Six furniture designers from various places all over America gather together at a workshop where they begin competing to earn the title of best designer. Contestants meet their carpenters and prepare for their first task.

For the second challenge, the furniture designers go on a field trip to a storage facility where each one of them pick storage pods filled with different household items that they must build furniture for.

The contestants receive a special reward from Ellen before moving on to their next challenge. During the building time, a couple of designers get into a small fight over exotic hardwood while a piece of work of another designer starts to take on an animalistic look.

The contestants find out the other challenge as they arrive at the shop. One of the designers is forced to change their design in the middle of the task while another designer makes a sudden mistake that results in making a tough decision. At the end the contestants face harsh criticism.

For the next challenge, the contestants have to find items in the junkyard in order to make a piece of furniture. The designers later realise that some of material is not suitable enough while one designer's carpenter team is not up to speed.

At the season’s finale, the two remaining designers are taken to a very special location to find out the final task. Both contestants struggle to come up with the design. The season ends with a shocking surprise.

Eight furniture designers from all over America arrive at the workshop and receive their first challenge from none other than Ellen herself. Tasked with making a signature bed, the designers meet their carpenters and get to work. At judging, Christiane Lemieux and Cliff Fong are joined by guest judge, Sean Yashar, as they critique the designers' creations and decide who will be the first one to go home.

The designers arrive at a beautiful Hollywood home where they must select outdoor living areas and open an envelope to reveal the type of furniture they have to make. During the build, one designer scraps his design when he runs into a major structural flaw while another races to the finish to complete his furniture. At judging, Christiane Lemieux and Cliff Fong are joined by celebrated designer Peter Dunham to critique the outdoor pieces and send one designer home.

The designers dive into making signature dining room tables. During the build one of the designers gets a new carpenter while two others take a big risk by trying highly ambitions pieces. New York Magazine Design Editor Wendy Goodman join Christiane Lemieux and Cliff Fong on the judges panel where one designer pushes back against their critique.

Ellen surprises the designers with a trip around the world...of furniture design. Each designer must randomly select a country that will be the inspiration for their furniture this week. During the build tensions run high between a designer and their carpenter and one designer makes a crucial error with only minutes before time runs out. During judging, Cliff and Christiane are joined by guest judge, world-renowned designer, Karim Rashid, whose strong opinions and critiques leave all the designers fearful of elimination.

The designers receive personal messages from Ellen, each containing a unique furniture assignment. During the build, one designer's indecisiveness causes tension between he and his carpenter while another designer's woodworking backfires in a major way. During judging, Christiane Lemieux and Cliff Fong are joined by furniture entrepreneur Adam Blackman who helps make one of the toughest decisions yet.

The designers take a tour of Warner Brothers Studios and the set for Ellen's talk show. While there, they meet her DJ Twitch, who gives them their next assignment. During the build, one designer gets stumped while another struggles with the proper height of the couch's back cushions. Tastemaker Thomas Lavin joins Cliff and Christiane on the judges' panel as one of the final four designers faces elimination.

The remaining three designers must design a piece with two or more functions. One of the designers is feeling more confident than the others, while all are feeling the pressure. At judging, executive director of Design Miami, Rodman Primack joins the judges and it's all or nothing as the final three designers discover who will make it into the finale.

The two remaining designers compete in the season finale where they are tasked to build not one but two pieces of furniture. During the build the designers are surprised with heartwarming gifts. As the final build of the season comes to a close, the designers race against the clock, drawing from their best ideas and techniques to create their pieces. During the judging ceremony, Ellen joins the judges to review the pieces and help crown the winner.