fbpx
How to set up a bespoke furniture design business How to set up a bespoke furniture design business
  • About Us
    • School Life
    • Qualifications
    • Testimonials
    • Meet The Team
    • Myreside Studios
    • Fine Furniture Guild
  • Graduate Exhibition
    • Graduate Exhibition 2022
    • Graduate Exhibition 2021
    • Graduate Exhibition 2020
  • Furniture Making Courses
    • 30-week Course
    • 1-week Courses
    • 4-week Course
    • Weekend Courses
  • Apply
  • News
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
    • School Life
    • Qualifications
    • Testimonials
    • Meet The Team
    • Myreside Studios
    • Fine Furniture Guild
  • Graduate Exhibition
    • Graduate Exhibition 2022
    • Graduate Exhibition 2021
    • Graduate Exhibition 2020
  • Furniture Making Courses
    • 30-week Course
    • 1-week Courses
    • 4-week Course
    • Weekend Courses
  • Apply
  • News
  • Contact Us

furniture design courses

How to set up a bespoke furniture design business

Garry Macfarlane, originally from south-west Scotland, founded Freckle Furniture when he graduated from the Chippendale International School of Furniture in East Lothian outside Edinburgh. His fledgling bespoke furniture design business moved to new expanded premises nearby at Fenton Barns after spending two years in the Chippendale Incubator workshops adjoining the furniture design school.

Since 1985, the Chippendale International School of Furniture has been running one of the UK’s leading intensive furniture design and furniture restoration courses. Many of the furniture school’s graduates take advantage of the low costs and support provided by the Chippendale Incubator Workshops for a year or more.

Turkey Shed to Workshop

A cabinet making entrepreneur, Garry Macfarlane, describes his new furniture design workshop: “It was originally a turkey shed for the Fenton Barns turkey farm. It then became a blacksmith’s workshop. When we moved in it was just a big space but we could see the potential. It was a bit of a leap of faith but it has been worth all the effort.”

Former turkey shed transformed into a furniture making workshop

Former turkey shed transformed into a furniture making workshop with separate machine rooms

Working with a fellow Chippendale graduate to create the workshop and share the costs, Garry has created extensive professional facilities including a fully fitted machine room, sanding room and kitchen, as well as a large workshop.

Getting the Furniture Business Started

Garry continues with his story: “Starting out was very tough and the first two years were a struggle. But all the hard work is starting to pay off and I am now incredibly busy which meant that I had to move to bigger premises. I’ve now completed two kitchens in London, a smaller job in Chelsea and a full kitchen near Clapham.

“The latter commission, which came through a Scottish connection, was for a Victorian terraced house with a large, open plan kitchen extension out the back. Working with the architect and the customer we came up with a great design solution. The kitchen was made from solid Scottish oak and the doors and framework painted with Farrow and Ball colours. The finished result looked stunning and the customer was very pleased.”

Varied Commissions – Bookcases, Desks… and a Human Foot!

“In Edinburgh I’ve made lots of bookcases and desks, mostly in oak which is popular. People like commissioning TV Cabinets too. I’ve also been asked to do some more unusual things such as display stands for mobile phones in an app developer’s office.

“I made a model of a foot for the BBC programme ‘Dissected, the Incredible Human Foot’ on BBC4. The programme was pretty gory though – I had to turn it off!”

“At the moment I’m working on a pedestal style desk in American black walnut with burr walnut and rosewood detailing. It is for another Scottish connection in London. Then I’ll be starting on a kitchen table for someone in the Borders using Sycamore.”

Early Challenges – Learning Clients’ Needs

Setting up a new business brings many challenges, not least learning the needs and demands of customers: “Some clients know exactly what they want; others need taken through the commissioning process step by step,” say Garry.

“I’ve got more confident with pricing, costs and timings over the last 3 or 4 years. With repetition and experience, I’m doing the work a lot quicker. I’ve also invested in good quality machines which allow me to produce things quickly and accurately. Everything in here is handmade though, nothing is computer controlled.”

Marketing as Well as Woodwork

Marketing is of course a very important area for any new business: “I work hard on my marketing. I get new commissions from a range of sources including the internet and repeat business, but more and more is by word-of-mouth. Generating the work was difficult initially but now I’ve got so much that I’m thinking of taking someone on to help me – I’ve got several months of work in the pipeline. Hopefully I can get in to a position of having 2 or 3 people in the workshop with me.”

All this is a far cry from Garry’s previous job before he went to the Chippendale Furniture School: “Previously I worked for Ryden, the Chartered Surveyors, and was sitting behind a desk all day in Glasgow. I was in commercial property investment but that was hit hard by the recession and I moved into property management when the market dried up.  It just wasn’t really for me and I wanted to do something different.

