Pencil design drawing for a bespoke writing desk — annotated with timber species including pear, sycamore and ash, by furniture designer-maker Henry Crabb
Scale model of a bespoke writing desk in pale ash, photographed in natural light with a banana by furniture designer-maker Henry Crabb, West Cornwall
Hand-shaping tapers and mason's mitres on a pale hardwood leg, with hand planes and marking tools on the workbench — fine furniture making by Henry Crabb
Ash and pear wood drawer construction with hand-cut dovetail joints, dry-fitted on a workbench at Henry Crabb's workshop, West Cornwall
Hand-textured Swiss pear wood panel with a scattered dot relief pattern — surface detail work by furniture designer-maker Henry Crabb

Collaborate

I work closely with clients - including other makers and designers - from first sketch to finished piece. If you have a project or an idea you'd like to explore, get in touch and we can talk it through.

Bespoke Furniture

Commissions start with a conversation. I want to understand the room, the activity, the routine, the tones and textures you're drawn to - and then design something that belongs.

The process runs from an initial meeting through drawings, models and material selection to making and delivery. To get an idea for what I can make, and what I can make with - take a look at the Sourcebook.

Commission
Commission

Studio Work

Between commissions, I develop my own pieces - led by material, activity, proportion and curiosity.

I'm also interested in working with other makers. If you're a potter, blacksmith, weaver, or craftsperson of any discipline and you'd like to explore a collaboration, I'd welcome the conversation.

Studio pieces are available to buy directly. If something on the Work page interests you, get in touch.

Collaborate
Collaborate

Interiors & Restoration

I can work with clients on rooms and spaces where furniture, materials, and light need to work together. This might be a single room in a period house or the interior of a new build - I'm interested in bringing craft, nature and architecture together.

I can also source antique and vintage furniture for clients who want good pieces but don't have the time or knowledge to find them. I know what to look for, what's fairly priced, and what will last.

Where period furniture needs care, I can carry out sympathetic restoration - structural repairs, surface cleaning, and careful conservation. The goal is to preserve what's there, not to make old things look new.

Consult
Consult

For Designers & Architects

I work with interior designers and architects on bespoke furniture and fittings for residential and hospitality projects. I'm happy to be involved early — at concept stage, when material choices and proportions are still open — or later, when a piece needs making to a specification.

I can provide drawings, timber samples, and finish options to support your presentation to clients. If it's useful, I'm also happy to attend site visits or client meetings to discuss materials and design in person. Have a look at the Sourcebook to see what I can design and make for you.

Connect
Connect

Objects  mindful   of   the  energy  and   intention   they   will  be   used   for

Detailed pencil construction sketches for a bespoke bureau — drawer joinery and leg detail studies by furniture designer-maker Henry Crabb
Early pencil sketches exploring chair and bureau forms — design development drawings by Henry Crabb, West Cornwall
A sketch of a wooden chest at the end of a double bed with two pillows - furniture design drawing by Henry Crabb
Front elevation sketch of a cabinet with decorative panel — bespoke furniture design drawing by Henry Crabb
A simple pencil sketch of a writing desk with a curved stretcher, a drawer on the left side, and a small working lamp - furniture design development by Henry Crabb, West Cornwall
Pencil sketch of a bureau front elevation with shaped doors — bespoke furniture design by Henry Crabb