Being an Interior Designer sounds like a glamorous job, right?.  I get to pick out glorious color palettes, shop all day for the perfect rug, and have an occasional long lunch with a wonderful client. Well, it also includes chasing down fabrics that meet specifications for use (like a sofa that is used by the whole family, including the dog and cat), carrying around tiles, carpet samples, and door hardware in your numerous bags, making sure that perfect rug fits down an extremely long hallway and is in stock and ready to ship, and long meetings that include problem solving to overcome plumbing obstacles on the 2nd floor addition. Like all jobs it has its ups and downs (one of which is getting to be creative and interact with my lovely clients on a day-to-day basis!). For those wanting to become an Interior Designer and for those that are just plain curious here is ‘A day in the Life of an Interior Designer’ here’s my day!

Diary:

6:15 Woke up and drank coffee immediately that my husband brewed already. My children are still asleep so I grab my laptop, and take the time to answer emails from yesterday that I have missed and have some quiet time before its time to get water bottles ready and snacks ready for summer camp and football practice.

8:30 Work on a visual reference guide for my new ‘333 on the Park’ client so she can see her entire furniture plan for her new condo in Downtown St. Paul. It’s a great way for my clients to get to see the big picture and help for them to see what is in my head [the overall plan and feel].

10:00 Arrive at the office to finalize sketches for a formal sitting area. The client is actually someone that called me up after 10 years! I had worked with her on her last home. She recently had purchased a bigger space that I couldn’t be more excited to work on. It is so great creating long term clients and picking up where we left off.

A Day in the Life of an Interior Designer

A Day in the Life of an Interior Designer

11:00 A Sales Associate from the Kravet Showroom shows up with just the gray tweed I was looking for. They had recently ran out of samples and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the perfect cool gray for my ‘333 on the Park’ project.

A Day in the Life of an Interior Designer

A Day in the Life of an Interior Designer

11:30 Off to meet with a client about the project that I finalized my sketches for this morning. I spend a lot of time in the car driving from my house to the office then to client’s places. But in the end it is what gets the job done.

12:00 Arrived right on time to talk about what needs to get done and what has been done. I check on the construction and make sure we are on track for a Thanksgiving completion date. She is hosting Thanksgiving this year in her new house and wants it to be perfect (which it will be – or as close as possible!).

2:00 Sat down to have lunch with an Architect to get the scoop on a new client referral. Creating a Builder- Architect- Interior Designer dream team is best for everyone involved on a new build. It really makes the process streamlined and cost effective for the client.

A Day in the Life of an Interior Designer

A Day in the Life of an Interior Designer

4:00 Headed back home to start picking up the kids from all their activities and to get them all scrubbed up and dressed for a night at church. It is a Holy Day of Obligation, Feast of the Assumption of Mary and my family always makes it a priority. It is also a great way for us to connect with such busy schedules.

7:00 Finally make it to services and couldn’t be more excited to sit down. Then stand up, then sit down, then kneel and sit down again…..

9:00 Winding down from a normal day at the office and getting my schedule set for another day making the world more beautiful and functional.

Good Night, Renae

 

 

5 Comments

  1. Amal Farhan on February 6, 2020 at 3:10 am

    Amazing read, Renae!

  2. Elysia on September 2, 2020 at 12:33 pm

    Than you this was so helpful. I am doing a class project on what a day in the life of my dream design job would look like and this is perfect to reference back to whenever I’m in a pickle about what to write next.

  3. Modern Resale on June 16, 2022 at 2:33 am

    Your article is unique and creative. You mentioned the variety of rugs in your post, which I think is really interesting! What do you get by contacting a designer? And also tell us about one type that might work well for halls. It is always a challenge to find the perfect rug for your space. With so many designers and styles available, it can be difficult knowing what will really work well with all aspects of design in every room! There are some general rules though – if you want an article that’s colorful or patterned then opt out from anything having darker colors because these tend not only to make everything look duller.

  4. Anonymous on May 18, 2023 at 7:34 am

    Super helpful! was working on a school progect about my dream job and this was one onf the requirements. thanks so much!

  5. What's Happening Florida on December 13, 2023 at 2:48 am

    This article provides an authentic and engaging account of what it’s truly like to be an interior designer. I appreciate the writer’s ability to blend the glamour of selecting stylish elements with the day-to-day challenges, like ensuring a rug fits down a long hallway or troubleshooting plumbing problems. The personal touch and humor make it feel like a friendly chat with a seasoned designer. Whether you’re an aspiring interior designer or just curious about the profession, this article is a delightful journey into the world of interior design.

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Renae Keller is an award-winning, ASID certified interior designer in Minneapolis-St. Paul, specializing in new construction and large remodels. Trusted by homebuilders, architects and homebuyers alike, Renae is known for creating an overall design vision that blends functionality and aesthetics, while keeping the details intertwined, and her customer's style in clear focus.

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