Garry Macfarlane - Freckle Furniture workshop

“Making bespoke furniture is much more rewarding, more creative and there’s less paper pushing. I don’t clock watch anymore because I’m enjoying my work. I’m my own boss and I can manage my own time.  I’ve no regrets about the move even though it hasn’t always been easy.

“My advice to other furniture making start-ups is:

1.    Be prepared not to earn any money for a while.
2.    Work hard on the marketing side. It takes a while to pull in the work and service it.
3.    You can make money in the first couple of years but living off it is tough. You’re too slow and you’re still learning so much.

Never Stop Learning

“The Chippendale School of Furniture course was a really good introduction to all aspects of furniture design and making, but the journey continued after I left. There’s a cliché that you never stop learning but in woodwork it is certainly true.”

Freckle Furniture designs and makes hand crafted, bespoke furniture and kitchens to commission with exceptional design, enduring craftsmanship and superior quality. Garry’s ambition is to make commissioning exciting and engaging, and he encourages customers to visit the workshop to see their bespoke furniture being made.

Freckle Furniture’s work has recently been acknowledged by renowned Danish design company Bo Concept as one of their ‘Ones to Watch’ awards for 2014.

More information is available from the Freckle Furniture website.

Read More

Drinks all round for top Chippendale School furniture design students

A furniture designer from the west of Scotland has won a top award from the Chippendale International School of Furniture. The Chippendale School is regarded as one of Europe’s premier furniture design schools and runs intensive furniture design courses and furniture restoration courses.

Ali Wilson, who was brought up in East Anglia, studied architecture in Plymouth and now lives in Ayrshire, won Design Student of the Year for a stunning drinks cabinet in the shape of a fish.

Ali said that she was “delighted with the award.  I have loved the course and learned such a lot.”  Her “big fish” will be displayed at a number of venues over the summer.

The awards ceremony was presided over by arts impresario Professor Richard Demarco, who said that the Chippendale School was an “inspirational place and a teaching resource of national importance.”

The long-established school, which is in East Lothian just outside Edinburgh, takes students of all ages from around the world.  This year’s intake included students from the USA and Canada – as well as across the UK.

You can see a selection of the amazing pieces of furniture designed and hand-crafted by the students in the Student Gallery.

There are still places remaining for this year’s 30-week intensive course which begins in October, with graduating students able to take incubation space at the school to establish new businesses.

Gary Staple's tea cabinet with marquetry inlays

Gary Staple’s tea cabinet with marquetry inlays

Canadian student Gary Staple from Halifax, Nova Scotia won Student of the Year for his portfolio of work, which included a tea cabinet with intricate inlays, and which will go on show in Canada over the summer.

Chippendale School Graduates Work 2014

Gary Staple with his guitar

Gary, who trained as a carpenter and who now also runs his own Halifax business, Gary Staple Fine Woodworking, said that “the Chippendale course has been hugely useful and taught me a great deal, as well as giving me a European perspective on furniture design.”

Anselm Fraser, the school’s principal, said that “our students, many of whom have never worked with wood before, leave the school with skills they can use for the rest of their lives.”

Read More

Alice in Furnitureland: the Chippendale School Benefits from its First Ever Artist in Residence

Alice MacLean is a Canadian artist who graduated from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in 2012, where she majored in Fine Arts.

Alice is currently providing advice as the first ever Artist in Residence at the Chippendale International School of Furniture in East Lothian, near Edinburgh in Scotland.  Over the last four months, Alice has created a portfolio of paintings based on her experiences of living in Scotland.  She has recently exhibited at the Six Foot Gallery in Glasgow and will also be exhibiting in Edinburgh this spring.

Read More

Latest Posts

Apply for our Intermediate (4-week) Course bursary  
31st January 2023
Apply for our Intermediate (4-week) Course bursary  
2023 woodworking trends  
26th January 2023
2023 woodworking trends  
How to buy wood for your next fine furniture project 
16th December 2022
How to buy wood for your next fine furniture project 

Categories

  • Chippendale Alumni Blog
  • Chippendale News
  • Extra News
  • General
  • Professional Profiles
  • Recommended Suppliers
  • Student Stories
  • Success Stories
  • Uncategorised
  • Visiting lecturers
  • Woodworking Tips

Archives

Contact Info

+(44) 0 1620 810680

info@chippendale.co.uk

Chippendale International School of Furniture
Gifford
East Lothian
EH41 4JA near Edinburgh
Scotland
UK

FAQs | Gallery | Guild | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy
© Chippendale International School of Furniture
Registered office: Myreside Grange, Haddington, East Lothian, EH41 4JA
Company number: SC172877
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies, however opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.

You can view details of what cookies are set here.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non Necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

Analytics

We set analytics cookies such as Google Analytics to track how people use our site so that we can understand how people use our site. While these cookies are not required for the website to function, they allow us to understand better how people use the site so we can update and improve it in future.

Save & Accept