About 12,000 years ago humans transitioned from being hunter/gatherers to living more settled lives. They began cultivating food and livestock and living in permanent shelters. Soon they found themselves in need of things to sit, eat and work on and the craft of furniture making was born. Today, most furniture is produced in highly automated factories, but there are still people out there who practice the ancient art of creating furniture by hand. These artisans go by a variety of names that typically indicate the area of furniture making they specialise in. So just what are furniture makers called these days?
What Are Furniture Makers Called? It Depends
Before we dive too deep into the nomenclature of furniture making it’s important to note that – for the purposes of this article – we are talking about men and women who craft furnishings from wood.
Carpenter
The carpenter is often associated with furniture making but not all carpenters make furniture. Instead, most carpenters engage in things like house framing, deck making and creating trim around doors and windows. They may, however, engage in a kind of furniture making if, for example, a project calls for benches built into a wall or a kitchen island where people can eat, drink and prepare food.
Cabinet maker
Just as the name implies a cabinet maker is someone who makes cabinetry. It may be, and often is, kitchen cabinets. Or it may be bathroom cabinets. The cabinet maker may also create stand-alone pieces that hold dishes and bowls, or towels, face cloths and other items for the bathroom. Stand-alone cabinets may also include armoires, tool chests and entertainment centres.
Woodworker
The woodworker is something of a jack of all trades. They may make bespoke pieces of furniture, or they may dabble in both cabinetry and furniture making. A woodworker may also create musical instruments (think pianos), or they may make custom spindles or balustrades.
Furniture maker
Furniture makers are woodworkers who focus exclusively on creating custom furnishings including tables, chairs, sofas, love seats, accent chairs, coffee tables, end tables and more. The best furniture makers are well versed in all the different ways to manipulate wood, as well as the history of home furnishings and they have active imaginations that enable them to honour tradition while breaking new stylistic ground.
So, what are furniture makers called? Well, they can be called carpenters, cabinet makers, wood workers or just plain furniture makers, depending on their area of specialisation.
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