Discover the Best Furniture Making Classes in NYC
Making furniture is challenging, but it can be enjoyable once you get good. Of course, your level of challenge depends on the size of projects. Furnishings can range from a side table to an oversized couch. And while making a couch seems cool, you should start small and work your way up to your best level.
Why You Should Learn Furniture Making in NYC
Hobbies are a great way to reduce stress and make good use of your free time. While most common hobbies are reading, photography, or even cooking, furniture making is a great option too. You don't have to be an expert to learn how to make furniture; it is a broad learning area. Furniture making can be described as challenging and peaceful, which are excellent components of a hobby.
If you are looking for something other than a new hobby, furniture making can be a great new skill to gain. Once you get good at furniture making, you can sell your pieces, turning your new talent into a side hustle. Especially in a city like New York, with all its eclectic styles, someone is likely looking for a unique one-of-a-kind piece of furniture. From making a stool to designing a side table, you can create pieces others need. Making pieces can take time and patience, so it might not immediately turn into a lucrative side hustle.
Finally, learning to make furniture can be a significant confidence boost. Taking your time to build something from start to finish can help you feel accomplished. Though there might be some bumps in the road and setbacks while making your new piece of furniture, in the end, you can look back at the work that you created with your hands and some tools and have an immense sense of pride in yourself.
In-Person Furniture Making Classes & Schools in NYC
Craftsman Ave offers hands-on workshops in Brooklyn. Their classes run from 2 to 4.5 hours and are taught by local makers, artists, and designers in Brooklyn, a great way to support your local artists. Craftsman Ave believes they transform "regular folks" into welders, woodworkers, and jewelry makers in just one workshop, so you should feel comfortable attending classes with little to no experience. However, the Craft a Side Table (Woodworking/Furniture Making) class could be a good start when you are ready to learn. In this course, students can expect to learn how to craft their own contemporary and leave with a minimalist side table. The table will be constructed using oak and classic half-lap joints. Students will start with a few pieces of oak and then cut the oak into the shape of their table design using power and hand tools. Students will even use a miter saw, a router table, a table saw, and a belt sander. There is lots to learn in this 4-hour course, and as a parting gift, students leave with a small oak table approximately 15 inches high with a 9-inch square top. The same class is offered as a date night option for $345 for two people. As a couple, students will make one table together and get a pizza and a bottle of wine to share.
Once you learn to build your furniture, you should learn how to paint it properly. The Isabel O'Neil Studio, founded in 1955 by Isabel O'Neil, specializes in teaching traditional techniques to create painted finishes that imitate exotic and luxurious materials. The Basic Techniques for Furniture Painting course, located on the Upper East Side in Manhattan, is a foundational course required for all students. The curriculum includes surface preparation, paint application, antiquing, waxing, varnishing on practice boards, and executing them on a small piece of furniture. By the end of the course, students will be aware of the discipline of craftsmanship and appreciate details.
Mokuchi Woodworking Studio in Orange County, New York, is a design studio that provides fine custom woodworking in Japanese tradition. Mokuchi is a composite of the Japanese word, Moku, for wood and the Chinese word, Chi, for the ancient Chinese concept of vital energy. When designing pieces, Mokuchi pays close attention to the wood grain's orientation for overall strength, durability, and beauty, so it is safe to say the exact details are taught to their students. In the Japanese Woodworking Introduction course, students can expect to gain a broad understanding of how Japanese woodworking distinguishes itself from Western approaches. The course is two hours and includes an overview of traditional hand tools used in various work scales. Students can expect basic tools demonstration on nomi (chisel), kanna (plane), and nokogiri (saw). Students will also see a demonstration on marking tools such as the sashingane (square) and the sumitsubo (ink line). The Design 1: Wood & Joinery course is offered at Mokuchi Woodworking Studio for students looking to establish the foundation for sound, conscious, and harmonious designs. Students will learn board concepts and aesthetics first, and then after forming a design vision, the class will move to more specifics. The instructor will also address essential concepts like balance, economics, fluidity, and awareness.
