Design Director Interior Design Jobs in Appleton, WI

Location: Appleton, WI

Job Type: Full-Time (40 Hours/Week)

Expected First-Year Earnings: $60,000–$100,000+

Compensation: Commission-Based with Paid 90-Day Training

Reports to: Director of Sales & Marketing

Job Summary

Design Beautiful Spaces. Build Lasting Relationships.

Closet 1 Interiors is a locally owned manufacturer of custom closets and storage solutions serving homeowners and builders throughout Northeast Wisconsin. We design, manufacture, and install custom closets, pantries, laundry rooms, mudrooms, garage storage, home offices, and custom built-ins that enhance how people live every day.

We’re looking for an experienced Retail Sales Designer who combines strong design skills with a passion for consultative sales. If you enjoy building relationships, solving design challenges, and proactively growing business, this is an opportunity to make a significant impact while earning uncapped commissions.

This is not an order-taking sales position. We’re looking for someone who enjoys creating opportunities, building relationships, and helping grow our expanding retail business through a helpful, low-pressure sales approach.

Success in this role requires a proactive mindset. You’ll receive qualified inbound leads and benefit from increasing showroom traffic, but a significant portion of the position involves using company-provided market data to identify and contact prospective builders and new homeowners. You’ll use information such as property values, construction timelines, and new-home activity to prioritize high-potential prospects, initiate conversations, build relationships, and develop new business.

Based in our brand-new, high-visibility Appleton showroom, you’ll meet with assigned showroom customers, respond promptly to qualified inbound inquiries, conduct in-home consultations, and actively develop new business through market-data prospecting, networking, referrals, and consistent follow-up.

What You’ll Do

• Meet with showroom customers when assigned and guide them through an initial consultation to understand their needs and project goals.
• Use company-provided market data—including property values, construction timelines, and new-home activity—to identify and prioritize prospective builders and homeowners.
• Conduct consistent outreach and follow-up to turn these prospects into conversations, consultations, and new business.
• Manage a balanced pipeline of qualified inbound leads, assigned showroom customers, company-provided prospect data, and self-generated referral opportunities.
• Respond promptly to new customer inquiries and follow up consistently throughout the sales process.
• Generate new sales opportunities through outbound prospecting, networking, customer follow-up, and referral development.
• Conduct in-home consultations and complete accurate field measurements.
• Design functional, attractive custom storage solutions using Cabinet Vision software.
• Prepare proposals and confidently present customized design solutions.
• Guide customers through a helpful, consultative, and low-pressure decision-making process.
• Maintain accurate customer information, follow-up activities, and opportunity stages within our CRM.
• Collaborate with our in-house manufacturing and installation teams to deliver an exceptional customer experience.
• Build long-term relationships that generate repeat business and customer referrals.

Required Qualifications

• Professional CAD experience is required. Applicants without previous professional CAD experience will not be considered.
• Experience using Cabinet Vision, 2020 Design, AutoCAD, or similar CAD software.
• Previous consultative sales experience.
• Confidence initiating conversations and prospecting for new business through outbound calls, targeted outreach, networking, and referrals.
• Ability to work consistently with prospect data, prioritize opportunities, and maintain disciplined follow-up.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Strong organizational and time-management abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple customers and projects simultaneously.
• Self-motivated with a strong desire to grow personally and professionally.
• Proficiency with computers and a willingness to learn new technology.
• Valid driver’s license.

Preferred Experience

Experience in one or more of the following industries is preferred:

• Custom closets and storage solutions
• Cabinetry and millwork
• Interior design
• Kitchen and bath design
• Residential remodeling
• Home furnishings and décor
• Construction or home-improvement sales
• Builder, contractor, or new-homeowner prospecting

Compensation

This is a commission-based sales position with uncapped earning potential.

New team members receive a paid 90-day training period while learning our products, CAD software, technology, sales process, manufacturing capabilities, and installation procedures. Following training, compensation transitions to our uncapped commission plan.

Expected first-year earnings: $60,000–$100,000+

Success in This Role Means

• Delivering an exceptional customer experience from the first consultation through installation.
• Consistently turning company-provided builder and new-homeowner data into qualified conversations and sales opportunities.
• Building lasting customer relationships that generate repeat business and referrals.
• Growing your network through targeted outreach, networking, proactive prospecting, and referral development.
• Maintaining organized, consistent follow-up with prospects and active customers.
• Becoming a trusted design expert for homeowners throughout Northeast Wisconsin.
• Contributing to the continued growth and improvement of Closet 1 Interiors’ expanding retail business.

What We Offer

• Company vehicle provided for customer appointments and field measurements.
• Paid 90-day training period.
• Uncapped commission structure.
• Health insurance stipend of $250 per month.
• 401(k) with employer matching.
• Paid vacation and holidays.
• Paid training and professional development.
• Qualified inbound leads and company-provided market data to support prospecting efforts.
• Brand-new, high-visibility retail showroom with increasing walk-in traffic and significant growth opportunity.
• Modern technology and an ongoing commitment to improving our sales and customer experience.
• Locally manufactured, high-quality products backed by experienced manufacturing and installation teams.
• A collaborative environment focused on growth, continuous improvement, and helping customers make confident decisions without high-pressure sales tactics.

You’re a Great Fit If You...

• Enjoy meeting new people and building authentic, long-term relationships.
• Love solving spatial and design challenges.
• Have professional CAD experience and enjoy creating functional, beautiful spaces.
• Are comfortable using market data to identify prospects and create new business opportunities.
• Enjoy prospecting and aren’t afraid to pick up the phone to begin a conversation.
• Believe effective sales is about listening, educating, and helping customers find the right solution—not applying pressure.
• Take ownership of your results and thrive in a performance-driven, commission-based environment.
• Are organized, self-motivated, dependable, and consistent with follow-up.
• Embrace new technology and look for better ways to work.
• Want to grow personally and professionally while helping improve an established local company.
• Want to help expand the retail side of a highly respected, 5-star Google rated local business.

Why Closet 1 Interiors?

At Closet 1 Interiors, every project is an opportunity to build a lasting customer relationship. Unlike many competitors, every solution you sell is designed, manufactured, and installed by our own local team, giving you confidence in the quality of every recommendation you make.

We believe successful sales relationships are built through listening, thoughtful design, education, and trust—not high-pressure tactics. You’ll have the opportunity to guide customers toward solutions that genuinely improve their homes while representing products you can feel proud to recommend.

We’re also committed to growth and continuous improvement. We've invested in a new Appleton showroom, better technology, stronger systems, and new ways to identify and connect with homeowners and builders throughout Northeast Wisconsin. You’ll join a company that respects its local roots while actively improving how it serves customers and creates opportunities for its team.

If you’re an experienced CAD designer who enjoys consultative sales, proactive business development, building relationships, and helping homeowners transform their spaces, we’d love to hear from you.

Pay: $60,000.00 - $100,000.00 per year

Closet 1 Interiors is a locally owned designer, manufacturer, and installer of custom storage solutions serving homeowners and builders throughout Northeast Wisconsin. From custom closets and pantries to laundry rooms, mudrooms, home offices, garages, and built-ins, every project is designed, manufactured, and professionally installed by our own team. We combine thoughtful design, quality craftsmanship, and exceptional customer service to create beautiful, functional spaces that improve how people live every day. As we continue to grow, we're investing in our people, technology, and showroom to deliver an even better experience for both our customers and our team.