Interior Design Jobs in Atlanta, GA: How to Break Into the Local Design Scene

Atlanta has grown into a major hub for interior design, thanks to its booming real estate market, strong film and TV production scene, and mix of historic neighborhoods and modern development. If you’re searching for interior design jobs in Atlanta, GA, you’re in the right place to build a creative and sustainable career.

This guide walks through the types of design jobs available in Atlanta, common employers, salary expectations, local education paths, and specific steps to find work and build your portfolio in the city.

The Interior Design Job Market in Atlanta

Atlanta’s design market is shaped by several local factors:

• Residential growth in areas like Midtown, West Midtown, Buckhead, and Old Fourth Ward
• High-end retail and hospitality projects in places like Ponce City Market and Buckhead Village
• Corporate offices and tech companies setting up or expanding in Atlanta
• A large film and TV production industry centered around studios in and around the city
• A mix of historic homes (Grant Park, Inman Park, Virginia-Highland) and new construction

Because of this, interior designers in Atlanta can find opportunities in:

• Residential design
• Commercial and corporate interiors
• Hospitality and multifamily design
• Set and production design
• Retail and showroom design

You’ll see roles ranging from entry-level design assistant to senior designer, project manager, or creative director, depending on your experience.

Common Interior Design Roles in Atlanta

1. Residential Interior Designer

Residential designers work on:

• Condos and apartments (especially around Midtown and Buckhead)
• Single-family homes in city neighborhoods and metro suburbs
• Renovations and staging for sale

Duties often include:

• Space planning and selecting finishes, furniture, and lighting
• Communicating with Atlanta-area contractors, builders, and vendors
• Site visits from areas like East Atlanta to Sandy Springs and beyond

Many residential designers in Atlanta work for small firms or as independent designers.

2. Commercial / Corporate Interior Designer

Commercial designers in Atlanta often support:

• Office spaces in Downtown, Midtown, and Perimeter Center
• Law firms, financial offices, and tech companies
• Co-working spaces and shared offices

Responsibilities usually include:

• Working with architects and engineers
• Understanding building codes, accessibility, and safety requirements
• Creating presentations and construction documents for clients

These roles are commonly found at architecture firms or multi-disciplinary design studios.

3. Hospitality & Multifamily Designer

Atlanta’s hospitality and multifamily market is active, with:

• Hotels in Downtown, Midtown, and near the airport
• Restaurants, lounges, and boutique hotels across the city
• Large apartment and mixed-use developments in neighborhoods like West Midtown and Chamblee

Designers in this space may handle:

• Lobby concepts, amenity spaces, and model units
• Restaurant interiors and bar layouts
• Coordination with developers and property managers

4. Set / Production Designer and Decorator

Atlanta’s film and TV industry creates unique opportunities for set decorators, art department assistants, and production designers.

These jobs can involve:

• Sourcing furniture and decor from local prop houses and antique shops
• Dressing sets to match specific time periods or styles
• Working in studios or on location across metro Atlanta

Many people in these roles are freelancers or contractors, so networking is critical.

5. Showroom, Retail, and Sales-Driven Design Roles

You’ll also find design-focused jobs with:

• Furniture showrooms
• Kitchen and bath galleries
• Lighting and tile showrooms
• Home improvement and design centers

These roles often blend design expertise with sales, ideal if you enjoy working directly with customers and walking them through selections.

Typical Employers for Interior Designers in Atlanta

People searching for interior design jobs in Atlanta, GA often look in several categories:

Design & Architecture Firms

Medium and large firms tend to cluster in:

• Midtown (Peachtree Street NE, West Peachtree Street)
• Downtown
• Near Peachtree Road in Buckhead

Common types of firms include:

• Commercial interior design firms
• Architecture + interiors firms
• Boutique residential studios

Real Estate and Development Companies

These companies hire or contract designers for:

• Model homes and sales centers
• Apartment amenity spaces
• Common areas in mixed-use developments

You’ll find many of these firms operating in Buckhead, Perimeter, and other commercial corridors.

