will receive mentorship while developing the judgment, technical skills, confidence, and cross-functional understanding needed for an expanding role in residential design.

What You Will Do

Support Client Understanding and Design Development

• Participate in client meetings, site visits, design presentations, and showroom visits with guidance from senior team members.
• Take clear, organized notes on client preferences, decisions, questions, and next steps.
• Help research the home’s existing conditions, architectural character, and design opportunities.
• Assist with concepts, mood boards, material palettes, finish selections, furniture plans, fixture research, and other design materials.
• Develop your ability to understand how clients want their homes to function and feel.

Create Design and Documentation Materials

• Assist in creating space plans, visual presentations, renderings, finish plans, selection schedules, specifications, cabinetry concepts, lighting intent, and other design deliverables.
• Help maintain accurate, organized project records for selections, product information, drawings, and design decisions.
• Coordinate with IHR’s Drafter and design team to incorporate feedback and maintain clear design information.
• Learn IHR’s documentation standards and develop the technical skills needed to communicate design intent clearly.

Help Guide a Positive Client Experience

• Prepare materials and information for client meetings so conversations are clear and productive.
• Communicate professionally and promptly with clients, teammates, suppliers, and partners, with support and review as appropriate.
• Help clients feel informed by making sure questions, decisions, and follow-up items are captured and addressed.
• Observe experienced designers as they explain recommendations, navigate tradeoffs, and guide homeowner decisions.

Learn the Design-Build Process

• Participate in project meetings and site walkthroughs to learn how drawings, selections, and design decisions affect planning and construction.
• Assist in tracking open design questions and follow-up items.
• Learn how existing conditions, material availability, lead times, investment priorities, construction methods, and schedule can influence design decisions.
• Support the team in responding to design questions during planning and construction under the direction of a Lead or Residential Interior Designer.
• Build familiarity with the people, roles, and collaboration required to bring a residential remodel to completion.

Grow With IHR

• Seek feedback, apply it to your work, and steadily increase your design and technical capability.
• Bring a reliable, positive, and solution-oriented mindset to daily work.
• Stay curious about residential design trends, materials, products, technologies, and best practices.
• Contribute ideas and observations that help improve IHR’s design work, tools, and client experience.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone who combines strong design ability with the interpersonal skills, judgment, organization, and ownership required to lead residential remodeling projects. 

• Foundation in Interior Design. A degree in Interior Design, Interior Architecture, Architecture, or a related field, or equivalent foundational training and a strong portfolio. Recent graduates are encouraged to apply.
• Design Potential. A portfolio that demonstrates thoughtful visual judgment, space planning, attention to detail, material awareness, and an ability to communicate design ideas.

• Exceptional Client Communication.  The ability to listen carefully, build trust, communicate recommendations clearly, and guide clients through design decisions with empathy and professionalism.

• Organization.  The ability to keep information, files, selections, and follow-up items organized while working across multiple assignments.

• Communication.  Strong listening, writing, and interpersonal skills, with a professional and service-oriented approach.

• Technical Curiosity. An interest in developing proficiency in Chief Architect and other professional design, rendering, drawing, and presentation tools.

• Collaboration and Growth Mindset.  A willingness to learn from your team, clients, suppliers, and trade partners.

Education and Professional Credentials

• A Bachelor's Degree in Interior Design, Interior Architecture, Architecture, or a related field is preferred. Equivalent professional experience and a strong portfolio may also be considered. 

• NCIDQ certification is valued, but is not required. 

Why Join IHR?

This role offers an intentional start to a career in residential design. You will be part of an integrated team and gain exposure to the complete remodeling process, not just the early design phase. You will receive guidance from experienced designers while developing the practical skills and confidence needed to grow into greater project ownership.

• Build a career in residential interior design within a collaborative design-build firm.
• Learn directly from experienced designers and the people who plan and build the work.
• Develop a portfolio of real residential projects.
• Gain practical exposure to client communication, documentation, selections, and construction collaboration.
• Be supported by a team that values curiosity, reliability, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• Portfolio required; student, internship, professional, or independently developed design work may be included.
• Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design, Interior Architecture, Architecture, or a related field preferred; candidates completing a relevant degree may be considered.
• Foundational proficiency with at least one professional design, drafting, rendering, or presentation tool; exposure to Chief Architect, AutoCAD, SketchUp, Revit, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar tools is valuable.
• Willingness to learn and become proficient in Chief Architect and IHR’s design and documentation standards.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage follow-up items.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365, including Outlook, Excel, and Teams, or willingness to learn quickly.
• Professional appearance and demeanor.

Benefits

• Hourly: $31 to $38 (DOE)
• Health, Dental, & Vision Insurance (IHR covers 75% of premiums, begins the 1st of the month after 60 days of employment)
• Basic Life Insurance (IHR covers 100%)
• 401(k) retirement plan with Company Match after 90 days: 100% match up to 3%, 50% for up to additional 2%
• 16 days Paid Time Off (accrues throughout the year, available for use after 90 days)
• 10 paid holidays (including office closure between Christmas and New Years)
• Washington State Paid Sick Leave (1 hour accrued every 40 hours worked)
• Continuing education and professional development opportunities
• Full-time, on-site position based in NE Seattle (Laurelhurst area)
• All equipment and software provided
• Coffee & snack bar
• Collaborative, supportive team environment

Application Timeline & Interview Process

We are actively reviewing applications and encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Our interview process is designed to be straightforward and respectful of your time:

1. Initial Screening Video Call – A conversation with our HR representative to discuss your background, the role, and mutual fit
2. At-Home Assignment: Complete an assignment based around floor plan layout and mood board creation.
3. 1:1 with the CEO – A deeper conversation with our CEO about your experience, goals, and how you’d contribute to IHR
4. Team Interview – A final interview with members of the IHR team

We aim to move quickly through each stage and will keep you informed throughout the process.

Interested?

If you are an experienced residential designer who loves great design but also enjoys the people, problem solving, collaboration, and leadership required to bring that design to life, we would like to hear from you. 

We are especially interested in designers who want meaningful ownership of their projects, enjoy guiding homeowners through important decisions, and believe that an exceptional remodeling experience matters just as much as an exceptional finished home.