Woodworking for Furniture: Carving and Dyeing Techniques
A course by Urvi SharmaFurniture Designer
A course by Urvi Sharma, Furniture Designer
Learn how to carve, dye, and apply patterns onto wood to create unique pieces of furniture that are both beautiful and functional
Wood is one of the most fitting materials for building beautiful products. It is versatile, it can be shaped, and it absorbs color while retaining its natural, distinctive appearance. Furniture and lighting designer Urvi Sharma uses wood to create unique pieces filled with colors and patterns. Through her studio INDO-, she has worked with renowned interior designers and has been featured in publications including The New York Times.
In this online course, Urvi teaches you the basics of working with wood as well as different carving and dyeing techniques to enhance it. Learn how to create your own hand-dyed, carved pieces of furniture from scratch, and bring your design ideas to life. Create useful and unique furniture with wood.
What will you learn in this online course?
14 lessons & 14 downloads
Workspace Preparation and Tools
7 minutes, 26 seconds
Wood as a Material
4 minutes, 41 seconds
Pattern Making on Wood
6 minutes, 2 seconds
Adding Color to Wood
10 minutes, 56 seconds
Getting Inspired: The Mood Board
3 minutes, 2 seconds
Creating the Design
7 minutes, 39 seconds
What's included in this course?
Begin the course by getting to know furniture and lighting designer Urvi Sharma. Discover the creative journey that saw her turn her love for color and pattern into a full-time career, along with the influences that inspire the work she creates.
Prepare your workspace before diving into the tools and materials needed for the course. Then explore the characteristics of wood, and see how to manipulate it to create patterns. Learn to work with color before creating a mood board of inspiration for your design.
Finalize your design idea and begin production! Start by carving the pattern. Then stain the carved top and legs of your piece. Assemble the final table using the appropriate hardware, and apply a spray finish to achieve a professional end result.
To wrap up the course, Urvi shares her advice for cleaning and caring for your furniture, along with her tips on documenting your creative process with future projects in mind.
What is this course's project?
Design and build a wooden end table that incorporates carving and dyeing techniques.
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone interested in exploring woodworking techniques to create their own furniture.
Requirements and materials
No previous experience is required.
In terms of materials, you will need raw materials, dye, and standard carpentry tools, which Urvi explains in more detail in the course.
Reviews
- 11 months ago
It's a good course and would recommend anyone who's new to dyeing, I hope you could have added more of carving and different dyening technieues instead of just one project. Also, it would be fun to dye wood with natural dyes instead of chemical.
- 2 years ago
um bom curso para quem quer entender melhor os principais conceitos de design e não marcenaria como tal.
- 2 years ago
Amazing course!
- 2 years ago
Buen curso para iniciar.
- carneyrowePLUS2 years ago
Excellent! Great information, well presented. I’ve always been interested in surface carving, but the colour and dye parts are new to me, very helpful. Love that design - its an inspiring example.
Since then, Urvi’s work has been featured in publications including The New York Times, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Interior Design Magazine, and Dwell. She was also a contestant on Ellen’s Next Great Designer, a furniture design show hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, and has received several awards and nominations for her designs.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
The Foundations of Working with Wood
- Workspace Preparation and Tools
- Wood as a Material
- Pattern Making on Wood
- Adding Color to Wood
- Getting Inspired: The Mood Board
- U3
Making the Table
- Creating the Design
- Carving the Pattern
- Dyeing the Wood
- Assembling the Table
- Finishing the Piece
- U4
Maintenance and Extras
- Care Tips
- Documenting the Process
- FP
Final project
- Woodworking for Furniture: Carving and Dyeing Techniques
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
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FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for beginners with no prior experience in woodworking, carving, or dyeing. It covers foundational techniques, safety, and creative processes step by step.
You’ll need basic woodworking tools like carving knives, sandpaper, safety goggles, a workbench, wood dyes, raw wood, and finishing products. The course provides a full materials list and recommendations.
You’ll learn to carve wood, apply dyes and patterns, select materials, assemble furniture, finish and care for wood pieces, and integrate color, pattern, and storytelling into modern furniture design.
Yes, the course explains how to organize and prepare a safe, efficient woodworking workspace, including tool setup and essential safety protocols.
Yes, you’ll gain practical skills in selecting hardwoods, softwoods, and engineered wood, understanding wood grain and movement, and picking appropriate finishes for durability and aesthetics.
No previous woodworking or design experience is required. The course starts with the basics and builds up to more advanced techniques.
The course covers wood dyeing, patternmaking, textile influences like ikat, and Bauhaus color theory, teaching you to apply these techniques to create unique, visually striking furniture.