Entry Level - Interior Designer/Stylist

CATHY HOBBS DESIGN RECIPES; New York (NY); On-site; USD 27,552 - 38,572; Full time

Job summary

Cathy Hobbs Design Recipes (CHDR) is seeking an ambitious, design‑minded entry-level designer for full-time field work in Manhattan and surrounding areas. You will be in the field, in the warehouse, and on staging installations, building a real portfolio and learning from an award-winning team.

You will conduct walkthroughs, develop styling plans, and lead staging on luxury homes and short-term rentals, collaborating with real estate agents and the CHDR team.

Qualifications

• Hold a degree in interior design, home products, visual merchandising, or related field.
• Willing to be active on job sites, in the warehouse, and on installs.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Live in New York City or its five boroughs.
• Comfort with furniture handling, accessory placement, and layout execution.
• Prior experience in visual merchandising or styling is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Conduct property walkthroughs with real estate agents to assess design and staging needs.
• Develop styling plans and complete pick sheets, pulling inventory from our curated warehouse.
• Lead and assist on staging installations in luxury homes, vacation properties, and short-term rentals.
• Style spaces using furniture, accessories, artwork, and an editorial eye.
• Contribute design thinking to a fast-moving, collaborative creative team.
• Support the visual documentation of our work for portfolio and social media.

Skills

Interior design

Visual merchandising

Real estate staging

Editorial eye

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor's degree in interior design or related field

Hands-on experience in design/staging

Job description

Launch your design career with one of the country's top home staging firms. If you are a recent interior design graduate looking for a full-time role where you will design, style, build a real portfolio, and learn directly from an award‑winning team, this is it! Cathy Hobbs Design Recipes (CHDR) is one of the most recognized home staging brands in the country, consistently ranked among the Top 10 nationally and Top 5 in Manhattan. We stage and style vacant luxury real estate for top agents throughout Manhattan and the immediate surrounding areas, and we also design vacation homes and short‑term rentals.

Who We Are Looking For:

An ambitious, dependable, and polished emerging designer with a genuine passion for interior design, visual merchandising, and real estate staging. You have the education of a designer and the instincts of a stylist. You love to roll up your sleeves, thrive in a fast‑paced creative environment, and are eager to learn directly from top‑tier professionals.

This is not a desk job.

You will be in the field, in the warehouse, and on staging installations in some of the most beautiful properties in Manhattan.

What You Will Do:

• Conduct property walkthroughs with real estate agents to assess design and staging needs.
• Develop styling plans and complete pick sheets, pulling inventory from our curated warehouse.
• Lead and assist on staging installations in luxury homes, vacation properties, and short‑term rentals.
• Style spaces using furniture, accessories, artwork, and an editorial eye.
• Contribute design thinking to a fast‑moving, collaborative creative team.
• Support the visual documentation of our work for portfolio and social media.

You Might Be a Great Fit If You:

• Hold a degree in interior design, home products, visual merchandising, or a related field, or bring hands‑on experience that shows the same eye and instincts.
• Are excited to be physically active on job sites, in the warehouse, and at installs.
• Bring strong organizational and communication skills.
• Can take direction and also show initiative independently.
• Work well under pressure as part of a team.
• Live in New York City, one of the five boroughs.
• Are comfortable with furniture handling, accessory placement, and layout execution.
• A plus, but not required: prior experience in visual merchandising or styling, especially in home decor. Candidates with this background will receive elevated consideration.

Why This Role Is Different:

From day one, you will be a core part of real projects, leading walkthroughs, pulling inventory, styling installs, and learning from one of the most respected staging teams in the country. Your work will photograph beautifully and go to market immediately, which means you will build a professional portfolio faster here than almost anywhere else. There is genuine room to grow into more senior design roles as we expand.

Compensation And Details:

• Full‑time, entry level, $24.00 per hour.
• Monday through Friday. Staging days in Manhattan, plus work‑from‑home days when not on site.
• Occasional days at our headquarters, Highland Passive House, the first multi‑use Passive House Certified warehouse in North America, a brand new design center set on four acres in The Hudson Valley. Typically once a week, with round‑trip transportation provided.
• Candidates must live within the five boroughs of New York City and be authorized to work in the United States long term without visa sponsorship.

How To Apply:

A cover letter is required. Tell us why you are excited about staging and design and what you would bring to the team. Applications without a cover letter will not be reviewed. We read every cover letter we receive, and it is the best way to stand out.

Learn more at www.cathyhobbs.com.