DESIGN CONSULTANT

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Consultant

Company: Bassett Furniture

Location: Mason, Ohio, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Sales / Art & Design / Retail

Date Posted: February 11, 2026

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

Remote Status: On-site

Working Hours: 40 hours/week

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on driving revenue through expert interior design consultations and relationship-based selling within a retail showroom environment.

• Key involvement in leveraging design trends and furniture product knowledge to create personalized customer solutions and foster long-term client relationships.

• Emphasis on achieving and exceeding sales targets through a commission-based compensation structure, requiring a high degree of self-motivation and sales acumen.

• Opportunity to work with a recognized brand in the furniture industry, offering comprehensive training in product, sales techniques, and design skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Design Consultant," the core responsibilities and requirements clearly indicate a sales-focused role within interior design and furniture retail. The emphasis on sales goals, commission, and "relationship selling" positions this as a sales professional with a strong design aptitude, rather than a pure design consultant or operations role. Therefore, it's categorized under Sales/Art & Design/Retail.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

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

• Utilize comprehensive knowledge of furniture construction, materials, and current design trends to recommend and present tailored product and design solutions.

• Build and nurture a strong base of loyal clients through proactive outreach, personalized service, and by effectively leveraging Bassett's complimentary design services.

• Maximize selling opportunities by employing "relationship selling" techniques, including in-home or virtual makeovers and consultations.

• Consistently meet or exceed established sales goals and revenue targets within a commissioned sales environment.

• Maintain a polished and professional image, reflecting the brand's commitment to quality and style in all customer interactions.

• Engage with customers through various channels, including in-showroom appointments, virtual consultations, and live chats, to drive sales and customer satisfaction.

• Collaborate with team members to foster a supportive and high-performing sales environment within the retail showroom.

📝 Enhancement Note: The original description highlights "design process" and "makeovers" as key activities. These are interpreted as practical applications of design skills to drive sales, rather than purely aesthetic or operational tasks. The responsibilities are structured to reflect a sales cycle, from initial customer engagement to closing the sale and building long-term relationships.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• While no specific degree is mandated, a background or strong interest in Interior Design, Merchandising, or a related creative field is highly beneficial.

Experience:

• Proven track record of success in sales, demonstrating the ability to meet or exceed sales goals.

• Experience in a retail sales environment, particularly with high-ticket items or custom products, is advantageous.

Required Skills:

• Passion for Interior Design: A genuine enthusiasm for aesthetics, color, texture, and creating appealing living spaces.

• Exceptional Selling Skills: Proven ability to drive sales, meet quotas, and excel in a commission-based compensation structure.

• Strong Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Ability to articulate design concepts, listen effectively to customer needs, and build rapport.

• Clientele Development: Proactive approach to identifying, engaging, and cultivating a loyal customer base.

• Computer Proficiency: Comfort with using technology for virtual appointments, communication, and potentially CRM or design software.

• Adaptability: Ability to thrive in a dynamic retail environment and adjust to varied customer paces and needs.

• Problem-Solving: Skill in translating customer wants into practical and desirable design choices.

Preferred Skills:

• Color and Texture Coordination: A discerning eye for harmonizing colors, patterns, and materials to create cohesive designs.

• Furniture Construction Knowledge: Understanding of furniture quality, materials, and build processes enhances credibility with customers.

• Virtual Appointment & Live Chat Proficiency: Experience conducting sales and consultations remotely.

• Self-Motivation & Drive: Innate desire to achieve sales targets and build a successful career independently.

• Polished Professional Image: Maintaining a refined appearance that aligns with a premium furniture brand.

📝 Enhancement Note: The raw input provided a list of "Job Qualifications" and "Job Requirements." These have been categorized and refined into "Required Skills" and "Preferred Skills" for clarity, focusing on the actionable abilities and aptitudes needed for success in this sales-driven design role. Emphasis is placed on sales performance and customer interaction, as these are critical for a commissioned position.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Sales Track Record Documentation: Evidence of consistently meeting or exceeding sales targets, potentially through anonymized performance metrics or case studies of successful sales cycles.

• Design Consultation Case Studies: Examples demonstrating the ability to translate customer needs and preferences into tangible design proposals and successful sales outcomes.

• Clientele Relationship Management Examples: Showcase strategies or examples of how long-term customer relationships were built and maintained, leading to repeat business or referrals.

• Visual Presentation Examples: Showcase of how design ideas were presented to clients, whether through mood boards, sketches, digital renderings, or product selections.

