A Week In The Life Of An Interior Designer

Sep 4

Have you ever wondered what life is really like as an interior designer? Maybe you picture days spent strolling through gorgeous showrooms, surrounded by beautiful furniture, fabrics, and color palettes. And yes, we’re lucky enough to do plenty of that, working alongside amazing clients and vendor partners. But the truth is, it’s not all Pinterest boards and pretty paint swatches. Our days are a lively mix of client meetings, site visits, spreadsheets, and the endless search for that one perfect piece—where creativity meets logistics. No two weeks are ever the same, and that’s exactly what keeps it exciting.

The best part? Watching a client’s vision come to life and turning their dream home into a reality.

For this month’s blog, we thought it would be fun to give you a peek behind the curtain: a week in the life of an interior designer here in Charlotte, NC.

Sourcing & Showrooms

*Selecting plumbing for a new shower is always exciting—we love being able to see all the options in one place and compare them side by side for both style and function.*

*High Point Market is one of our favorite places to source rugs as it allows us to see the color, texture, thickness and quality in person.*

*Countertop sourcing might be our favorite - can you tell which slab is natural stone and which one is man-made?*

*Can you guess how many hardware options we go through before selecting the right one?*

As we mentioned earlier, no two weeks in interior design ever look the same. What does stay consistent, though, is the amount of time we dedicate to sourcing—that ongoing quest to track down the one perfect piece. Sourcing means researching, selecting, and acquiring the furniture, finishes, and materials that bring a design to life. Each item has to align with the overall design concept, meet our quality standards, and fit within the project budget.

Sometimes this process happens online, but often it takes us out into the Charlotte area showrooms, where we can see, touch, and study products in person. We’re fortunate to have so many incredible showrooms nearby—it makes the hunt that much more rewarding. A showroom visit might include selecting plumbing fixtures for a shower, viewing slabs we can fabricate into countertops, comparing wallpaper options, or selecting the perfect hardware for a kitchen or bathroom. Twice a year, we also head to High Point Market, the largest home furnishings trade show in the world, to source products, discover new vendors, and stay inspired by the latest trends. Of course, we have a handful of trusted brands that we lean on time and again, knowing our clients will love them—but we’re always on the lookout for new sources to keep our projects unique.

Site Visits

*Post-demo meeting with the general contractor to ensure we are on the same page before roughs and cabinet installs.*

A look at how we pack the car for a design presentation. Along with a digital presentation, we load up samples of every finish so our clients can see, touch, and experience the materials in person—it’s like bringing the showroom to them!

*How many people does it take to make sure a light fixtures is installed in the correct location? ;)*

While a large portion of our week is often spent sourcing product and visiting showrooms, site visits are just as integral to the design process. We typically schedule these visits around key project milestones, such as pre and post-demolition, in-person cabinet measurements, cabinet installation, and before rough-ins are completed. Being on-site allows us to see firsthand how the design is taking shape and make any necessary adjustments along the way.

When we’re not physically at the project, we’re in close communication with the project manager to ensure every detail is executed as intended and that collaboration between teams remains seamless. Depending on the project phase, a site visit might involve confirming measurements, receiving product deliveries, double-checking placements, or simply seeing the transformation unfold in real time. As projects near completion, install days are oftentimes the most exciting, and most rewarding. It can take several days to carefully bring in and style the new furnishings, hang window treatments and art, etc. Seeing the finished spaces come together makes every step worthwhile.

*Laying out all of the accessories needed to style a photoshoot.*

*Confirming lighting, angles and details with our photographer is an essential part of a photoshoot.*

Another reason you’d find us on a job site? Photoshoots! Once a project is complete, it’s time to capture the finished spaces in their best light. Most shoots take about a day, but for larger projects, we may spend two full days behind the camera. Our goal is to capture the spaces in a way that showcases both the full-room perspective and the thoughtful details that bring the design to life.

Behind The Business

*I never go anywhere without my Delphinium Design planner - if you know me, you know that I must write EVERYTHING down. :)*

CADs help us visualize the space before we commit to a design.

While interior design might look glamorous from the outside, the reality is that a huge part of the magic happens behind the scenes and often on a computer! From drafting proposals and invoices to budgeting, managing spreadsheets, tracking orders, troubleshooting shipments, coordinating with vendors, researching permits and code, and staying in touch with clients, there’s a lot of detail work that keeps each project running seamlessly.

CAD work also plays a big role, allowing us to map out everything from floor plans to furniture layouts. It’s one of our favorite tools because it helps us plan every detail with precision while giving clients a clear vision of their space before it ever comes to life.

Outside The Studio

*Love hanging with my crew, face squeezes and all ;)*

*Favorite part of the week is hitting the courts!*

*An almost daily lunch break activity - a stroll with the pups.*

No matter how busy the week gets, we make it a priority to spend time outside the studio doing the things we love. As working moms, finding balance can be a challenge, but nothing compares to quality time with our families (and plenty of squeezes!). In recent years, tennis has become a favorite weekly outlet, while daily dog walks during lunch breaks are a simple but joy inducing ritual.