A unique woodworking school, the Chippendale International School of Furniture’s 25 year success is down to its practical, hands-on approach to learning woodworking. Our students come from the US, Canada, Europe, Russia and the Far East to immerse themselves at our carpentry school because it offers the best grounding in woodworking available.
Our approach to creating tomorrow’s best woodworking professionals
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Learn by doing
Woodworking can’t be learnt to any sufficient depth from a book – you need access to expert tuition and to plenty of benchtime.
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Expert Tuition
Access to 1:1 sessions as well as lectures from experienced lecturers and guest woodworking experts.
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Breadth of skills
No other woodworking school equips their graduates with the breadth of techniques and skills – from traditional design to contemporary woodworking techniques.
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Bench time
At our woodworking school we provide the opportunity for up to 1400 hours of practical benchtime.
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Restricted Student Intake
We restrict our annual intake to a maximum of 20 students. In this way we can offer the focused support that students require as a foundation to a future in woodworking.
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Heritage in a modern context
Thomas Chippendale was a master in his day and his skills and legacy endure. At the Chippendale Furniture School, we aim to pass on his genius to our students.
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Community
As a mix of students from all five continents, it is important to us that every student feels included and supported. For the year of the course each student becomes part of the Chippendale International School of Furniture family.
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Sustainability
Respect for the environment should be at the heart of woodworking and carpentry; we provide students with wood locally sourced from within 20 miles of the Furniture School, from ash to elm.
Location
The Chippendale International School of Furniture is located outside Edinburgh, Scotland a country with hundreds of years of furniture design, carpentry and woodworking history.
The school, situated in Gifford, East Lothian, is in an idyllic setting, close to the internationally celebrated city of Edinburgh with its castle, culture and rich history, yet is situated in a beautiful rural community. Our students become part of the School family as well as mixing with the wider community. Our field trips provide excursions to woodworking relevant sites in Scotland, from museums to master craftsmen workshops.