Process Documentation:

• Needs Assessment Workflow: Illustrate the process of engaging with a new client, identifying their requirements, and understanding their budget and lifestyle.

• Design Proposal Process: Outline the steps taken from initial consultation to presenting a finalized design solution and product selection.

• Sales Conversion Process: Detail the approach used to guide a client through the sales cycle, from initial interest to closing the sale and post-sale follow-up.

📝 Enhancement Note: As this is a sales-focused role, a traditional "operations portfolio" focusing on system implementation or process optimization is not expected. Instead, the portfolio should emphasize sales achievements and design consultation capabilities. The "Process Documentation" section is framed around the sales and design journey of a client.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Estimated Base Potential: While the role is primarily commission-based, a foundational salary or draw may be offered, especially during the initial training period. However, the primary earning potential is through commission.

• Commission Earnings: The company states that potential income for experienced Design Consultants averages $70,000-$105,000 per year. Top performers can earn up to $135,000 per year. This is based on written business and commission.

Benefits:

• Paid Training: Comprehensive onboarding and ongoing training programs are provided.

• Health Insurance: Includes Health, Dental, and Vision coverage options.

• Disability Insurance: Coverage for income protection in case of disability.

• Life Insurance: Financial support for beneficiaries.

• 401(k) Plan: Retirement savings plan with potential company match.

• Tuition Assistance: Support for continued education and professional development.

• Paid Time Off (PTO): Accrued leave for vacation, sick days, and personal needs.

• Generous Employee Discounts: Significant discounts on Bassett Furniture products.

• State-of-the-Art Showroom: Work environment in a modern and well-equipped retail space.

• Opportunity for Growth: Potential for career advancement within the company.

Working Hours:

• Full-time position, typically 40 hours per week.

• Requires flexibility to work weekends and holidays, as is common in retail environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is directly from the job description and is commission-driven. The benefits listed are also directly extracted and presented in a clear, bulleted format. The working hours are specified as requiring weekend and holiday availability, which is crucial for candidates to understand.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Furniture Retail / Home Furnishings / Interior Design Services. Bassett Furniture operates in a competitive market, emphasizing quality, customization, and customer experience to differentiate itself.

Company Size: Bassett Furniture is a well-established company with a significant retail footprint across the US. While the exact number of employees in the Mason, OH location isn't specified, the company operates numerous showrooms, suggesting a mid-to-large enterprise structure. This offers stability and resources for its employees.

Founded: 1902. With over a century of history, Bassett Furniture has a strong heritage and deep-rooted understanding of craftsmanship and customer trust. This longevity indicates a stable business model and a commitment to long-term success, while also highlighting a focus on innovation to remain relevant.

Team Structure:

• Showroom Team: Design Consultants work within a retail showroom, likely reporting to a Showroom Manager or Sales Manager.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: While primarily a sales role, Design Consultants will collaborate with showroom staff, potentially delivery coordination teams, and corporate support for training and marketing initiatives.

• Client-Centric Focus: The team culture is expected to be highly customer-focused, with an emphasis on collaborative selling and shared success in achieving showroom targets.

Methodology:

• Relationship Selling: The core sales methodology emphasizes building long-term customer connections over transactional sales.

• Design Consultation: A structured approach to understanding and fulfilling customer design needs through personalized service.

• Data-Driven Insights (Implied): While not explicitly stated for this role, success in sales and client management inherently requires tracking customer interactions, sales performance, and utilizing product knowledge effectively.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Information about the company's history, industry, and implied structure is synthesized to provide context for the role. The "Methodology" section focuses on the sales and design approach described in the job posting.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents an entry to mid-level position within a retail sales and design career path. It is foundational for individuals aspiring to build a career in sales, customer relationship management, and interior design within the furniture industry.

Reporting Structure: Design Consultants typically report to a Showroom Manager or Sales Manager, who oversees daily operations, sales performance, and team development.

Operations Impact: The direct impact of this role is on revenue generation for the specific showroom and the company as a whole. Successful Design Consultants contribute significantly to the company's sales figures, brand reputation, and customer loyalty through their design expertise and sales effectiveness.

Growth Opportunities:

• Senior Design Consultant/Sales Specialist: Advancement to roles with higher earning potential, potentially specializing in a particular product line or client segment.

• Showroom Management: Progression into leadership roles such as Assistant Showroom Manager or Showroom Manager, overseeing team performance and store operations.

