Interior Designer Jobs in Illinois
Interior Designer jobs in Illinois are active across commercial, hospitality, and residential sectors, with openings ranging from entry-level drafting and space-planning roles through senior project leads and design directors. Chicago anchors the market, with Rockford and Naperville adding meaningful volume, and established firms like Gensler, HOK, and CannonDesign maintain a strong Illinois presence. The most in-demand specialties are commercial office design, healthcare interior design, and sustainable residential interiors. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Remodeling Interior Designer
Patrick A. Finn Ltd.
Commute Required to Palatine, IL | Full-Time | Onsite
Great residential design isn't just about creating beautiful spaces. It's about listening carefully, understanding how families live, and transforming ideas into homes that are functional, timeless, and built to last.
For over 35 years, Patrick A. Finn has helped homeowners throughout Chicago's Northwest suburbs transform their homes through exceptional design, quality craftsmanship, and an unwavering commitment to the client experience. With more than 800 completed remodeling and construction projects, we've earned a reputation as one of the area's premier design-build remodeling companies by combining thoughtful design with outstanding execution.
We're looking for a talented Residential Designer/Interior Designer who enjoys collaborating with homeowners, guiding them through the design process, and working closely with our production team to bring every vision to life. If you're equally passionate about creativity, organization, and delivering an exceptional client experience, we'd love to meet you.
What You'll Do
As our Residential Designer, you'll lead clients through the design and pre-construction process while ensuring every project is thoughtfully planned, accurately documented, and ready for a successful build.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Meet with homeowners to understand their goals, lifestyle, budget, and vision for their remodeling project.
- Develop creative, practical design solutions for kitchens, bathrooms, additions, whole-home remodels, and custom residential projects.
- Prepare construction drawings, design documents, and bid packages for estimating, trade partners, and permitting.
- Guide clients through cabinetry, fixture, finish, and material selections while ensuring every decision aligns with the project vision and budget.
- Maintain accurate project information, specifications, product selections, and construction documentation within the company's project management software.
- Collaborate closely with estimators, project managers, vendors, and trade partners throughout the design and pre-construction process.
- Coordinate product procurement, cabinetry orders, and finish selections to support efficient project scheduling.
- Collaborate with the estimating and operations teams to develop accurate project proposals.
- Verify that estimates align with project scope, client selections, and construction plans.
- Attend project meetings, pre-construction meetings, and client presentations while providing design guidance throughout construction.
- Support the production team by resolving design questions and providing clarification on project scope and specifications.
- Stay current with residential design trends, materials, products, and construction best practices.
What Success Looks Like
- Designing spaces that reflect each homeowner's lifestyle while balancing creativity, functionality, and budget.
- Delivering accurate plans, specifications, and selections that support efficient project execution.
- Building trusted relationships with homeowners, vendors, and trade partners through excellent communication.
- Collaborating seamlessly with the production team to minimize delays and improve project outcomes.
- Helping maintain Patrick A. Finn's reputation for delivering an exceptional remodeling experience from concept through completion.
What We're Looking For
- 5+ years of residential design experience within remodeling, custom homes, or design-build construction.
- Experience preparing residential construction drawings and specifications.
- Experience preparing residential construction estimates or supporting the estimating process.
- Strong understanding of residential construction methods and building systems.
- Experience coordinating cabinetry, finish selections, and product specifications.
- Excellent organizational, communication, and time management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple projects while meeting deadlines.
- Experience using construction or project management software such as CoConstruct or similar platforms is preferred.
- Proficiency with residential design software such as Chief Architect, AutoCAD, Revit, or similar.
- Degree in Residential Design, Interior Design, Architecture, or a related field is preferred.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary of $65,000-$70,000 per year
- Health insurance for full-time employees
- Paid time off
- Six paid holidays each year, with the office typically closed between Christmas and New Year's
- 401(k) plan with profit-sharing eligibility after six months of employment
- Professional development and long-term career growth opportunities
- Collaborative, family-oriented culture focused on craftsmanship and client satisfaction
Ready to Design Spaces That Make a Difference?
If you're passionate about residential design, enjoy collaborating with homeowners and construction professionals, and want to help create homes that families will enjoy for years to come, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today and become part of a company that's been delivering exceptional remodeling experiences for more than 35 years.
See All 30 Interior Designer Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Interior Designer JobsInterior Designer Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Interior Designer Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring


Top Industries Hiring
- Construction & Real Estate
- Technology & Software
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in interior designer jobs across Illinois.
- Active Illinois Interior Design license or eligibility through the NCIDQ examination required
- Bachelor's or master's degree in interior design or a closely related design field
- Proficiency in AutoCAD, Revit, and SketchUp for space planning and construction documents
- Portfolio demonstrating completed commercial, residential, or hospitality projects from concept through install
- Familiarity with Illinois building codes, ADA compliance standards, and LEED principles
- Strong client communication skills and experience managing vendor and contractor relationships
Interior Designer Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become an interior designer in Illinois?
Illinois requires interior designers who use the title 'Registered Interior Designer' to hold a license issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. To qualify, you need a degree in interior design from an accredited program, documented work experience under a licensed professional, and a passing score on the NCIDQ examination. Designers who do not use that protected title may work without licensure, but most Illinois employers hiring at the project-lead level require or strongly prefer the registered credential.
How much do interior designers make in Illinois?
Interior designers in Illinois earn a median of about $76,290 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $44,620 for the lowest 10% to over $131,990 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire interior designers in Illinois?
Employers hiring interior designers in Illinois right now include Steinhafels, Walter E Smithe Furniture & Design, and Patrick a Finn, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Illinois's large base of architecture and design firms, corporate headquarters, and healthcare institutions creates consistent demand for designers across a range of specialties and experience levels.
Which Illinois cities have the most interior designer jobs?
Chicago, Westmont, and Geneva have the most interior designer openings in Illinois. Chicago generates the majority of postings given its concentration of national architecture firms, corporate office headquarters, and high-end hospitality development, while surrounding suburban markets like Naperville benefit from major corporate campuses and commercial construction activity that consistently require project-level design talent.
Are there remote interior designer jobs in Illinois?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely desk-based fields, since interior design frequently requires site visits, client walkthroughs, and hands-on material selection. About 47% of interior designer openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting that some phases of the work, particularly concept development, drafting, and client presentations, can be done off-site. Roles focused on space planning, FF&E specification, and rendering are the most likely to offer remote or hybrid flexibility.
How can I get hired as an interior designer in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is an internship or junior designer role at a Chicago-area architecture or interior design firm, where you work under a licensed Registered Interior Designer and build the supervised hours required for NCIDQ eligibility. Large Illinois healthcare systems and corporate real estate teams also hire design coordinators and space-planning assistants as starting points. A strong portfolio of student or personal projects and familiarity with AutoCAD or Revit gives candidates a measurable edge, and pursuing the NCIDQ Interior Design Fundamentals Examination while working demonstrates seriousness to hiring managers.
Where can I find and apply to interior designer jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to interior designer jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings updated regularly. Search the listings to see roles that match your experience level, specialty, and preferred location, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 30 Interior Designer Jobs in Illinois
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