Furniture designer

Furniture designers create designs for mass-produced or handcrafted furniture products.

Work activities

Furniture designers create designs for mass-produced or handcrafted furniture products. The most common products they design are those that are found in homes and offices, such as chairs, tables and bookcases. Furniture designers normally work to a brief, given by a client. The designer discusses this with the client, deciding on which type of furniture they need, its function, which type of person the product would appeal to and the budget available. To produce the finished item, the designer-craftworker often uses traditional craft methods. They use a range of equipment, such as hand tools, lathes, and machine saws, using techniques such as veneering, wood turning and carving.

Personal qualities and skills

As a furniture designer, you need:

Creative and artistic skills.
Flexibility to adapt designs to suit clients’ needs.
An understanding of production processes.
An understanding of the different materials you might use to make furniture products.
The ability to change ideas into a three-dimensional design.
To work to deadlines and budgets.
To keep up to date with changes in design and furniture technology.
Knowledge of design-related software.
Self-employed or freelance furniture designers will need business and marketing skills.

Pay and opportunities

Pay rates for furniture designers vary with employer and responsibilities. The pay rates given are approximate. Furniture designers earn in the range of £20,000 - £38,000 a year.

Self-employed designer-craftworkers are likely to earn at the lower end of the range, especially when they start out. Some designers negotiate royalties for their designs with manufacturers. Self-employed furniture designers experience more fluctuation in their incomes, and generally earn a lower figure overall.

Furniture designers usually work a basic 40-42-hour week, Monday to Friday. Working hours for self-employed designers may be irregular, depending on how much work they have. However, late finishes and weekend work may be required from time to time, especially as deadlines approach.

Employers include firms involved in large-scale furniture production. They may employ furniture designers as part of an in-house design team, or as freelance designers. Other opportunities can be found with design consultancies where designers work with other professionals in related fields, for example, interior designers and architects. Opportunities for furniture designers occur with employers in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Self-employment opportunities occur for furniture designers to become self-employed, working in consultancy and fixed-term contract work, or to set up as designer craftworkers and work from home, a shared studio or a workshop. The ability for individuals to promote their work online via the internet means location is less important for self-employed designers.

What’s happening in this work area?

The craft industry is a tough one to break into. This is due to the large number of craftworkers operating in the same, often small and localised, marketplaces. E-commerce, where products are marketed and sold online, is a key way of selling products. IT skills are becoming increasingly important. Competition for furniture design posts is strong, as there are often more applicants than vacancies.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in design industry magazines/journals, on all the major job boards, and on the Government’s Find a Job service. It’s a good idea to build up a network of relevant contacts, as not all design jobs are advertised. Making speculative job applications can also be effective.

Entry routes and training

An apprenticeship is a great place to start. Options include:

Fitted furniture design technician (level 3 / advanced)
New furniture product developer (level 3 / advanced)

Another common route into this career is via a foundation course in art and design followed by a degree, HNC, HND or foundation degree in a subject like furniture design or three-dimensional design (of which furniture design is an option).

Some of your training will be on-the-job.

Many designers become self-employed. With training and experience, it may be possible to move into managerial positions.

Qualifications

If you wish to enter this career through an advanced apprenticeship, you will need GCSEs in English and maths, although you may be able to complete these alongside your programme.

The usual entry requirements for a relevant foundation course are:

One to two A-levels. You’ll need an A-level in art or in an art-based subject.
GCSEs at grades 9-4 in four to five subjects. Some courses ask that you have a pass in English.
A BTEC level 3 National diploma in art and design.
International Baccalaureate (IB 0 diploma.

Many other qualifications are also accepted so check prospectuses for more details. The entry requirements for relevant HNCs, HNDs and foundation degrees are similar to those needed for the Foundation course mentioned above. If you go on to a degree directly, you’ll usually need:

Two or more A levels. Many courses ask that you have at least a B grade in an art-based subject.
Four to five GCSEs at grades 9-4. A pass in English is often required.

To enter any course in art and design, you’ll need a portfolio of your work.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Skills gained as an assistant in a design studio or workshop are valued. Commercial awareness and an understanding of the furniture manufacturing industry are an advantage. To enter the work or relevant courses, you need to have a portfolio of work showing your creative ability.

If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access course (e.g. Access to Art and Design) could be the way in. No formal qualifications are usually required, but you should check individual course details. A range of colleges and universities offer degrees in Furniture Design (and Manufacture), including at Master’s level. Study can be full or part time/flexible. Some courses have been developed in partnership with industry.

The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers offers training opportunities in the form of short tours and courses for design, manufacturing and retail newcomers to the industry. Applications are made via company or academic departments.

The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust offers grants, scholarships and Apprenticeship support to people wishing to set up craft/design businesses.

Related careers

Design assistant
Designer
Ergonomist
Furniture maker
Interior/exhibition designer
Product designer
Textile designer
Upholsterer