• Design Certification and Specialization: Deepening expertise through ongoing training and potentially becoming a certified interior designer within the Bassett framework.

• Corporate Opportunities: Potential to move into roles within sales training, product development, or marketing, leveraging their front-line sales and design experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: This analysis focuses on career progression within a retail sales and design context, as the role is not a traditional "operations" role. The growth paths are framed around increasing sales responsibility, leadership, and specialization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an on-site role within a retail showroom environment. The workspace is designed to showcase furniture and interior design concepts, providing an inspiring and interactive setting for customers and consultants.

Office Location(s): The role is for a new Cincinnati location opening in Spring 2026, specifically in Mason, Ohio. This implies a modern, potentially custom-designed showroom space.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Showroom: The environment encourages interaction with clients and potentially other sales associates, fostering a team-oriented sales culture.

• Product-Rich Environment: Consultants will be surrounded by a wide range of furniture and decor, providing ample resources for design inspiration and client presentations.

• Customer-Facing: The role is inherently customer-facing, requiring a professional and welcoming demeanor at all times.

• Technology Integration: Consultants will utilize computer systems for appointments, client management, and potentially design visualization tools.

Work Schedule: The schedule is flexible but requires availability on weekends and holidays to accommodate customer shopping patterns. This is typical for retail sales positions focused on maximizing customer engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description of the work environment is tailored to a retail showroom setting, emphasizing customer interaction, product immersion, and the need for weekend availability.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application and resume to assess suitability based on sales experience, design passion, and qualifications.

• First Interview: Likely a conversation with a hiring manager (e.g., Showroom Manager) to discuss your background, sales philosophy, design aptitude, and cultural fit. Be prepared to articulate your passion for design and your sales approach.

• Skills Assessment/Role Play: Potential for a scenario where you demonstrate your sales and design consultation skills, perhaps by presenting a design concept or handling a customer objection.

• Final Interview: May involve meeting with additional management or a panel to discuss career aspirations and long-term potential within Bassett Furniture.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Sales Achievements: Quantify your sales success with specific numbers, percentages, and achievement of quotas. Use metrics like average sale value, conversion rates, and year-over-year growth.

• Showcase Design Process: Include examples of how you've translated client needs into design solutions. This could involve before-and-after photos of client spaces (with permission), mood boards, or concept sketches.

• Demonstrate Client Relationship Building: Provide examples or testimonials that illustrate your ability to build rapport and foster long-term customer loyalty.

• Tailor to Bassett: Research Bassett's style and brand identity. Showcase projects or concepts that align with their aesthetic and product offerings.

• Conciseness and Clarity: Present your portfolio in a clear, organized, and visually appealing manner. Focus on quality over quantity.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Challenge: Be ready to create a simple room design based on a hypothetical client brief, articulating your choices for furniture, color, and layout.

• Sales Scenario: Prepare to role-play a sales interaction, demonstrating your ability to engage a customer, identify needs, present solutions, and close the sale.

• Objection Handling: Practice responding to common customer objections regarding price, style, or decision-making.

• Product Knowledge Application: Be prepared to discuss how you would learn and apply knowledge of Bassett's product lines to customer needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview and portfolio review sections are adapted for a sales-consultant role, focusing on sales performance, design presentation, and client interaction rather than traditional operations metrics.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• CRM System: Likely a proprietary or industry-standard CRM (e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics) for managing customer interactions, tracking leads, and monitoring sales pipelines.

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

• Design Software/Tools: Potentially specialized interior design software or visualization tools for creating room layouts, selecting furniture, and presenting design concepts to clients. This could include CAD software, 3D rendering tools, or digital mood board creation platforms.

• Communication Platforms: Email clients (e.g., Outlook, Gmail), internal messaging tools, and potentially video conferencing software (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams) for virtual appointments and team communication.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Sales Performance Dashboards: Tools for tracking individual and showroom sales metrics, conversion rates, average transaction values, and commission earnings.

• Customer Data Analysis: Utilizing CRM data to understand customer preferences, purchase history, and identify opportunities for upselling or cross-selling.

CRM & Automation:

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Essential for managing client profiles, sales activities, and follow-up communications.

• Order Management Systems: For processing and tracking customer orders from placement through delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is inferred based on the requirements of a modern retail sales role that involves design consultation, customer relationship management, and potentially virtual interactions.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Centricity: A paramount value focused on understanding and exceeding customer expectations in design and service.