Home Staging and Residential Services

Interior stylists, stagers, and decorators support the strong real estate market across:

• Intown neighborhoods (Grant Park, Reynoldstown, West End)
• North Fulton and Cobb County suburbs serving the Atlanta market

Retail Showrooms

Design-related jobs are often posted by:

• Furniture and home decor stores
• Kitchen and bath showrooms
• Flooring, tile, and lighting galleries

Many of these are located along major corridors like Peachtree Road, Cobb Parkway, and in design-focused centers.

Education, Licensing, and Training in Atlanta

Do You Need a License to Work as an Interior Designer in Atlanta?

There is a difference between:

• Practicing as an “interior decorator” or stylist (often no formal license or degree required), and
• Holding titles like “registered interior designer” or doing certain types of code-based commercial work, where formal education and credentials are often expected.

For code-heavy commercial projects (offices, healthcare, hospitality), employers in Atlanta commonly look for:

• A CIDA-accredited interior design degree
• Experience with construction documents and building codes
• Progress toward or completion of the NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Qualification) exam

Local Education Options

Atlanta and nearby areas offer:

• Bachelor’s and associate degrees in interior design or related fields
• Continuing education courses, often helpful for working professionals or career-changers
• Portfolio-building studio classes

When evaluating a program in or around Atlanta, look for:

• Curriculum covering space planning, codes, lighting, materials, and Revit/AutoCAD
• Internship or co-op opportunities with local firms
• Strong emphasis on portfolio development

Skills Atlanta Employers Commonly Look For

Across job listings in Atlanta, you’ll often see these requirements:

Technical Skills

• AutoCAD and/or Revit
• SketchUp, Enscape, or other 3D visualization tools
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign)
• Understanding of building codes, accessibility, and life-safety (especially for commercial work)

Design & Project Skills

• Space planning for small intown spaces and larger suburban homes
• Material and finish selection, with awareness of regional suppliers
• Ability to work with GCs, subs, and vendors in the Atlanta metro
• Budgeting and documentation for residential or commercial projects

Soft Skills

• Clear communication with clients from diverse backgrounds
• Comfort with site visits around the metro area (often driving to multiple locations)
• Time management in fast-paced environments
• Collaboration with architects, contractors, and consultants

Entry-Level Interior Design Jobs in Atlanta

If you’re just starting, look for titles like:

• Design Assistant
• Junior Interior Designer
• Interior Design Intern
• FF&E Coordinator (Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment)
• Studio Assistant in a design firm or showroom

What Entry-Level Designers Typically Do

Daily tasks may include:

• Drafting floor plans and elevations
• Updating finish schedules and furniture lists
• Preparing presentation boards and digital mood boards
• Visiting job sites with senior designers
• Sourcing samples from Atlanta-area design centers and showrooms

Even entry-level roles often expect some portfolio work, basic software skills, and familiarity with design principles.

Where to Look for Interior Design Jobs in Atlanta

1. General Job Boards

Search using terms like:

• “Interior designer Atlanta GA”
• “Junior interior designer Atlanta”
• “Commercial interior design Atlanta”
• “Interior design assistant Atlanta”

Filter by:

• Experience level (entry, mid, senior)
• Location (within metro Atlanta)
• Job type (full-time, contract, internship)

2. Design-Specific Job Boards & Associations

Many interior designers in Atlanta also check:

• Design-oriented job boards
• Professional association listings
• Local chapter announcements for opportunities and calls for portfolios

3. Direct Firm Outreach

Some firms don’t post every role publicly. Consider:

• Identifying Atlanta-based firms that match your interests (residential, commercial, hospitality, etc.)
• Preparing a concise introduction, resume, and PDF portfolio
• Politely asking if they review applications for future or unlisted positions

4. Networking and Local Events

In the Atlanta design community, relationships often lead to job leads. Look for:

• Local design events, showhouse tours, and open houses
• Product launches and CEU events at Atlanta design centers
• Meetups and informal gatherings for creatives and designers

Building an Interior Design Portfolio for the Atlanta Market

A strong portfolio is vital for landing interior design jobs in Atlanta, GA, especially when competition is high.

