Open to both Interior Design and Architecture students
Interior Design students at Gibbs College bring their ideas to life through the annual Furniture Design Build Studio (FDBS). Coordinated by Professor Chelsea Holcomb, this hands-on studio integrates creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation. As part of their accredited interior design degree, students design and construct full-scale furniture prototypes, gaining practical experience that connects concept to execution.
Students use an iterative approach, progressing from initial sketches and rough models to refined scale models, digital prototypes, and detailed construction documents before building their custom furniture pieces.
Through hands-on construction, students discover how materials, ergonomics, and construction techniques directly impact design functionality and user experience.
Working in our state-of-the-art Creating_Making Lab, students gain confidence using professional tools including CNC routers, 3D printers, woodworking equipment, and metal fabrication tools.
Each semester concludes with a public exhibition where students present their finished designs to peers, faculty, industry partners, and the broader community.
The Furniture Design Studio is led by Prof. Chelsea Holcomb. Professor Holcomb is an award-winning interior designer who helps students bring ideas to life by designing and building full-scale furniture. She is NCARB licensed and NCIDQ-certified, holds degrees in interior design and architecture, and has more than ten years of professional experience.
The Creating_Making Lab (C_ML) is Gibbs College's premier 7,000+ square foot makerspace where digital concepts become tangible realities. This innovative facility seamlessly blends traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology, providing students with access to:
The Interior Design program at Gibbs College combines visionary design thinking with immersive, hands-on experience to prepare students for dynamic careers in the field. Through a curriculum that balances conceptual exploration with technical skill, students gain the tools to design thoughtful, functional, and innovative interior environments.
Davis Furniture proudly announces its recent sponsorship of the Furniture Design-Build Studio at the University of Oklahoma, a hands-on course inspiring the next generation of designers through experimental learning. Held during the Fall 2024 semester at the University’s Gibbs College of Architecture, the studio brought together 17 senior Interior Design students who designed, constructed, and showcased original furniture pieces.
During the fall 2023 semester, senior Interior Design students designed and constructed furniture pieces as a part of Gibbs College’s furniture design studio. For the second year in a row, the course was sponsored by local furniture and design studio Henry Home Interiors. Their sponsorship helped cover the cost of materials, scholarships and resources for the end-of-semester furniture design exhibition.
Oklahoma City-based KFOR News recently highlighted the OU Interior Design Furniture Design Studio on its "Is this a Great State or What?" segment.
