Makers of Church Furniture for Communities: Our Approach to Designing Furniture for Community Events, Celebrations and Worship
Across the country, a significant transformation is taking place in many of Britain’s historic church buildings. The custodians of these beautiful structures are working to optimize their interiors, ensuring that churches become vibrant hubs for their local communities. As part of this process, one essential aspect is designing and crafting new church furniture that will meet the flexible needs of communities that use the spaces for events as well as celebrations and worship.
At Dovetailors, we are proud to be makers of church furniture for communities, having contributed to the redesign of iconic spaces like Wakefield Cathedral, Newport Cathedral, and St Mildred’s Church in Croydon. Our approach to creating church furniture is rooted in understanding the unique needs of each community, ensuring that the designs enhance both functionality and aesthetic appeal.
Designing Church Furniture for Multi-Use Spaces
In many of our projects, we have been commissioned to replace outdated, fixed furniture and create new, flexible pieces that allow the space to serve multiple purposes. This flexibility is vital in transforming churches into adaptable spaces that can accommodate everything from events, festivals and celebrations to intimate worship services and community gatherings.
Sometimes, our role extends beyond practical furniture design, as we are invited to create pieces of significant meaning—such as baptismal fonts, Paschal candles, or altars—that reflect the values and character of the community they serve. Here, we share some of our favourite church furniture projects and the stories behind them.
Choir stalls for Aston Hall
Earlier this year we worked closely with a small convent community that was taking possession of a stately home, transforming it into a serene and spiritual space. The nuns were looking for sensitively designed choir stalls that were functional, built to last generations of worship and aligned with the aesthetic and spiritual essence of the convent. The nuns had seen some of our previous ecclesiastical work and they knew we had experience of designing freestanding choir stalls that offered flexibility – essential for a small multi-use chapel.
Choir Stalls for St Mildred’s Church, Croydon
Another choir stall project that we are particularly proud of was commissioned by St Mildred’s Church in Croydon. The work was part of a major church makeover to make the space more flexible. The result was a stunning, functional design that harmonised with the church’s existing features. This project was a wonderful collaboration between our design team and the St Mildred’s community, demonstrating how church furniture can be both beautiful and practical.
Altar and Ambo for Wakefield Cathedral
Wakefield Cathedral has been the site of several exciting furniture design projects for Dovetailors, and one of the first was the design of a new altar and ambo crafted from oak and burr wood. The Dean described the pieces as “delightful,” and we were proud to see this design set the tone for future projects. Since then we have built vestry wardrobes, choir stalls, refectory tables, and other church furniture for the cathedral.
Music Stand for Sheffield Cathedral
Sheffield Cathedral invited us to design an oak music stand for use in worship, with a sliding structure and stainless steel locking mechanism. This church furniture design project tested our skills in woodworking, engineering, and problem-solving. It was a joy to work on.
Paschal Candle for Mirfield Monastery
The Paschal candle is a key feature in Christian worship, and we were honoured to be invited to make one for Mirfield Monastery. Standing 2.5 meters high and made up of 45 individually sculpted oak components, this piece is both functional and symbolic. The concealed castors make it easy to move, ensuring the candle can be used for festivals and celebrations while remaining a central part of the monastery’s sacred space.
Baptismal Font for Liverpool Parish Church
Our collaboration with a local glass artist to design the baptismal font for Liverpool Parish Church led to the design of a beautiful font with stained glass panels that depict the church’s heritage and role within the community. The font will be a striking centrepiece for worship and community.
Makers of Church Furniture: Supporting Communities Through Design
As makers of church furniture for communities, our mission is to create pieces that enhance the spiritual and social functions of churches. Whether designing flexible furniture for modern worship or crafting significant liturgical items, our focus is always on quality, durability, and the deeper meaning behind each project.
If you’re looking to transform your church’s interior with thoughtfully designed church furniture, we’d love to discuss your vision. Contact our team today at 0113 256 7376 to start the conversation.