Furniture designer
Furniture designers use their creative skills to develop products from cabinets, beds and chairs through to one-off pieces for clients.
- Starter salary£25,000 a year
- Experienced£40,000 a year
- Typical hours37 to 42 a week
What you'll do
As a furniture designer, you could:
- research and develop new design ideas
- work to a plan or 'brief' agreed with the client
- calculate costs, timings and types of materials for a job
- sketch ideas by hand or using computer-aided design (CAD) software
- make and test models and prototypes
- work with manufacturers on mass produced products
- present new pieces at industry design and trade shows
Working environment
You could work in a creative studio, from home or in a workshop.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- design skills and knowledge
- the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
- the ability to work well with your hands
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- analytical thinking skills
- knowledge of engineering science and technology
- the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
- excellent verbal communication skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
How to become a furniture designer
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
University
You could take a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:
- product and furniture design
- 3D design crafts
- interior design
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- a foundation diploma in art and design
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
College
You could do a college course in furniture design or furniture making, or a T Level in Craft and Design.
Courses like these would teach you some of the skills you'll need and could help you to get a job as a design assistant or trainee with a furniture making company.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
Apprenticeship
You may be able to apply for a place on a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, such as:
- Fitted Furniture Design Technician
- Bespoke Furniture Maker
These can take around 2 years to complete.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
Career path and progression
With experience, you could become a senior designer with a company, or specialise in a particular area, like ergonomics or bespoke designs.
You could also set up your own design consultancy.
Career tips
You'll need to create a portfolio of work to showcase your design skills to potential employers or customers.
You can go to design fairs and exhibitions to keep up to date with current trends in furniture design.
You can also follow organisations and designers that interest you on social media and through online design and craft forums.
Professional and industry bodies
You could join the Chartered Society of Designers to get access to professional development training, technical advice and information about setting up your own business.
Guides for this industry
Related roles
- Job roleFurniture maker
- Job roleFurniture restorer
- Job roleErgonomist
- Job roleProduct designer
- Job roleInterior designer
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0