DESIGN CONSULTANT

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Consultant

Company: Bassett Furniture

Location: Greensboro, North Carolina, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Sales / Retail / Design Consulting

Date Posted: June 22, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Focuses on relationship selling within the interior design and furniture retail sector, leveraging design expertise to drive sales.

• Requires a strong aptitude for understanding and translating customer needs into tailored design solutions and product recommendations.

• Emphasizes building and nurturing long-term client relationships through personalized consultations and home makeovers.

• Involves a commissioned sales environment with significant earning potential based on performance and client acquisition.

📝 Enhancement Note: The title "Design Consultant" and the description strongly indicate a sales role with a design focus, rather than a pure operational or technical role. The emphasis on "relationship selling," "maximizing selling opportunities," and "commissioned sales environment" solidifies this. The role requires a blend of sales acumen, design sensibility, and customer service.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct in-depth interior design consultations with clients to understand their aesthetic preferences, lifestyle needs, and budget constraints.

• Develop and present comprehensive design proposals, including furniture selection, space planning, color palettes, and material choices.

• Utilize knowledge of furniture construction, design trends, and product offerings to advise clients and close sales.

• Execute "relationship selling" techniques to foster trust and build lasting customer loyalty, encouraging repeat business and referrals.

• Perform in-home or on-site design consultations and "makeovers" to provide personalized service and demonstrate value.

• Engage with customers through various channels, including in-store appointments, virtual consultations, and live chats.

• Create and maintain a personal client base, actively seeking out new clientele through networking and self-motivation.

• Collaborate with sales teams and showroom staff to ensure a seamless and positive customer experience from initial contact to final delivery.

• Achieve and exceed monthly and annual sales goals through effective selling strategies and client engagement.

• Maintain a polished professional image and demeanor consistent with Bassett Furniture's brand standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities are derived from the "Job Description" and "Job Requirements" sections, emphasizing the blend of design, sales, and customer relationship management. The "makeovers" and "virtual appointments" are specific actions that translate into broader responsibilities.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a background or strong interest in Interior Design, Interior Architecture, or a related creative field is highly beneficial. Formal Interior Design certification training is provided and encouraged.

Experience: A proven track record of success in sales, particularly in a commissioned environment, is essential. Experience in retail sales, furniture sales, or interior design consulting is highly preferred.

Required Skills:

• Passion for interior design and a keen eye for color and texture coordination.

• Exceptional sales skills with a demonstrated ability to meet and exceed sales goals.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to actively listen and translate customer needs into design choices.

• Friendly, outgoing, and positive personality conducive to building rapport with diverse clientele.

• Self-motivated and driven to proactively build and manage a client base (clienteling).

• Proficiency in computer applications, including basic office software and potentially design visualization tools.

• Willingness and ability to work weekends and holidays as required by retail schedules.

• Ability to travel to customers' residences and businesses for consultations and makeovers.

• Aptitude for conducting virtual appointments and engaging in live chats.

• Professional, polished image and career-minded professionalism. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with Bassett Furniture's product lines and design aesthetic.

• Familiarity with design software or visualization tools.

• Previous experience in the furniture or home furnishings industry.

• Demonstrated ability to create and present compelling product and design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills are extracted directly from the "Job Qualifications" and "Job Requirements" lists. The "Education" section is inferred based on the nature of the role and the mention of "Interior Design certification training." The "Experience" section is specifically tailored to the "Proven track record of success in sales" and "commissioned sales environment" requirements.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 distinct interior design projects, demonstrating a range of styles and client needs.

• Include visual examples of space planning, mood boards, color palettes, and final room designs.

• Highlight projects where you successfully translated client requirements into tangible design solutions.

• Feature examples of how you managed client expectations and achieved desired outcomes within budget.

• If applicable, include examples of virtual design consultations or remote client engagement strategies. Process Documentation:

• For each portfolio project, briefly outline your design process from initial client consultation to final implementation.

• Describe how you identified client needs, developed design concepts, selected products, and managed the sales cycle.

• Detail any specific tools or software used to create visualizations, manage client information, or track project progress.

• Explain your approach to client relationship management and how you fostered loyalty and repeat business.

📝 Enhancement Note: While not explicitly stated, a "Design Consultant" role, especially one focused on "selling product and design solutions," would necessitate a portfolio. The requirements here are standard for design-oriented sales roles, focusing on showcasing design skills, sales process, and client management.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Base Commission Potential: $70,000 - $105,000 annually (based on written business).

• Top Performer Potential: Up to $135,000+ annually.

Benefits:

• Paid training to develop product knowledge, sales techniques, and design skills.

• Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision coverage.

• Disability Insurance.

• Life Insurance.

• 401(k) retirement savings plan.

• Tuition assistance for continued education and development.

• Paid Time Off (PTO) for work-life balance.

• Generous Employee Discounts on Bassett Furniture products.

• Opportunity to work in a state-of-the-art showroom environment.

• Clear opportunities for career growth and advancement within the company.

Working Hours: Full-time, requiring flexibility to work weekends and holidays, typical for a retail environment. The exact daily schedule will vary based on showroom hours and client appointments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is directly provided in the "Opportunity" section. The benefits list is taken verbatim from the "Benefits" section. Working hours are inferred from "Willingness to work weekends and holidays" and the "retail environment" context, assuming a standard full-time commitment.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Furniture Retail & Manufacturing. Bassett Furniture has a long-standing heritage in the furniture industry, established in 1902, known for quality custom furniture, style, comfort, and value. They emphasize innovation in furniture retailing.

