We reclaimed a collection of original pews and complementary furniture from Hearsall Baptist Church in Earlsdon, Coventry. Built in 1960 with a striking mid-century architectural design, the church featured furniture that followed the same aesthetic — an unusual departure from more traditional church furnishings.
Most of the pews were sympathetically restored and sold in their original form, preserving their distinctive design and character. With others, we saw an opportunity to take a different approach, exploring how their beautifully shaped solid beech components could be given an entirely new purpose.
For this commission, we used one of the original pews as the starting point for a bespoke desk. Its distinctive solid beech supports were carefully reconfigured to form the base, retaining their simple lines and splayed mid-century form while adapting them for their new use.
A reclaimed Iroko stretcher was introduced between the supports, together with a substantial Iroko top. The rich, dark grain of the reclaimed timber creates a natural contrast with the lighter beech of the original pew.
The result is a completely individual piece that works equally well as a desk or dressing table — preserving an unusual piece of Coventry’s mid-century design heritage while giving it a new and contemporary purpose.