• Passion for Design: A deep appreciation for aesthetics, trends, and the ability to translate them into tangible client solutions.

• Sales Excellence: A commitment to achieving and surpassing sales targets through effective strategies and client engagement.

• Teamwork & Collaboration: A supportive environment where associates work together to achieve showroom goals and share best practices.

• Integrity & Professionalism: Maintaining high ethical standards and a polished demeanor in all interactions.

• Continuous Learning: An emphasis on ongoing professional development in product knowledge, design skills, and sales techniques.

Collaboration Style:

• Client-Focused Teamwork: Associates likely collaborate to ensure a seamless customer experience, from initial consultation to post-purchase follow-up.

• Shared Sales Goals: A collective effort towards achieving overall showroom sales targets, with individuals contributing to the team's success.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouragement for experienced consultants to mentor newer team members, sharing insights on design, sales techniques, and client management.

📝 Enhancement Note: Company values are inferred from the job description's emphasis on design passion, sales drive, customer relationships, and the overall brand ethos.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Commission-Based Income Volatility: The inherent challenge of a commission structure is income fluctuation based on sales performance.

• Meeting Sales Quotas: Consistently achieving or exceeding sales targets requires persistent effort, effective sales strategies, and strong client acquisition.

• Balancing Design and Sales: Effectively integrating creative design consultation with the direct objective of closing sales.

• Customer Needs Alignment: Accurately interpreting diverse customer tastes, lifestyles, and budgets to provide satisfying design solutions.

• Staying Ahead of Trends: Continuously updating knowledge of furniture design, color palettes, and material trends.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Comprehensive Training Programs: Access to extensive online and in-person training covering product knowledge, sales techniques, and design principles.

• Interior Design Certification: Opportunity to earn a professional design certification through Bassett's structured programs.

• Mentorship and Coaching: One-on-one coaching from experienced managers and sales professionals.

• Exposure to Diverse Clientele: Working with a wide range of customers provides continuous learning in understanding different needs and preferences.

• Career Advancement: Clear pathways for growth into senior sales roles or management positions within the company.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges are framed around the realities of a retail sales role, particularly one with a commission structure and design focus. Growth opportunities are tied to skill development and career progression within the furniture retail industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you successfully helped a customer achieve their dream room. What was your process?" (Focus on needs assessment, design solution, and sales outcome.)

• "How do you approach building long-term relationships with clients beyond a single sale?" (Highlight follow-up, personalized service, and loyalty-building strategies.)

• "Imagine a client is hesitant about a particular design choice or price point. How would you handle that objection?" (Demonstrate active listening, empathy, and persuasive communication.)

• "What are your favorite current interior design trends, and how would you incorporate them into a client's home?" (Showcase your design knowledge and ability to apply trends practically.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Bassett Furniture's history and brand values?" (Research their heritage, commitment to quality, and customer-centric approach.)

• "How do you see yourself contributing to our showroom's team environment and sales culture?" (Align your collaborative style with their team-oriented values.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: For each portfolio piece, tell a story: the client's challenge, your design solution, the sales process, and the successful outcome.

• Quantify Results: Wherever possible, use numbers to demonstrate impact (e.g., "increased client satisfaction by X%", "closed Y% of presented designs").

• Focus on Process: Clearly articulate the steps you took from initial consultation to final sale, highlighting your consultation and sales skills.

• Visual Appeal: Ensure your portfolio is visually engaging, using high-quality images of your work.

• Conciseness: Be prepared to present your most impactful examples efficiently, respecting the interviewer's time.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation advice is tailored to a sales and design role, focusing on demonstrating sales acumen, design expertise, and customer relationship skills, along with aligning with the company's brand and values.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Consultant position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Dayforce portal.

• Curate Your Sales & Design Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that showcase your ability to consult, design, and drive sales. Prioritize examples that align with Bassett's style and demonstrate measurable success (e.g., high customer satisfaction, significant sales conversion).

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight quantifiable sales achievements, customer relationship management experience, and any design-related skills or training. Use keywords from the job description such as "Interior Design," "Relationship Selling," "Sales Goals," and "Clientele Building."

• Prepare Your 'Why': Be ready to articulate clearly why you are passionate about interior design, why you want to work for Bassett Furniture specifically, and how your skills align with the requirements of this role.

• Research Bassett: Familiarize yourself with Bassett's product lines, design aesthetic, company history, and values. This will be crucial for demonstrating your interest and fit during interviews.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.