Made by hand. Made to last.

My name is Ben Johnstone, and I make furniture the way it was always meant to be made — slowly, carefully, and with wood that deserves to be worked.

Hillside Furniture was established in 2013, originally under the name Hillside Woodturning, as an avenue to sell bespoke hand-turned wooden items. Over the years it has evolved into a small furniture company making everything from custom kitchen shelving and under-stairs storage to made-to-measure wardrobes and beautiful decorative pieces like hand-turned tea trays.

Ben's Story

Ben's career in wood began in 2008 with a traditional joinery apprenticeship at a small joinery in Hanley Swan. In 2010 he moved into cabinet making, joining a company near Colwall that specialised in high-end furniture for the likes of Linley, Rupert Bevan, and Gosling Interiors. Over nearly a decade, he honed his craft at the highest level.

In 2020, during the Covid pandemic, Ben made the decision to leave and focus full time on Hillside Furniture — bringing together his love of making, his traditional joinery training, and his experience as a cabinet maker into one company built entirely on his own terms.

Where It All Started

Hillside Furniture began in an 8ft by 8ft shed on the side of the stunning Malvern Hills — the base of which had to be cut into the hillside by hand. That's where the name came from.

In 2020, Ben found a small workshop available to rent in Staunton, Gloucestershire, and it was perfect. Since then, Unit 12 at Staunton Court Business Park has become the heart of Hillside Furniture — a proper working space that's become a home from home. Ben is often found sat by the lake opposite the workshop with a cup of tea.

The Workshop & The Craft

Everything we make comes out of the Staunton workshop, built one piece at a time, by hand, from start to finish. We use traditional joinery techniques — mortise and tenon, dovetail, hand-cut joints — because they produce furniture that holds together for generations. Where modern methods genuinely improve the result, we use them. But the craft always comes first.

We work primarily in solid hardwoods: oak, cherry, maple, and walnut — each chosen for its character and the way it ages beautifully over time. We also work with reclaimed wood wherever possible, giving timber with history a second life in your home.

Made to Order

Nothing at Hillside Furniture sits in a warehouse. Every piece is made to order — built specifically for you, to your dimensions, in your chosen timber and finish. That means a lead time of 3–4 weeks to make your piece, plus delivery time. When it arrives, it's ready to use immediately. No flat-pack. No assembly. Just furniture.

Our Commitment to Sustainability

We prioritise sustainably sourced hardwoods, use reclaimed timber wherever we can, and traditional construction methods mean your furniture can be repaired rather than replaced. Explore our Sustainable Heroes collection to see pieces where responsible materials take centre stage.

Where We Work

Whilst Staunton and Malvern are our two home areas, we're happy to carry out work throughout southern Worcestershire, east Herefordshire, and Gloucestershire. We also sell a range of handmade items online. Please feel free to get in touch to book a site visit or consultation with Ben.

Let's Build Something Together

If you're looking for something specific — a particular size, a custom design, a piece that fits an awkward alcove — visit our Bespoke page to see examples of Ben's work and start a conversation.

Ben Johnstone
Maker & Founder, Hillside Furniture
Staunton, Gloucestershire