Lead Residential Interior Designer | Design Build Remodeling

Job Description

Job Description:\n\nThe Opportunity\nAt IHR, our Interior Designers are more than designers. They are trusted guides who lead the design and client experience from the earliest conversations through construction and completion. \nWe are looking for an experienced Lead Residential Interior Designer who can take meaningful ownership of both the design and the client experience. \nYou will work closely with homeowners to understand how they want to live, develop thoughtful and buildable design solutions, guide them through important decisions, and lead the collaboration required to carry the design successfully through Design, Planning, Build, and completion. \nYou will work alongside IHR's Project Coordinator, Drafter, Site Superintendent, consultants, suppliers, and trade partners to bring each project from vision to reality. \nThis is an opportunity for someone who wants more than simply producing beautiful designs. It is a role for a designer who wants to lead projects, guide clients, influence outcomes, collaborate closely with the people building the work, and have a meaningful voice in how IHR continues to grow. \nAbout Us\nInnovative 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. \nA 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. \nAt 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. \nWhat Leadership Means at IHR\nLeadership in this position is not limited to managing people. It means taking ownership of the client experience, the design, and the collaboration required to move a remodeling project toward a successful outcome. \n\n Lead the client experience. Build trusted relationships with homeowners, understand what matters most to them, and guide them through the many decisions involved in remodeling with clarity and confidence. \n\n Lead the design. Translate the homeowner's goals, lifestyle, aesthetic preferences, existing home, and investment priorities into thoughtful, cohesive, functional, and buildable design solutions. \n\n Lead project collaboration. Bring together the client, Project Coordinator, Drafter, Site Superintendent, consultants, suppliers, and trade partners around a clear design direction and the decisions necessary to keep the project moving forward. \n\n Lead the design through construction. Stay connected to the project after drawings and selections are complete. Help answer questions, resolve unforeseen conditions, protect the design intent, and ensure the original vision is successfully translated into the finished home. \n\n Help shape the future of IHR. Bring your experience, ideas, and perspective to how IHR continues improving our design approach, client communication, collaboration, standards, tools, and overall remodeling experience. \n\nWhat You Will Do\nUnderstand the Client and Their Home \n\n Lead conversations with homeowners to understand their goals, frustrations, lifestyle, aesthetic preferences, priorities, and how they want their home to function. \n\n Ask thoughtful questions that help clients clarify what matters most and uncover opportunities they may not have initially considered. \n\n Study the existing home, its architecture, layout, constraints, and opportunities so the design responds thoughtfully to both the homeowner and the house. \n\nDevelop the Design Vision \n\n Create cohesive design concepts that balance beauty, function, architecture, lifestyle, investment, and buildability. \n\n Develop space plans and layouts that improve how clients move through and experience their homes. \n\n Create and communicate design concepts through drawings, presentations, renderings, material palettes, finish selections, cabinetry, millwork, lighting, fixtures, furnishings, and other design elements. \n\n Help clients see and understand the possibilities for their home before construction begins. \n\nGuide Client Decisions \n\n Serve as a trusted guide throughout the design process. \n\n Help homeowners navigate complex choices without becoming overwhelmed by the number of decisions involved in remodeling. \n\n Lead design presentations, showroom visits, material and finish selections, site walkthroughs, and other important client conversations. \n\n Explain the reasoning behind design recommendations while remaining curious about the client's perspective and priorities. \n\n Help clients understand tradeoffs between design, investment, functionality, availability, schedule, and long term value. \n\nCreate Clear, Buildable Designs \n\n Develop or coordinate floor plans, space plans, interior elevations, cabinetry layouts, custom millwork details, lighting and electrical intent, finish plans, material and fixture specifications, renderings, visual presentations, and other design documentation required for Planning and Build. \n\n Work closely with IHR's Drafter and project team to make sure design intent is translated into accurate and usable construction information. \n\nBalance Design, Investment, and Buildability \n\n Develop solutions that respect the client's investment priorities while maintaining the quality and integrity of the design. \n\n Collaborate with the IHR team and trade partners to understand construction feasibility, existing conditions, availability, lead times, cost implications, and schedule impacts. \n\n Identify potential conflicts or unanswered questions early, before they become expensive problems during construction. \n\nLead Project Collaboration \n\n Work closely with IHR's Project Coordinator, Drafter, Site Superintendent, consultants, suppliers, and trade partners throughout the project. \n\n Clearly communicate design intent and upcoming decisions so the right people have the information they need at the right time. \n\n Participate in project meetings and site walkthroughs when design input or client decisions are needed. \n\n Create alignment between what the homeowner envisioned, what was documented, and what ultimately gets built. \n\nProtect the Design Through Build \n\n Remain actively involved once construction begins and respond to design questions and unforeseen conditions. \n\n Participate in site visits when appropriate and help evaluate alternatives when field conditions, material availability, or other factors require a change. \n\n Collaborate with the Build team to solve problems while protecting the client's priorities and overall design vision. \n\n Follow the project through completion and help ensure the finished home reflects what was developed with the client. \n\nContribute to IHR's Design Leadership \n\n Bring