Virtual Furniture Making Classes & Schools
If you're looking to take a furniture-making class online, that is a great option; however, there are some things to consider. One positive of taking an online furniture-making class is flexibility. If your schedule is too packed, having an online option can help because now you can fit the course between work meetings, before dropping the kids off at school, or even while on vacation. Another positive is more course options. When considering online classes, you can now consider a course offered anywhere if you meet the qualifications. This means that an exciting class offered in New York, you can take it even though you are in Miami because it's virtual. A negative of taking a virtual furniture-making class is potentially having to purchase your equipment. If you are in-person, equipment is usually included. Tools and materials can get pricey, especially if you are on a limited budget and taking classes for fun. Consider your investment in the new hobby before you start if you are taking a virtual course that does not include materials.
Once you have decided that the virtual option is best for you, it is time to select a school to attend. While it is not specifically a school, Jade Scarlett offers a host of virtual art classes. One popular course that she offers is the Virtual Wood Burning (Pyrography) for Beginners. In this course students will learn how to use a woodburning tool, which you would need to purchase, to create a variety of wood burning effects in their designs. Students can expect to learn how to prepare the wood, transfer the design, worth with the different nibs to create the artwork, add lettering to enhance the piece, and use watercolor and colored pencils to finish. By the end of class, students should be comfortable with the wood burning tool. In addition to the tool, there are some additional pieces students have to supply such as painters tape, pliers, wood pieces, and sandpaper.
The Richmond Art Center in Richmond, California, originated in 1936 and is the largest visual arts center in the East Bay. Each year they offer programs and classes taught by professional artists to thousands of students. They offer classes on-site, at satellite locations, and online. Their Miniature Clay Creations (Ages 6-12) course might be exactly what you need to get your kid ready for furniture making in the future. In this course, kids will learn how to make miniature trinkets, food, and creatures. They will use clay and a wood crafting tool to shape their mini designs. For this class, students are expected to provide their air dry clay, any shaping or wood crafting tools to help add texture to their creations, air-tight bags, and a piece of cardboard or wax paper to use as their workspace. If you don't have these items, you can purchase a kit for $18.99 that includes everything you need. The course itself is only $81.
If you are interested in furniture, the New York School of Interior Design might have a course that piques your interest. The New York School of Interior Design prides itself on preparing students to lead the profession by giving them a deep and broad education. They offer courses for all levels of interest. A Guide to Upholstered Furniture is open to all levels of students. It's a three-session course in real-time with an instructor and other students present. Students will learn the component of upholstered seating and examine the inner workings of upholstered furniture to see how the construction impacts comfort and longevity. Students would also explore a range of upholstery materials, cushions, frame shapes, and finishes, such as trimming and decorative pillows. Each session is about 2 hours, and the course costs $185.
Private Group Furniture Making Classes in NYC
You can plan your next great group activity with the help of CourseHorse and their live online group classes. If you want a way for your team to be creative in something like a private group furniture making class in NYC, they have something for you. There is a Virtual Group Drawing and Sketching Class that could help your team get excited about their next design or have some fun. The team will make a graphite still-life drawing and boost some creativity. The instructor will teach over-hatching and cross-hatching techniques to help build value and create depth in your sketches. When planning the event, you can choose from topics such as still life, landscapes, botanicals, faces, or a custom option. Your team will need a graphite pencil and their preferred drawing material. The group class costs $370 for up to 10 people and $20 per person after that, with a capacity for up to 255 people.
If you have something more specific in mind for your team or if you aren't seeing the class on CourseHorse's website, your event can still be arranged. Using their website's contact form will connect you with a free event planner for your next event. You must provide details about what you're looking for in a class, group size, and preferred dates. Upon submitting the form, you will hear back from someone on their team within two business hours. After that, CourseHorse will do the rest of the planning for you. You can even change the group size later on if needed. There is no booking fee, and their course supports multiple virtual platforms making it easy to accommodate the needs of your team to have a stellar event.