Furniture Design

Overview

Maybe you enjoy working with your hands and building things, or perhaps have a keen sense of aesthetics that you’re itching to put to a practical use. Then again, maybe you dream of creating the world’s most comfortable couch. If so, furniture design could be the major for you.

In this major, your course of study will encompass the skill, theory, and context of furniture design. This means you’ll take drawing, design, and history of furniture to help develop and refine your aesthetic, while acquiring the technical knowledge needed to execute your projects. These skills include woodworking, using hand and power tools; metalworking, including welding and fabricating; finishing and veneering; and upholstering. You’ll spend much time in the studio, experimenting with techniques and materials, building models, and testing pieces.

Students of furniture design may pursue a career designing mass-produced furniture destined for retail, or may choose to design and build one-of-a-kind pieces for a more upscale clientele.