Furnitubes

Sometimes the smallest spaces hold the biggest opportunity.

In 2015, Didcot became the first town in the UK to be granted Garden Town status. A decade on, and that vision continues to take root in unexpected places.

Outside Cornerstone Arts Centre, Furnitubes FERN planters with reclaimed hardwood Fordham seating are transforming an overlooked courtyard into a place people genuinely want to stay.

The reclaimed timber gets stronger with age, the planting attracts vital pollinators, and the community now has a place to gather and enjoy nature up close.

Greening the public realm doesn't require grand gestures. All it takes is the right furniture in the right place.

Read the full story below.

Cornerstone Arts Centre, Didcot | Greening the Public Realm with Modular Planters Discover how modular planters and reclaimed timber seating transformed the courtyard at Cornerstone Arts Centre in Didcot into a greener, more sociable space that supports biodiversity and community wellbeing.

In 2018, the Church Commissioners for England began a journey to create a place where people choose to pause. They had a clear vision: create a piazza that would strengthen Connaught Village's character whilst serving its independent businesses and community.

The result, unveiled this June, introduces biodiversity and breathing space to one of the West End's most distinctive neighbourhoods. Charlotte Moss, Head of London at the Commissioners, calls it "a lasting space that will serve everyone now and into the future."

We're rather proud of how our seating contributes to that vision — positioned throughout the green to encourage lingering, conversation, and those precious moments of quiet contemplation between errands.
Read the full case study:

Connaught Village Green, London: A piazza for the village How do you turn a junction into the heart of a village? Through six years of consultation and a community-first vision.

Wildlife, wellbeing, and beautifully considered design - all woven into the fabric of our public spaces.

Discover how street furniture is becoming a resilient guardian of biodiversity.

Street Furniture for Biodiversity: Benches, Planters & Wildlife Habitats | Furnitubes Discover how street furniture supports communities and biodiversity. From gabion benches sheltering insects to rooftop planters hosting pollinators, learn how design creates wellbeing for people and wildlife while meeting UK net gain goals.

We don't design furniture to be noticed.

We design it to enhance the spaces where life unfolds: to invite people in, to spark joy, and to hold their conversations, their pauses, their memories.

On our blog, Managing Director Catherine Barratt shares Furnitubes’ long-term vision: building outdoor furniture for good - in both senses of the phrase.

Read more about how we design for durability, sustainability, and the communities we serve. Find the full article linked below.

If you’re wandering past our Sales Development department, you’ll likely find Karen’s door wide open.

For Karen, building a rapport with clients is all about genuine connection and trust. Whether she is helping navigate complex projects or bonding with tourists over street furniture, she proves that listening is the most important tool we have.

Read our latest profile to find out why she swapped a potential career in counselling for life at Furnitubes.
https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0qvNKG0

Building blocks for the Royal Docks.

John Robertson Architects Ltd were tasked with reimagining the new walkways at the Royal Docks. Their vision for clear, linear, and functional routes needed furniture to match and, quite wisely, they picked our RailRoad Inline system. There’s a pleasing regularity to the system and we designed it to be entirely modular so the seating slotted right in as if it were custom-made.

The architects also wanted greenery to complement the development. The space could only host freestanding planters and here is where our Fern range shines, allowing large-scale planting to be perfectly positioned without damage to flooring.
We just love it when our work helps make the public realm more beautiful and more functional.

Read the full case study:

ExceL London, Royal Docks: Street Furniture Case Study Discover how RailRoad seating and Fern planters created cost-effective linear walkways for ExceL London's Royal Docks regeneration. Modular design meets architectural ambition.

Repair, don’t replace. Something we learned from those who came before us is that it’s more responsible to repair something that works than to throw it away and buy a new one.

Here we are, asking our clients to buy fewer items from us and to repair what they already have. Most items in our catalogue are easy to repair and we supply the parts and the instructions. It should be that easy to take responsibility for the future.

Pictured: a replacement slat added to our RailRoad Inline bench at London ExCel, so it can continue serving its community.

Have you thought about how the humble litter bin does more than collect waste?

It helps shape how communities experience their outdoor spaces. More on why thoughtful placement matters in our latest blog post.

Public Litter Bins: Sustainable Waste Solutions for Urban Spaces | Furnitubes Discover how strategic outdoor litter bin placement transforms public spaces. Expert insights on sustainable waste management solutions for councils and estate managers.

What does sustainability really look like for a small manufacturer?

It’s not a perfect story - it’s a process.

In our new Sustainability Journal, our Managing Director, Catherine Barratt, opens up about what it takes to balance purpose, progress, and practicality in 2026 and beyond.

Read the full post below.

The Furnitubes Sustainability Journal: Entry 1 What does sustainability really look like for a small manufacturer? In our new Sustainability Journal, our Managing Director, Catherine, opens up about what it takes to balance purpose, progress, and practicality in 2026 and beyond.