The Studio

Handcrafted furniture from the Wye Valley, designed to last a lifetime.

Barnby Design is a British furniture studio based in the Wye Valley, Herefordshire, founded by designer-maker Robert Barnby in 2012. The studio creates handcrafted solid wood furniture — tables, cabinets, desks, sideboards, and bespoke commissions — for residential and commercial clients across the UK. Each piece is made to order, combining considered design with honest materiality and exceptional build quality. Subtle, considered, made to last.

About Rob

I started Barnby Design in 2012 with a straightforward aim: to make furniture that stands apart not only in build quality, but in the care and thought behind its design. I’d spent years working with wood and had become increasingly frustrated by the gap between how furniture looked and how it was made. The workshop is in Herefordshire, in the hills near Hay-on-Wye, a place that feels a long way from the noise of the industry, which suits the work. Everything we make is thought through carefully, built honestly, and designed to be kept.

Studio at a Glance

Studio: Barnby Design

Founded: 2012

Designer: Robert Barnby

Location: Wye Valley, Herefordshire, UK

Specialism: Handcrafted solid wood furniture

Materials: Solid hardwoods — oak, walnut, ash, and others

Services: Bespoke commissions, standard collection, trade supply.

Clients: Residential, commercial, interior designers, architects

Working with trade? Yes — trade enquiries welcome

Website: www.barnbydesign.co.uk/

Contact: info@barnbydesign.co.uk

The Work

Every piece that leaves the workshop is made by hand, predominantly from solid wood in Herefordshire. We work from a standard collection of furniture — refined over time and available to buy directly or through selected stockists — and we take commissions for bespoke work tailored to individual clients and projects.

Tables

Dining tables, desk tables, and occasional tables in solid oak, walnut, and ash. Designed for everyday use and built to last for generations.

Storage & Sideboards

Sideboards, credenzas, cabinets, and media furniture. Clean proportions, considered details, and solid wood construction throughout.

Desks & Home Office

Desks and home office furniture designed for people who work from home and want something that does not look like office furniture. Solid wood, quietly made.

Bespoke Commissions

We take a small number of bespoke commissions each year for pieces not in our standard range, or for standard pieces adapted to specific dimensions and requirements. Commissions are designed in close collaboration with the client.

Trade & Interiors

We work regularly with interior designers and architects on both residential and commercial projects. Trade enquiries are welcome, please get in touch to discuss your project.

The Approach

Good design, Dieter Rams once said, is as little design as possible. It is an idea that has shaped how we work since the beginning. We are not interested in making furniture that draws attention to itself. We are interested in making furniture that feels right in a room proportioned well, finished honestly, and built to survive being used.

The details on a Barnby piece are shaped and resolved until they feel natural. A drawer that runs smoothly. A leg that tapers just enough. A surface that improves with age. These things take time, and they are the reason we work the way we do.

Our ethos in three words: subtle, considered, made to last.

How Commission Works

All our furniture is made to order. Whether you are choosing from our collection or commissioning a bespoke piece, the process is straightforward.

  1. Get in touch. Send us a brief description of what you have in mind — dimensions, the room it is for, any materials you are drawn to. There is no commitment at this stage.

  2. Design consultation. We will arrange a call or visit to discuss your project in more detail. For bespoke commissions we will prepare drawings, material samples, and a formal proposal.

  3. Proposal and quote. You receive a clear written proposal covering the design, specification, lead time, and price. We proceed only when you are happy.

  4. Making. Your piece is handcrafted in our Herefordshire workshop. For bespoke commissions we will keep you updated on progress and share photographs where useful.

  5. Delivery. We deliver across the UK and abroad. For larger or more complex pieces we offer a white-glove delivery and installation service. Lead times vary — discuss at enquiry.

Press & Recognition

Barnby Design has been featured and stocked by:

  • The Sunday Times

  • Grand Designs

  • Country Living

  • Clerkenwell Design Week 2026 (exhibiting)

  • Derwent House, Witney — stockist

  • Fōrm & Blōm, Oakham — stockist

Frequently Asked Questions

  • We work primarily with solid hardwoods — oak, walnut, and ash are the most common, though we also use other species depending on the project. Our furniture is predominantly solid wood, although we also work with veneer.

  • Both. We have a standard collection of furniture that has been refined over time and is available to buy directly. We also take a small number of bespoke commissions each year for pieces outside the collection, or for collection pieces adapted to specific dimensions or requirements.

  • Lead times vary depending on current workload and the complexity of the piece. As a rough guide, standard collection pieces typically take 8 to 12 weeks; bespoke commissions may be longer. We will give you a clear lead time at the point of quotation.

  • Yes, and we enjoy it. We work regularly with designers and architects on both residential and commercial projects. Trade enquiries are welcome — please get in touch to discuss your project and we can talk about the process and any trade terms.

  • Yes. We deliver across the UK and abroad. For larger or more complex pieces we can arrange white-glove delivery and installation. Delivery costs will be confirmed at the time of quotation.

  • Prices vary significantly depending on the piece, the materials, and the complexity of the design. The best way to get an accurate sense of cost is to get in touch with your project brief and we will prepare a proposal.

  • Our workshop is in the Wye Valley, near Hay-on-Wye, Herefordshire. We are happy for prospective clients to visit by appointment.

  • Yes. We have been featured in The Sunday Times, Grand Designs, and Country Living, among others. Our work is also stocked at Derwent House in Witney and Fōrm & Blōm in Oakham. We will be exhibiting at Clerkenwell Design Week in 2026.

Start a Conversation

If you have a project in mind — whether a piece from the collection, a bespoke commission, or a trade enquiry — we would like to hear from you.

Get in touch at info@barnbydesign.co.uk, or use the contact form below.

Workshop address: Castle House, Clifford, Hereford, HR3 5HT

Email: info@barnbydesign.co.uk

Instagram: @barnbydesign