Furniture Designers are very creative and innovative individuals. They possess a detailed knowledge of technical computer software, and excellent drafting skills. Furniture designers must also be capable to work with various different materials such as metal, wood, fabric, paper, and fabric. Some designers specialize in only one or two areas while others may have a wide variety of artistic talents. Furniture Designers generally start out by working in the entry level positions and can move up through the ranks as their skills and abilities develop.

Most people who decide to become a furniture designer will complete an education program at an area college or technical school. During this time they will be taught how to both design and create functional furniture using computer software and construction techniques. These programs will also teach them about different types of materials that can be used and the different types of finishes that will be applied to those materials. The Furniture Designers will have to learn to read and write blueprints as well as how to incorporate the aesthetic qualities of each piece of furniture.

Furniture Designers will then learn how to construct and install their own furniture designs in a wide variety of conditions. This will include working with home and commercial builders as well as architects and interior designers. Furniture Designers will spend large amounts of time in the office performing various duties such as drafting drawings, making measurements, creating prototypes, drawing plans, and working with wood shops and woodworkers. Many Furniture Designers work part-time in their off times between school and employment. Furniture Designers must have excellent communication skills and be detail oriented.

Furniture Designers will use Computer Aided Design (CAD) programs to design and create their prototypes. This will usually entail designing, fabricating, assembling, and testing the different materials needed to create the furniture designs. Furniture Designers will often start their work by creating a simple but functional model using Computer Aided Design (CAD). Once the more complex models are created, they will use them to develop the next level of functional prototypes. After all functional prototypes have been developed, Furniture Designers will revise the designs using Computer Aided Drawing (CAD) before producing the final prototypes.

In order to obtain the most desirable projects, professional development is essential. A Furniture Designer must possess an artistic eye. He or she must possess a sense of creativity. A Furniture Designer must possess knowledge of materials and colors as well as the ability to think logically and efficiently on how to solve design and construction problems.

The majority of furniture manufacturers now allow independent Furniture Designers to create furniture designs and turn those designs into prototype furniture pieces for mass production. This is a great opportunity for Furniture Designers who want to break into the industry and create pieces of furniture that people can enjoy. The ability to produce furniture in large quantities enables Furniture Designers to reduce costs and increase profits. In addition, mass production allows furniture manufacturers to provide customers with a wide variety of styles and designs.