Furniture designer job profile

As a furniture designer you may just be involved in the design aspect of the work, or you could be a highly-skilled craftsperson producing items from your own designs

You'll either work alone or alongside colleagues, creating concepts and designs that balance innovative design, functional requirements and aesthetic appeal.

Responsibilities

Your work activities as a furniture designer will vary according to whether you are self-employed working alone or with one or two other craftspeople or employed by a manufacturing company, with a group of experienced furniture designers.

You may need to:

study, research and plan various styles of furniture design
find ways to improve furniture items already manufactured
stay informed about design trends and developments
select suitable materials, which might include wood, metal, plastic and textiles
discuss designs with clients for custom ordering or with manufacturers
generate sample designs using computer-aided design (CAD), card models, sketches or hard prototypes
use software packages such as AutoCAD, Woodwork for Inventor, SOLIDWORKS and Photoshop
prepare detailed final designs
liaise with craftsmen or production department staff (such as production managers, marketing staff and design engineers) about the process of construction or manufacture
evaluate issues such as pricing and fixing costs, fashion, purchasing, safety, materials and manufacturing methods and techniques
use various tools to complete projects from raw materials to finished furniture items
organise plans and schedules with respect to the availability of resources
attend workshops, seminars and training on various types of manufacturing and furniture design.

If you're a self-employed designer, you'll need to allocate a portion of your time to marketing and business administration, as well as promoting yourself through advertising your services or attending furnishing fairs and exhibitions.

Many designers have a natural interest in associated fields of design and may spend time on collaborative projects, working with theatre set designers or retail interior designers, for example.

Salary

Pay rates vary depending on where you work, the size of the company or organisation and the demand for the job. You might work for a large manufacturing firm, a small family business or a design company doing work for several manufacturing firms.

When starting out, you can expect to earn between £18,000 and £25,000.
With some experience, you can earn around £30,000.
Furniture designers with several years' experience can earn £40,000 or more.

Earning potential can rise considerably for well-known, independent designers. Some designers negotiate royalties for their designs with manufacturers.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

Working for an organisation will usually mean a full-time week from 9am to 5.30pm, with some flexibility to work extra hours if required.

Working hours for self-employed designers may be irregular and flexibility is essential. Late finishes and weekend work may be required when deadlines approach.

Part-time work is possible for established designers.

What to expect

A lot of your time will be spent in a design studio or workshop, but you may have to travel to visit clients and suppliers, and to attend meetings and trade shows.
If you're a self-employed designer, you could share a workshop with other designers to help reduce costs.
The proportion of women in the profession is rising as more women take furniture and industrial design-based courses.
Manufacturers and design consultancies are found throughout the UK and Europe.
Travel within a working day, overnight absence from home, and overseas work or travel may occasionally be required, depending on your choice of market and scale of work. This is most likely to occur as you gain experience and develop a good reputation.

Qualifications

Although entry without a degree may be possible through an apprenticeship, or by starting work straight from school as a trainee, young furniture designers increasingly have a relevant degree, BTEC or HND in a furniture-related subject such as:

furniture design
furniture design and making
product and furniture design.

Courses with a mix of practical skills and creative design may be particularly useful.

Other relevant degree subjects include:

art and design, 3D design or spatial design
ceramics and glass
furniture technology
product design.

A portfolio of work is required for entry on to degree courses. You can then use your degree portfolio when applying for jobs.

You may choose to undertake postgraduate study. In which case, search postgraduate courses in furniture.

Skills

You'll need to have:

creative and practical ability
drawing skills and strong visual awareness
manual dexterity and good hand-eye coordination
an understanding of computer-aided design (CAD) and other technological advances
knowledge of industrial processes and techniques, safety issues and specialist fields or materials
communication skills
commercial focus
self-motivation, self-discipline and persistence
flexibility and adaptability
the ability to work to deadlines
collaborative skills, particularly if working in a multidisciplinary practice
a desire to keep up to date with market trends and new ideas
skills for running a business if you’re self-employed - these could include marketing, sales, finance, buying, maintenance engineering and production.

