What Is a Senior Interior Designer and How to Become One

As a senior interior designer, your responsibilities include coordinating the internal design team for a project as well as preparing and developing drawings, models, images, and materials related to the design. This design preparation includes space planning and overall layout, including architecture and furniture selection, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) that work in the space and meet the intended design goals. You explain your ideas and articulate why the concepts work to your team and then present them to the client. Other duties include running the design project on time and budget and making decisions in the best interest of the client and project without letting personal preferences influence your choices. You are expected to comply with company procedures and standards, liaise with the external design team and other organizations as needed, and continue your professional development to stay on the cutting edge of design trends.

To become a senior interior designer, you typically need a degree or diploma in interior design, interior architecture, or a related field and relevant on-the-job experience. It is vital to have a working knowledge of design software programs such as PhotoShop, InDesign, Illustrator, and MicroStation. You should also understand how to integrate project requirements with architecture using a variety of media. Additional qualifications include the ability to work well on a team, manage junior designers, oversee tasks that you subcontract out, and develop working relationships with clients. You must have excellent communication, organization, and presentation skills, as well as strong creativity and the ability to take instruction, formulate design decisions, and work well under pressure to meet deadlines.