curiosity and ideas to the continued development of IHR's design capabilities. \n\n Share knowledge and experience with teammates and mentor or support less experienced team members when appropriate. \n\n Help improve design standards, presentations, documentation, client communication, tools, and workflows. \n\n Stay informed about residential design trends, materials, products, technologies, and best practices. \n\n Help elevate the quality and consistency of IHR's design work and client experience. \n\nWhat We Are Looking For\nWe are looking for someone who combines strong design ability with the interpersonal skills, judgment, organization, and ownership required to lead residential remodeling projects. \n\n Residential Design Experience. At least five years of professional interior design experience, preferably within residential remodeling, high end residential design, architecture, or a design build environment. \n\n Strong Design Judgment. A demonstrated ability to create beautiful, thoughtful spaces that respond to the client's lifestyle, the architecture of the home, functionality, and project goals. \n\n Exceptional Client Communication. The ability to listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions, build trust, explain recommendations clearly, and guide homeowners through difficult or complex decisions. \n\n Project Leadership. Experience taking ownership of design projects and coordinating multiple people, decisions, deadlines, and priorities from concept through completion. \n\n Technical Design Ability. Experience producing or directing floor plans, elevations, space plans, cabinetry, millwork, specifications, renderings, and other documentation required to successfully communicate a residential design. Experience with Chief Architect is valuable. Experience with AutoCAD, SketchUp, Revit, Illustrator, or comparable professional design software is also relevant. \n\n Problem Solving. The ability to remain thoughtful and solution oriented when existing conditions, budget concerns, material availability, schedule constraints, or construction realities require the design to evolve. \n\n Organization and Follow Through. The ability to manage multiple projects and many moving pieces while maintaining attention to detail and following decisions through to completion. \n\n Collaborative Mindset. A genuine interest in working closely with designers, drafters, project coordinators, site leadership, consultants, suppliers, and trade partners rather than treating design as a separate discipline from construction. \n\n Curiosity and Growth Mindset. A desire to continue learning, improve systems, challenge assumptions thoughtfully, and contribute ideas that make both the design work and the client experience better. \n\nEducation and Professional Credentials\n\n 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. \n\n NCIDQ certification is valued and preferred, but is not required. \n\nWhy Join IHR?\nThis role provides an opportunity to have meaningful ownership while working within an established design build team. You will have support from a Project Coordinator, Drafter, Site Superintendent, consultants, suppliers, and established trade partners while still having significant influence over the client experience and design direction of your projects. \nYou will also have an opportunity to influence how IHR's design practice develops as the company grows. We want talented people to bring their experience to IHR, not simply conform to the way things have always been done. \n\n Lead meaningful residential remodeling projects. \n\n Develop lasting relationships with homeowners. \n\n See your designs carried from concept through construction. \n\n Collaborate directly with the people responsible for building the work. \n\n Have a meaningful voice in improving how design and remodeling are delivered. \n\n Help create an exceptional remodeling experience for homeowners throughout Northeast Seattle. \n\nRequirements\n\n Portfolio required demonstrating residential interior design work (high-end remodeling/design-build preferred)\n 5+ years of professional interior design experience, preferably in high-end residential or design-build environments\n Proven ability to lead projects from concept through completion\n Strong client-facing communication skills and ability to drive decisions with clarity and empathy\n Strong problem-solving skills (cost changes, lead times, field conditions) while maintaining budget/schedule discipline\n Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with attention to detail and deadlines\n Technical proficiency with Chief Architect (required) and common design communication tools (e.g., AutoCAD/SketchUp/Adobe/PowerPoint as applicable)\n Proficiency with Microsoft 365 (Outlook/Excel/Teams)\n Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design or related field required (Master’s preferred)\n Professional appearance and demeanor\n\nBenefits\n\n Salary: $90,000 to $120,000 (DOE), bonus eligible\n Health, Dental, & Vision Insurance (IHR covers 75% of premiums, begins the 1st of the month after 60 days of employment)\n Basic Life Insurance (IHR covers 100%)\n 401(k) retirement plan with Company Match after 90 days: 100% match up to 3%, 50% for up to additional 2%\n 16 days Paid Time Off (begins accruing after 90 days)\n 10 paid holidays (including office closure between Christmas and New Years)\n Washington State Paid Sick Leave (1 hour accrued every 40 hours worked)\n Continuing education and professional development opportunities\n Full-time, on-site position based in NE Seattle (Laurelhurst area)\n All equipment and software provided\n Coffee & snack bar\n Collaborative, supportive team environment\n\nApplication Timeline & Interview Process\nWe are actively reviewing applications and encourage you to apply as soon as possible. Candidates who apply by August 17 will receive priority consideration. This position is expected to close on August 24.\nOur interview process is designed to be straightforward and respectful of your time:\n\n Initial Screening Video Call – A conversation with our HR representative to discuss your background, the role, and mutual fit\n 1:1 with the CEO – A deeper conversation with our CEO about your experience, goals, and how you’d contribute to IHR\n Team Interview – A final interview with members of the IHR team\n\nWe aim to move quickly through each stage and will keep you informed throughout the process.\nInterested? \nIf 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. \nWe 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.