Learn Furniture Making
Since our inception, we have carried a philosophy; to respect the craft in fine furniture design and making and to push our students to do the best work they can, regardless of their experience or background.
Twelve Month Professional Designer / Maker
The Twelve Month Professional Designer / Maker course meets the needs of those wanting a complete education in fine furniture craftsmanship. The course provides the making skills as well as the artistic and technical design knowledge to be a cabinetmaker at the highest level.
Professional cabinetmakers do join us on this course to move their skills to the next level, but experience isn’t necessary. Quality of craftsmanship is our marker here, not quantity of furniture produced. Being prepared to learn, and to be pushed regardless of what you’ve done before, makes success at Rowden more to do with attitude and intention.
This course ensures that the work of our alumni stands alongside the best in professional woodworking today.
The Six Month Professional Maker course teaches the skills to reach the highest levels of precision furniture making. It goes beyond this to convey advanced cabinetmaking knowledge as well as touching design principles. Students go from this course into some of the best cabinetmaking workshops in the world. Six Months at Rowden provides full immersion at a level necessary for professional woodworking and is a thorough initiation into fine furniture craftsmanship.
one month woodworking
For students who want to transition into serious woodworking but not necessarily with the intention of turning pro, the one month woodworking course is often a perfect fit. It focuses on working with hand tools to learn the principles of cabinetmaking, in the same way as students on our six and twelve month courses.
With four weeks dedicated at the bench students leave with a new-found confidence in their hand work. They have the capacity to create a professional level of joinery and can apply these skills to a multitude of projects. We move students to the level of craftsmanship, necessary for creating fine furniture.
one week woodworking
One week woodworking courses are intensive. Small classes over 5 days, with expert guidance. We cover first principles in fine woodworking and often this is a prelude to our full six and twelve month courses.
Students are taught to create perfectly flat and square components and how this applies in precise woodworking. It is the beginning of a mindset shift in how to approach furniture making. This is a practical course, taught at the bench as students start to uncover the skills associated with Rowden trained makers
weekend woodworking
For those looking to dip a toe in the craft of woodworking. Our weekend woodworking courses project led and explore working with hand tools for two days. Rowden tutor Ed Wild runs this course and it is for everyone from beginners, to those looking to develop specific skills as a woodworker.