WHY WE DO THINGS THE HARD WAY

A slower way of making

The co-founder of British furniture maker Huckleberry on knowledge built through decades of making and why choosing the slower route creates furniture to become part of a life.

Huckelberry, handmade, bespoke garden furniture, Somerset, UK - Scheme

Claire Podesta

Co-Founder, Huckleberry

July 21, 2026 | 3 min read

There is always an easier way to do what we do. We could use cheaper materials, or design around speed rather than longevity. Many businesses do, because it allows them to produce more, faster. But that has never been what interests us. At Huckleberry, we make furniture intended to become part of someone’s life for decades, not seasons. That requires patience, skilled hands and materials chosen for how they will age as well as how they look when they leave the workshop. The slower route gives us the freedom to focus on quality, proportion, detail and durability. Making things properly is rarely the easiest option, but it is the most rewarding. The process is inseparable from the outcome.

How proximity influences a finished piece

Where something is made tells a story about its values. Producing in south-west England allows us to work closely with the people who supply our materials and the craftspeople who make our furniture. Their knowledge, often accumulated over decades, influences every piece we create. That proximity allows us to maintain standards, support skilled local industries and make decisions based on quality rather than convenience. By sourcing and manufacturing closer to home, we keep our supply chain shorter and reduce environmental impact. There is also something important about preserving knowledge. Britain has a remarkable heritage of furniture making, and those skills only survive if we continue to invest in them.

Huckelberry, Co-Founder, workshop Somerset, UK - handmade, bespoke garden furniture - Scheme — Huckleberry co-founder and creative Matt Podesta with his sketch book. Photography by Ben Crowther

Huckelberry, in the workshop - handmade, bespoke garden furniture, Somerset, UK - Scheme — Huckleberry co-founder and creative Matt Podesta with his sketch book. Photography by Ben Crowther

“Where something is made tells a story about its values.”

Claire Podesta, Co-Founder, Huckleberry

Huckleberry would not exist without our co-founder Matt. For decades, he has been designing bespoke furniture, developing an understanding of proportion, craftsmanship and materials that only comes through years of making. Every Huckleberry piece begins with a sketch, and every design is informed by that knowledge. Knowing how a piece should sit within a space, how it should function, how it should age, and how small details can elevate it. Buying once and buying well is what previous generations understood, and what skilled makers are making possible again. We hope people see that they are not simply buying a piece of furniture, but investing in craftsmanship, materials, heritage and a philosophy that values permanence over disposability.