Work experience

Entry is competitive so any related work experience is valuable. Many employers consider potential to be just as important as experience, so it's essential that you demonstrate a working interest in the design field. Visit design exhibitions, read design journals and keep up to date with new software and technology in the sector.

It's also important to produce your own experimental work and enter competitions and shows to get your work noticed. On rare occasions, a graduate may be offered work as a result of their furniture degree show.

Connect with contacts you have made and apply speculatively to any companies or individuals that match your design style. You can use this approach for finding work experience opportunities and job openings.

Showcase your work in a professional-looking portfolio or website containing photographs, drawings and other design work.

For a list of craft makers in the UK see the Crafts Council Directory.

For access to information about a range of creative careers, including ceramics design, take a look at Creative and Cultural Skills.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

As a furniture designer, you may find employment with, or through:

architectural practices
commissioning departments of public and private bodies, e.g. councils and large corporate firms
consultancy practices
design practices and studios
exhibition organisers
furniture manufacturing companies
interior and multidisciplinary design studios
private buyers (occasionally)
retailers.

You may choose to be self-employed or undertake freelance work for corporate or domestic clients.

If you choose self-employment, you may have to look for income from other sources initially, including other part-time work, until you build up a client base.

For information on setting up a business and working in a self-employed capacity, see:

Look for job vacancies at:

The British Furniture Manufacturers' website has an online directory, listing suppliers that may be useful for your job search.

Specialist recruitment agencies handle vacancies, see Careers in Design. Some may only deal with people who already have commercial experience.

Networking is crucial and trade fairs can be a useful source of information and contacts.

Professional development

The amount of training you receive as a new recruit will vary depending on the company you work for. Most employers will expect you to have the basic skills but will often provide training days on new technologies and software, or on company policies. Occasionally supervision is given by a design director, but most companies do not allocate individual mentors.

As a designer, you'll need to continue to build your portfolio, develop your skills and attract new contacts throughout your career.

It's vital that you keep up to date with developments in materials, equipment and design trends by attending and exhibiting your work at trade shows and exhibitions. Professional journals, such as Design Week, are useful sources of information on the latest trends and news.

You could also join a professional body, such as the Chartered Society of Designers. Membership can provide professional recognition, access to advice, opportunities for continuing professional development (CPD) and industry contacts.

Developing additional practical skills may be helpful, particularly if you're self-employed. Many local colleges and design institutions offer relevant courses such as upholstery, carpentry, and computer-aided design (CAD).

Further study can be inspiring and bring the opportunity to experiment, diversify and obtain specialist knowledge.

Career prospects

Larger design companies often offer more structured progression opportunities, while a greater degree of flexibility may be achieved working for yourself or in a partnership or small collective with other designers.

If you're a designer working on a smaller scale, success will depend on a mixture of these things:

contacts
design skills
networking skills
profile
reliability
reputation
self-promotion.

If you're self-employed, it's likely you'll be working from a studio or workshop. Many designers, at the beginning of their career, share studio space in order to divide costs and pool resources.

For information useful for career development, see a-n The Artist's Information Company or your regional arts board:

Progression can be to the role of consultant designer, senior consultant designer or even manager or company director in large firms. However, it's usually true that the higher you progress up the career ladder, the less actual design work you get to do.

Other career prospects include:

a sideways move between self-employment and employment or different employment settings
specialising in an area of furniture design - e.g. ergonomics
creating bespoke designs to order - perhaps building up a select client base
becoming a furniture buyer for a large company or organisation, or on behalf of other client groups, such as the tourism and hospitality sectors.

You could also consider teaching and lecturing, either as a form of career development or alongside regular design work to supplement your income. Other fields such as curating or journalism (where you can use your furniture design knowledge) offer other alternative paths.

Furniture designer