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Studies & Degrees in Furniture Design

Furniture design is the design of chairs, tables, storage, beds and other furniture for homes, workplaces and public spaces. A designer works on a single commissioned piece, a small series or a product for volume manufacture. The work joins two things: the idea of the object and the knowledge of how it can be built.

Courses follow the design process from start to finish. Students research and develop a concept, study the relationship between form, function, ergonomics, materials and construction, draw by hand and with CAD and 3D modelling software, and build models and prototypes. Workshop practice in woodworking and joinery is central to vocational courses, while degree-level programmes give more room to research, design history and production methods.

Qualifications and levels

Furniture design is taught at several levels, and course length runs from a few weeks to four years.

  • Short courses. The Florence Institute of Design International (FIDI) runs a four-week summer course in furniture design in Florence, taught in English. No previous furniture design experience is required.
  • Vocational training. In Australia, Holmesglen offers the Certificate IV in Furniture Design and Manufacturing, one year full-time at its Chadstone campus; it combines design theory with training in furniture production, CAD and machine operation. In Canada, the Fine Furniture/Joinery Trades Foundation certificate of Camosun College lasts 40 weeks at the Interurban campus in Victoria. Both course pages state that the course is not open to international students.
  • Vocational training in Spain. The official qualification is the Técnico Superior en Diseño y Amueblamiento, a higher-level vocational training (FP) course of 2,000 hours in the wood, furniture and cork family. Students learn to prepare furniture design proposals, produce the technical design and manage production, and part of the course is spent in a company.
  • Bachelor's level. Furniture is usually a specialism inside a product, industrial or interior design degree. In Spain, higher arts education in design is organised in four academic years of 60 credits each, 240 credits in total, with specialities in graphic, product, interior and fashion design. IED lists furniture designer among the professional profiles of its interior, product and mobility design area.
  • Master's level. FIDI offers a one-year Master of Furniture Design, taught entirely in English, with technical instruction in Rhinoceros and 3D printing. Admission in most cases requires a degree in interior design, architecture or industrial design.

Private design schools award different kinds of qualification. Before enrolling, ask the school what recognition its qualification has in the country where it is taught and in your own country.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists eight schools for furniture design: three in Spain, two in the United Kingdom and one each in Australia, Canada and Italy. In Spain these are IED Madrid, Centro Superior de Diseño; IADE Institución Artística de Enseñanza, also in Madrid; and Marbella Design Academy in Monda, in the province of Málaga. Abroad the list includes London Metropolitan University and the University of Kent in the United Kingdom, The Florence Institute of Design International in Italy, Camosun College in Canada and Holmesglen in Australia.

Courses in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia are taught in English, and FIDI in Florence also teaches in English. In Spain the language depends on the school and the programme, so check it on the course page.

Careers

Graduates work for furniture manufacturers, design studios, interior design and architecture practices, or on their own account with their own collections. Holmesglen names fine furniture maker, furniture designer, furniture producer, cabinetmaker and CAD designer as career options. FIDI lists furniture designer, product designer, design consultant, 3D specialist, prototype developer and production coordinator. The Spanish vocational qualification leads to jobs such as furniture draughtsperson, product development technician and technical office supervisor in joinery and furniture companies.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics counts furniture designers within industrial designers. It projects employment of industrial designers to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, slower than the average for all occupations, and notes that they typically need a bachelor's degree and a portfolio of design projects. These figures refer to the United States only.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a degree to become a furniture designer?

Not always. There are vocational routes, such as the 2,000-hour Técnico Superior en Diseño y Amueblamiento in Spain, and degree routes through product or interior design. For industrial design jobs in the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says a bachelor's degree and a portfolio are typically needed.

How long does a furniture design course take?

From four weeks for a summer course to four years for a degree-level design course. One-year options include the Certificate IV at Holmesglen and the Master of Furniture Design at FIDI.

Can I study furniture design in English in Italy?

Yes. The Florence Institute of Design International teaches its four-week summer course and its one-year Master of Furniture Design entirely in English.

What is the official furniture design qualification in Spanish vocational training?

It is the Técnico Superior en Diseño y Amueblamiento, a higher-level FP course of 2,000 hours that includes a training period in a company.