Company Size: Bassett Furniture Industries is a well-established company with a significant presence, suggesting a mid-to-large size organization. The mention of "corporate top writers" implies a structured sales organization.

Founded: 1902. This long history indicates a stable company with deep roots in craftsmanship and customer trust, while also focusing on adapting to modern retail trends.

Team Structure:

• The role operates within a retail showroom environment, likely part of a sales team led by a Sales Manager or Showroom Manager.

• Design Consultants are expected to be supportive team members, implying a collaborative sales culture.

• Cross-functional collaboration would involve showroom staff, potentially design support teams, and operations/logistics for order fulfillment. Methodology:

• Customer-Centric Sales: Emphasis on "relationship selling" and building long-term client relationships.

• Design Consultation: A structured approach to understanding client needs and translating them into design solutions.

• Product Expertise: Continuous learning of product knowledge, construction, and design trends.

• Performance Driven: A commission-based compensation structure that rewards sales achievement.

Company Website: https://www.bassettfurniture.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Company context is derived from the "What sets Bassett apart?" section and the general understanding of a furniture retail company of this age and scale. The team structure and methodology are inferred from the role's responsibilities and the company's emphasis on customer relationships and sales.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-level Sales and Design professional. It's a direct customer-facing role focused on generating revenue through design expertise and sales acumen.

Reporting Structure: Typically, a Design Consultant reports to a Sales Manager or Showroom Manager within a specific Bassett Furniture store location.

Operations Impact: Design Consultants are critical revenue drivers for Bassett Furniture. Their ability to understand customer needs, create appealing designs, and close sales directly impacts the company's top-line revenue and profitability. They are the front line of the brand, shaping customer perception and driving demand for custom furniture.

Growth Opportunities:

• Sales Leadership: Advancement into roles like Senior Design Consultant, Sales Manager, or Showroom Manager.

• Design Specialization: Potential to become a subject matter expert in specific design styles or product categories.

• Clienteling Mastery: Developing an elite client base that provides consistent, high-level income.

• Continued Learning: Opportunities for ongoing design education and certification through Bassett's programs.

• Inter-Store Transfer: Potential to relocate to other Bassett showrooms.

📝 Enhancement Note: This analysis focuses on the career path within a sales and design context, translating the "opportunity for growth and advancement" into specific roles and skill developments relevant to a retail sales environment.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: State-of-the-art retail showroom. This implies a well-designed, visually appealing, and professionally managed space that showcases Bassett's furniture collection.

Office Location(s): Greensboro, North Carolina. This specific location will be the primary work environment. The role also requires travel to customers' residences and businesses.

Workspace Context:

• Showroom Floor: The primary workspace involves engaging with customers, demonstrating products, and providing design consultations within the showroom.

• Design Consultation Areas: Dedicated spaces within the showroom for in-depth client meetings, potentially equipped with design tools, samples, and technology.

• Customer Homes/Businesses: Travel to client locations for on-site assessments and makeovers.

• Remote/Virtual Setup: Capability to conduct virtual appointments and live chats, likely requiring a dedicated workspace at home or within the showroom.

Work Schedule: A flexible, full-time schedule that includes weekends and holidays, common in retail. The schedule will be structured around showroom operating hours and client appointment availability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment is described based on "Work in a State-of-the Art Showroom" and the requirement to "drive to customers’ residences and businesses."

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a phone or video call to assess basic qualifications, passion for design, and sales aptitude.

• In-Showroom Interview: A more in-depth discussion with the Sales Manager or Showroom Manager, potentially involving a personality and sales style assessment.

• Design Challenge/Portfolio Review: Candidates may be asked to present a portfolio of their design work and/or complete a simulated design consultation or sales scenario. This is crucial for assessing design skills and sales approach.

• Final Interview: May involve meeting with other team members or higher-level management to assess cultural fit and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your design versatility, client management skills, and ability to achieve sales objectives.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the client's challenge, your design solution, the process you followed, and the successful outcome (including sales metrics if possible).

• Visual Excellence: Ensure high-quality images and clear presentations of your work. Use mood boards, renderings, or before-and-after photos effectively.

• Focus on Process: Explain your approach to client engagement, needs assessment, and problem-solving.

• Quantify Impact: If possible, include metrics related to sales conversion, average order value, or client satisfaction.

Challenge Preparation:

• Sales Scenarios: Practice handling common sales objections, asking probing questions, and presenting solutions confidently.

• Design Scenarios: Be prepared to quickly assess a hypothetical client's needs and propose initial design ideas.

• Product Knowledge: Familiarize yourself with Bassett's product range, customization options, and general furniture construction principles.

• Company Research: Understand Bassett's brand, target market, and design philosophy.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is built on standard interview practices for sales and design roles, emphasizing the importance of a portfolio and practical sales/design challenges.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• CRM System: For managing customer interactions, tracking leads, and nurturing client relationships (e.g., Salesforce, or a proprietary system used by Bassett).

• Design Software/Tools: Potentially 2D/3D rendering software, mood board creation tools, or proprietary design visualization platforms to present design concepts.

• Point of Sale (POS) System: For processing sales transactions and managing orders.

• Communication Platforms: Email, phone, and potentially video conferencing tools (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams) for virtual appointments and