Design & Sourcing Intern — Home Staging & Vacation Rentals

Design & Sourcing Intern — Home Staging & Vacation Rentals Simply Practical | Remote Educational internship Availability: Minimum two days per week; hours arranged around academic commitments Do you enjoy putting rooms together, finding beautiful furniture and décor, and making a design work within a budget? Simply Practical is looking for a creative, detail-oriented Design & Sourcing Intern to learn directly from our owner and contribute ideas to design projects. We provide vacant home staging for Realtors and turnkey furnishing and setup for vacation and investment rentals throughout Tampa Bay. This remote internship focuses on creating designs and sourcing the items needed to bring them to life. Our approach to design We create attractive, functional spaces with a clear purpose. For vacant staging, that means highlighting a home’s features and helping buyers picture themselves living there. For rental properties, it means creating welcoming spaces that fit the owner’s budget and guests’ practical needs. We value thoughtful choices, attention to detail, and creativity that works within real budgets, timelines, and available inventory. What you’ll learn and contribute Through guided assignments and regular feedback, you will: Develop proposed room concepts, mood boards, and coordinated design presentations. Create furniture layouts using photos, measurements, and project information provided by our team. Source furniture, artwork, rugs, lighting, décor, and housewares that fit each project’s style, purpose, and budget. Compare products based on dimensions, materials, functionality, price, availability, and delivery timelines. Build organized sourcing lists and shopping trackers with product links, images, quantities, dimensions, and costs. Prepare room-by-room budgets and track how proposed selections fit the overall project budget. Find alternative selections when items are unavailable, over budget, or unsuitable. Develop staging concepts using our existing inventory and identify additional pieces needed. Help create reusable room designs and furnishing packages that can be adapted to future projects. Revise designs based on feedback and prepare clear selection guides for our installation team. Our team will provide property photos, measurements, inventory information, and project direction. All design plans, sourcing selections, and purchases will be reviewed and approved by the owner. Who would be a good fit We’re looking for someone who: Has an interest in interior design, home staging, or vacation rental furnishing. Has an eye for color, scale, layout, and how individual pieces work together. Enjoys researching products and finding attractive, practical options within a budget. Brings original ideas and can explain the reasoning behind design choices. Pays close attention to measurements, product details, quantities, and pricing. Can organize ideas into clear mood boards, presentations, and sourcing lists. Is dependable, receptive to feedback, and comfortable asking questions. Can work independently and communicate consistently in a remote setting. Has some familiarity with Canva, Google Sheets, or design software. Experience is helpful, but professional design experience is not required. A note about AI and originality We want to see your creativity, design judgment, and problem-solving skills. AI may support an approved workflow, but it should not replace your thinking or produce designs submitted as your own original work. You should be able to explain your selections, verify product information and measurements, and connect your designs to real, available products within the project budget. Please identify any AI assistance used in application samples. Learning experience and schedule You will work directly with the owner, receive feedback through two brief weekly check-ins, and develop approved work samples for your portfolio. This position is fully remote. No warehouse work, travel, or installation attendance is required. You will need access to a computer, reliable internet, and availability at least two days per week. Specific hours, learning objectives, and internship dates will be agreed upon before the placement begins, with consideration for academic commitments. This is an unpaid educational internship. Any academic credit is subject to your school’s approval. The internship does not guarantee future paid employment. How to apply Send us all six items: Your resume or a brief introduction describing your background. Why this opportunity interests you. Your weekly availability, time zone, and desired internship dates. One or two existing examples that show your eye for design. Mood boards, room layouts, sourcing boards, class assignments, and personal projects are welcome. A short explanation of your contribution to each sample and any tools, including AI, you used. Your favorite Starbucks drink! If Starbucks isn’t your thing, tell us your favorite drink instead. What to expect next We’ll review your application and work samples. If we think you could be a good fit, we’ll reach out to schedule a phone interview. If that conversation goes well, the next step will be a video interview. Please include all six items to be considered for a phone interview. We’re interested in your creativity, curiosity, and willingness to learn—not just your previous job experience.