Interior Designer Cover Letter: Writing Guide and Samples

Interior designers are a vital link to the construction process and are responsible for designing and remodeling interior spaces. Interior design requires an extensive knowledge base that not only includes a deep and nuanced understanding of color, light, and texture, but an experienced hand in design software such as AutoCAD, floor planning software, and Adobe Illustrator, to name a few. 

Given the technical complexity of the job, interior designers often undergo a highly competitive application process, with successful candidates displaying a diverse set of technical and transferable skills. 

If you are thinking of pursuing a career in interior design, submitting an engaging interior designer cover letter when submitting your resume via email can greatly boost your application package. An interior designer cover letter is a personalized introduction of yourself and your qualifications and serves to convince a hiring manager that you have the potential to succeed in the position you are applying for.

If you are looking to write an eye-catching interior designer cover letter, look no further! This article will take a deep look into interior designer cover letters and will give you the tips and tricks you need to take your interior designer cover letter to the next level!

Your interior designer cover letter can be submitted in two ways: as a standard cover letter or as an email. These interior designer cover letter examples will demonstrate both.

Interior Designer Cover Letter Sample

Interior Design Internship Cover Letter

Now that you have seen some examples of cover letters for interior design positions, let’s take a look at the sections of an interior designer cover letter! This section will break down an interior designer cover letter into 5-easy to follow steps! Make sure to learn how to write an interior design resume and how to make a interior design portfolio beforehand!

Address the hiring manager directly.

Start your interior designer cover letter on the right foot! Your interior designer cover letter should be tailored to the hiring manager (and company) you are writing to. 

Find out the name of the hiring manager so you can personally address them when you write your interior designer cover letter. The hiring manager will be more likely to have a good first impression of you if they see that you take the time to personally address your cover letter to them as it is indicative of your care and attention to detail. 

You can opt for the standard “Dear, [hiring manager’s name]” when writing your interior designer cover letter. Be sure to avoid informal salutations such as “Hi,” or “Hey”! 

Start with an engaging opening line.

The opening line and paragraph of your interior designer cover letter set the mood and pace for the entire letter. A strong opening to your interior designer cover letter will hook the hiring manager’s attention and encourage them to continue reading. 

The opening of your interior designer cover letter should provide a brief self-introduction and your motivation for writing. You can also introduce your level of experience and how your skills and qualifications are a good fit for the company. 

Here is an example of an engaging opening line to a creative interior designer cover letter:

Outline your relevant skills & experiences.

The body section of your interior designer cover letter can either secure or sink your chances of receiving an interview. In this section of your interior design cover letter, provide a detailed outline of your relevant skills, work experience, and qualifications. 

It is important to remember the difference between your interior designer cover letter and resume. Whereas a resume is essentially a list of your accomplishments, a cover letter delves deeper into your relevant skills and experiences and sheds more light on them. 

The engagement of your interior designer cover letter can be greatly increased through the inclusion of measurable metrics and statistics that back up your achievements. Including metrics in your interior designer cover letter lends credibility to your accomplishments and draws the attention of the hiring manager where you want it to be!

Here is an excerpt of a cover letter for an interior designer that displays quantifiable achievements attractively:

Finish with an invitation and mention your attachments.

Close off your interior designer cover letter by thanking the hiring manager for reading your letter, mentioning the documents you are attaching with your application, and including a call to action. 

A call to action is a statement of your interest in moving forward with the application process. It is a good addition to your interior designer cover letter because it shows that you are both proactive and genuinely interested in the position. 

Here is an example of a strong closing from an entry-level interior designer cover letter:

Remember to attach the required documents.

You could have written the best interior designer cover letter the world has ever seen, and you would still miss out on a job if you forget to attach your resume! You should not only proofread your interior designer cover letter after writing but also ensure that all external documents are in order. 

Here are some documents that you should include alongside your interior designer cover letter when applying for a job:

• Resume: Your resume is a representation of your educational background, work experiences, and skill set. If nothing else, your resume should be submitted as part of a job application. 
• Portfolio: For creative professionals such as interior designers, a portfolio is a great way to represent your professional work comprehensively. You can attach your portfolio alongside your interior designer cover letter in an application as a way to provide supplemental information for the hiring manager to evaluate you. 
  

Let’s take your interior designer cover letter to the next level! These interior designer cover letter tips will boost the engagement of your cover letter and will greatly increase its readability. 

💡 Show your relevant interior design skills.

Including relevant skills in your interior designer cover letter is a great way to add credibility to your qualifications. It is generally a good idea to evenly distribute your skills throughout your cover letter to avoid sounding like a resume list of skills!

Here are some key interior designer skills that you can include in your interior designer cover letter:

💡 Be brief and direct in your writing.

While maintaining a professional tone in your interior designer cover letter is important, avoid using overly complex words and beating around the bush when explaining things.

Hiring managers need to parse through hundreds, if not thousands, of applications for the same position. If your interior designer cover letter is too hard or confusing to read, the hiring manager may just skip your application entirely!

💡 Use proper formatting.

Pay keen attention to the page format of your interior designer cover letter. Interior designer cover letters follow the standard cover letter format and include the following specifications:

• Font size: 11 or 12 pt.; font color: black
• Line spacing: 1.15 or 1.5
• 1- inch page margins
• A4 paper
  

Maintaining the proper interior designer cover letter shows the hiring manager your attention to detail, so make sure you stick to it!

💡 Align your career goals with the company’s goals.

To increase the appeal of your interior designer cover letter to the company you are applying to, you must first understand what the company is specifically looking for in successful applications. One of the main responsibilities of a hiring manager is to seek out applicants who fit the company qualification requirements AND display an interest in developing alongside the company. 

You can greatly increase your interior designer cover letter’s appeal by simply mentioning the company’s goals and how they align with your own! 

💡 Highlight certifications and other forms of training.

This tip is particularly relevant for those writing an interior designer cover letter with no experience. Interior designer cover letters without experience need to replace experience as a validator of your candidacy for the job. In its place, you can shift the focus of your interior designer cover letter to the national certifications, experiences during your academic life, and other forms of training you may possess. 

Writing an engaging interior designer cover letter is a challenging task, but one well worth the time. A well-written interior designer cover letter can boost your job application package above your competition and can very well make the difference between your application’s acceptance and rejection. 

Let's quickly recap what we have learned about interior designer cover letters:

• Your interior designer cover letter should be tailored to the company and position you are applying to. Hiring managers need to see that you are a good professional and personality fit for the position and company
• You can boost the engagement of your interior designer cover letter by including relevant soft and hard skills when discussing your professional accomplishments. 
• Your interior designer cover letter should be submitted alongside your resume and portfolio

And there you have it! You should now be well on your way to writing a killer interior designer cover letter that will knock the socks off of the hiring manager that reads it! Best of luck!

— Originally written by Alexander Coye —