Barnsley Workshop

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Barnsley Workshop

Established in 1923 located in Hampshire we design and make furniture for private homes and public spaces which is sold worldwide.

22/03/2026

There is a quiet discipline in the making of our table lamp.

What appears as a simple form is shaped through a series of careful decisions, each facet considered, each edge refined so that the piece feels balanced from every angle. The transitions between surfaces are subtle, but they are what give the lamp its sense of cohesion.

Seen up close, the work reveals itself in the crisp lines, the softness of the touch, and the way the light moves across the timber.

A modest object, but one that carries a great deal of intent in its making.

21/03/2026

Ellen is continuing work on this special commission, a larger oak version of our table lamp.

Here she’s assembling the upright to the base using a traditional mortise and tenon joint. What you see here is the lamp in its “blank” form: the structure established, but before any of the shaping and profiling begins.

From this point, the piece will be carefully worked to transform the solid block-like form into the elegant, faceted profile of the finished lamp. It’s a reminder that many refined shapes begin with strong, simple joinery and a well-prepared foundation.

The shaping comes later, but it all starts here.

20/03/2026

Our recent work on the library table, with its carefully constructed starburst veneer top, has reminded us of a bespoke piece we created for a client some years ago.

This Collector’s Cabinet was commissioned to house a remarkable collection of early American banknotes. As with all of our work, the design began with the client’s needs, balancing careful display with long-term protection. The result is a piece that is both highly functional and quietly expressive.

The cabinet is made in American walnut and sycamore, with a striking starburst panel set into the front and each end. Each starburst is composed of thirty-two individual veneer segments, brought together to create a sense of movement and depth across the surface. It’s a detail that rewards close attention, much like the emerging pattern in the library table Jake is currently working on.

Inside, the cabinet reveals twenty-two shallow trays, each fitted with a hinged glass lid. These were designed to accommodate the subtle variations in the banknote wallets, while still providing a consistent and elegant presentation. The ripple figure in the sycamore adds another layer of visual interest.

It is a piece that reflects both the client’s collection and the care taken in its making, something that sits at the heart of all of our commissioned work.

19/03/2026

Applications are now for our Furniture-Making Apprenticeships, with entries closing on 20 May 2026.

At the Barnsley Workshop, we offer high-quality training in fine furniture making through a carefully structured apprenticeship programme. Each year we take on apprentices, allowing us to provide individual guidance and tailored tuition in the craft.

Apprentices learn directly from experienced craftsmen while working in a real commercial workshop. Alongside developing traditional hand skills and modern techniques, they also gain experience contributing to commissioned pieces for our clients. The aim is not simply to teach woodworking, but to nurture the next generation of skilled furniture makers in an environment that values craftsmanship, precision and thoughtful making.

If you are interested in applying, or would like to find out more, please get in touch.

📧 [email protected]
📞 01730 827233
🌐 www.barnsley-furniture.co.uk

15/03/2026

Charlie is currently working on a bedside cabinet, and at this stage the focus is on preparing the surfaces for finishing.

With the construction complete, the piece is carefully worked over to refine every surface and detail. This stage is about patience and judgement, easing transitions, removing the last traces of tool marks, and ensuring the timber is ready to receive the polish.

Good preparation is essential. The quality of the finish depends entirely on the care taken beforehand, and it’s here that the character of the timber and the clarity of the design begin to show through.

14/03/2026

Maizie is taking on the time-trial bookend exercise. A project designed to test both skill and efficiency.

The task is to make a pair of bookends using hand-cut dovetails, working within a set time limit. It’s a valuable challenge for apprentices, encouraging them to apply everything they’ve learned about marking out, sawing and fitting joints while maintaining accuracy under a little pressure.

Dovetailing is a fundamental part of fine cabinetmaking, and exercises like this help build confidence and fluency at the bench. The aim isn’t simply to work quickly, but to work decisively, balancing speed with the precision that good joinery demands.

A small project perhaps, but one that says a great deal about the development of a maker’s craft.

13/03/2026

Jake is continuing work on the library table commission, and the starburst veneer top is now beginning to reveal its full character.

With the tape removed and the surface cleaned up, the pattern formed by the 24 individual veneer segments becomes clear. Each piece radiates from the centre, creating a quiet sense of movement across the top.

To help reveal the figure in the timber, Jake is lightly wetting the surface. This simple step brings out the depth of colour and highlights the natural grain in the veneer, giving a glimpse of how the finished top will look once polished.

It’s always a satisfying moment in the process, when the careful preparation and assembly begin to resolve into the final design.

12/03/2026

Ellen is working on a special commission, a larger oak version of our table lamp.

At this stage she’s preparing the joint that brings the upright and the base together. The connection uses a mortise and tenon alongside a housing joint, creating a strong and reliable structure before any shaping begins.

Working with hand tools allows Ellen to refine the fit with precision, ensuring the components come together cleanly and accurately. It’s careful, foundational work, the kind of joinery that quietly underpins the elegance of the finished piece.

08/03/2026

Charlie is working on the reading stand commission in brown oak, and at this stage the focus is very much on hand shaping.

The curved chamfers on the supports are being refined with a spokeshave, a tool that demands sensitivity and control. Each pass removes only a fine shaving, gradually developing the curve and softening the edges until the profile feels balanced and assured.

This kind of work cannot be hurried. The spokeshave allows the maker to respond directly to the timber, adjusting pressure and angle as the grain shifts. It’s a quiet dialogue between tool and wood, and it’s in these moments that the character of the piece begins to emerge.

Though destined for a museum setting, the care taken here is the same as with any commission: thoughtful shaping, crisp detail and a finish that invites closer inspection.

07/03/2026

The table lamp is one of the most demanding pieces in our apprentice syllabus, and one that rewards close inspection.

At first glance, it appears calm and straightforward: a square base rising into an octagonal stem. But that apparent simplicity is the result of careful geometry and considered handwork. The square section must be prepared accurately before four additional facets are formed, transforming it into a balanced octagon. Each arris is then refined so the transitions feel crisp yet softened to the touch.

The shaping is only part of the story. The junction between base and upright must be clean and precise, the surfaces carefully worked through successive stages of refinement before oil is applied. It is this preparation that gives the lamp its quiet authority and tactile quality.

Designed to appear as though the base and stem have grown from a single piece of timber, the lamp embodies what we aim to teach: accuracy, restraint and attention to detail. A small object perhaps, but one that contains a great deal of skill.

06/03/2026

Luke is currently working on a walnut desk commission, focusing on the understructure that will support the whole piece.

The leg frame has now been shaped and jointed, and this stage is about careful refinement before final assembly. Every joint is checked, every surface eased and cleaned, ensuring that when the glue is applied the structure comes together cleanly and accurately.

Much of this work will sit quietly beneath the desk, unseen in everyday use. Yet it is this framework that gives the piece its strength, stability and longevity.

As ever, it’s a reminder that the integrity of a piece begins from the inside out.

Address

Cockshott Lane, Froxfield, Petersfield, Hampshire

GU32 1BB

Opening Hours

Monday	09:00 - 16:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 16:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 16:00
Thursday	09:00 - 16:00
Friday	09:00 - 16:00

Website

http://www.barnsley-furniture.co.uk/

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