The Beauty of an Unusual Commission

Posted on October 11, 2026

Some of the most interesting conversations at Woodcraft begin with the words: “Can you make…?”

And quite often, what follows isn't something you'll find in a catalogue.

Over the years we've been asked to make all sorts of unusual pieces of outdoor furniture and timber structures. Sometimes it's a variation on an existing design. Sometimes it's something designed to fit a particularly awkward space. And occasionally it's an idea that requires us to start almost entirely from scratch.

Those are often the projects that prove the most interesting.

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When standard sizes don't quite work

There are plenty of occasions when an established product is exactly what's needed. But gardens, public spaces and buildings have an inconvenient habit of not being standard sizes themselves.

A customer might need a bench to follow a particular curve, seating to fit around an existing feature, a table made to unusual dimensions or furniture designed for a very specific location.

It may only require adapting one of our existing designs, but sometimes a seemingly simple request leads to an entirely new solution.

That's one of the advantages of making furniture ourselves. We're not restricted to taking something from a warehouse shelf and hoping it fits.

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Sometimes the challenge is the interesting bit

Bespoke work often begins with a problem.

There might be an awkward corner to make use of. An established landscape feature that the furniture needs to complement. A requirement for an unusually large or small piece. Or perhaps the customer simply has an idea they haven't been able to find anywhere else.

Working out how to turn that requirement into something practical, comfortable and attractive is all part of the process.

It might mean changing dimensions, adapting the construction or developing something completely new. And because timber is such a versatile material, there is often more than one way to approach the problem.

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More than benches

Woodcraft may be particularly well known for wooden benches and seating, but some of our more unusual commissions demonstrate that our workshop isn't limited to them.

We've produced tables, planters, noticeboards, pergolas and other timber structures alongside bespoke pieces that don't necessarily fit neatly into any particular category.

That's part of what makes this kind of work enjoyable.

One week we might be making a familiar bench design we've produced many times before. The next could involve something we've never made in quite that way before.

An idea doesn't need to come with a drawing

Customers sometimes assume that ordering something bespoke means arriving with detailed plans and precise specifications.

It doesn't.

A photograph, a rough sketch, some approximate measurements or even a conversation about what you're trying to achieve can be enough to get things started.

From there, we can look at what's practical, consider the materials and construction, and work towards a solution.

After all, if you already knew exactly how to make it, you probably wouldn't need us.

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So, can we make it?

Maybe.

But that's a question we're always happy to be asked.

Some of our favourite pieces over the years have begun with an unusual request, an awkward problem or an idea that didn't quite exist yet.

If you have something in mind but can't find quite what you're looking for, talk to us.

The next unusual commission through the Woodcraft workshop doors could be yours.