What to Include

• Residential Projects: Apartments, condos, and homes that show you can handle Atlanta-sized spaces (from compact BeltLine condos to suburban homes).
• Commercial or Hospitality Work: Office, retail, restaurant, or hotel concepts.
• Before-and-after images for real projects or mockups.
• Process work: Concept sketches, mood boards, material palettes, and final renderings.

Tailoring to Atlanta Employers

You can stand out by:

• Including design solutions suited to humid Southern climates (durable materials, UV considerations, etc.)
• Showing familiarity with historic preservation if you’re applying to firms that work in older neighborhoods
• Demonstrating an understanding of multifamily and mixed-use environments, common in Atlanta’s new developments

Aim for a clean, easy-to-navigate portfolio, ideally:

• A PDF version for emailing
• A digital or web-based version for quick viewing

Typical Salary Ranges and Career Growth

Salaries in Atlanta vary based on:

• Experience level (intern vs. senior designer)
• Type of employer (small residential studio vs. large commercial firm)
• Specialty (commercial, hospitality, high-end residential, etc.)

In general, you’ll often see:

• Entry-level roles with modest starting pay, sometimes supplemented with overtime or project bonuses
• Mid-level designers earning higher, especially with strong technical skills (Revit, code knowledge)
• Senior designers and project managers earning more, often managing teams and major accounts

Many designers combine:

• Full-time jobs with
• Freelance work or side projects in residential or styling, especially once they build local contacts

Freelance and Self-Employed Design Work in Atlanta

Some designers in Atlanta prefer independent or freelance work, especially in residential, styling, and staging.

Common Freelance Paths

• Residential interior design and decorating
• E-design services for Atlanta-area clients
• Set styling or staging for short-term rentals and real estate listings
• Consulting for small businesses (boutiques, salons, small offices)

If you go this route, consider:

• Registering a business entity as needed
• Understanding local regulations (business licenses, tax requirements)
• Building a strong online presence focused on Atlanta-based clients
• Partnering with local contractors, installers, and showrooms

Practical Steps to Start or Advance Your Interior Design Career in Atlanta

Use this simple roadmap to move forward:

Step 1: Clarify Your Focus

Decide which path fits you best:

• Residential vs. commercial vs. hospitality vs. production design
• Full-time employee vs. freelancer

Step 2: Strengthen Your Skills

• Learn or improve AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, and Adobe Creative Cloud
• Practice space planning and material selection geared toward Atlanta homes and businesses
• If you’re targeting commercial work, look into NCIDQ requirements and relevant coursework

Step 3: Build or Refresh Your Portfolio

• Include 6–12 of your best projects or concept designs
• Present each project with: brief description, floor plans, visuals, and key decisions
• Emphasize work that feels relevant to Atlanta’s style, climate, and building types

Step 4: Start Applying Strategically

• Search for “interior design Atlanta GA jobs” on multiple job boards
• Set alerts for new postings
• Apply with tailored resumes and cover letters that reference local knowledge and interest in Atlanta’s design market

Step 5: Network Locally

• Attend design events and open houses
• Visit showrooms and speak with reps; they often know which firms are busy or hiring
• Stay in touch with classmates, coworkers, and former employers in the area

Step 6: Consider Internships or Contract Work

If you’re new or switching careers:

• Internships and contract roles can get your foot in the door
• Short-term projects often lead to longer engagements once you prove your skills

Quick Reference: Interior Design Career Snapshot in Atlanta

If you’re serious about interior design jobs in Atlanta, GA, focus on a clear specialty, invest in your portfolio and technical skills, and stay active in the local design community. Atlanta’s design landscape is competitive but offers a wide variety of paths for both new and experienced designers who are ready to engage with the city’s rapidly evolving built environment.