Furniture Designer Duties & Responsibilities
The role and function of a Furniture Designer includes the following duties and responsibilities:
- Generating sample designs using computer-aided design (CAD), card models, sketches or hard prototypes;
- Using software packages such as Autocad, Inventor, Solidworks and Photoshop;
- Discussing designs with clients for custom ordering or with manufacturers;
- Preparing detailed final designs;
- Keeping informed about design trends and developments;
- Studying, researching and planning various styles of furniture design;
- Evaluating issues such as pricing and fixing costs, fashion, purchasing, safety, materials and manufacturing methods and techniques;
- Using various tools to complete projects from raw materials to finished furniture items;
- Attending workshops, seminars and training on various types of manufacturing and furniture design.
- Organising plans and schedules with respect to the availability of resources;
- Selecting suitable materials, which might include wood, metal, plastic and textiles;
- Liaising with craftsmen or production department staff, such as production managers, marketing staff and design engineers, about the process of construction or manufacture;
- Finding ways to improve furniture items already manufactured;
Note that this is not an exhaustive list of Furniture Designer duties and responsibilities. Job functions for specific Furniture Designer roles may vary, depending on the industry and type of employer.