Bespoke joinery · est. 2001
Taking commissions
Made to measure,
made to last.
Hand-built fitted furniture, kitchens, staircases and bespoke joinery for homes across Greater Manchester. Designed with you, made in our own workshop from solid timber, and fitted to last a lifetime.
- 24
- yrs at the bench
- 600+
- pieces made
- 4.9
- rating
A typical commission
Marlowe & Oak
- Timber
- European oak
- Finish
- Hand-oiled
- Joinery
- Mortise & tenon
- Lead time
- 4–6 weeks
Signed — every piece, made by hand.
- Guild of Master CraftsmenVetted & accredited
- FSC-certified timberResponsibly sourced
- Fully insuredPublic liability cover
- 10-year guaranteeOn our workmanship
- Free design consultationNo obligation
What we make
Bespoke pieces, made by hand for your home
From a single fitted wardrobe to a whole kitchen or a hardwood staircase, every commission is designed with you, hand-built in our workshop from solid timber, and fitted cleanly into your home.
Made to measure
Fitted wardrobes & storage
Made-to-measure wardrobes and alcove units built around your room and the way you live — hand-finished doors, soft-close fittings and clever storage, fitted seamlessly to the wall.
EnquireSolid timber
Bespoke kitchens & cabinetry
Hand-made kitchens and cabinetry in solid timber and painted finishes — dovetailed drawers, proper carcasses and worktops, designed and built to suit your space, not flat-packed.
EnquireOne-off pieces
Freestanding furniture
One-off tables, sideboards, dressers and desks, designed with you and made by hand to become the piece your family keeps for generations.
EnquireOak & hardwood
Staircases & balustrades
New and replacement staircases, handrails and balustrades in oak and hardwood — traditionally jointed, beautifully finished and built to be used every day for decades.
EnquireSecond-fix
Doors, skirting & architrave
Bespoke internal doors, hand-made skirting, architrave and panelling — period-correct profiles and crisp second-fix joinery that lifts the whole room.
EnquireFitted joinery
Bookcases & media walls
Fitted bookcases, study joinery and media walls made to your measurements and proportions — solid shelving that won't sag, finished to match your interior.
EnquireDurable timber
Garden & outdoor joinery
Pergolas, gates, planters, decking and garden structures in durable, properly finished timber — made to weather the seasons and soften beautifully with age.
EnquirePeriod work
Restoration & repairs
Sympathetic repair and restoration of period staircases, doors, furniture and joinery — matching timber, mouldings and finish so the repair simply disappears.
Enquire
The workshop
One craftsman sees every piece through, from the timber to your home.
I'm a time-served joiner and I've spent twenty-four years at the bench, the last fifteen of them running Marlowe & Oak from our own workshop in south Manchester. I started out making fitted furniture for friends; today we make bespoke joinery for homes right across the area — but the way we work hasn't changed.
When you commission a piece from us you deal with the maker, not a salesperson. I'll measure and draw it with you, help you choose the timber and finish, and then it's hand-built in our workshop using proper joinery — solid hardwoods, not flat-pack — and fitted clean and snag-free. It's slower than mass-produced, and that's the point: a staircase your grandchildren will still use.
- Our own workshop — nothing outsourced
- You deal with the maker, start to finish
- Solid hardwoods, never flat-pack
- One craftsman sees each piece through
From timber to finished piece
What makes a piece worth keeping
There's a reason hand-made joinery costs more and lasts longer. Here's what the choices behind every commission actually mean for you — and exactly what you can count on, every single piece.
Solid hardwood, not veneer
We build from solid timber and quality hardwood ply where it belongs — not chipboard wrapped in plastic foil. It can be sanded, re-oiled and repaired for decades, and it ages beautifully instead of chipping and swelling.
Traditional joinery
Mortise-and-tenon frames and dovetailed drawers, glued and pinned the way furniture has been made for centuries. These joints lock together and get stronger under load, so doors stay square and drawers run true for a lifetime.
Hand-finished & oiled
Surfaces are hand-sanded through the grits and finished with hardwax oils or hand-painted to your colour. The finish feels warm under the hand, shows off the grain, and is easy to maintain and touch up at home.
Made to measure
Every piece is drawn and built to your exact room — scribed to uneven walls and floors so it fits as though the house was built around it. No filler strips, no awkward gaps, no compromise on proportion.
Recent commissions
A few pieces we've made lately
A selection of recent commissions, each designed with the client, hand-built in solid timber and fitted in their home. Real photographs drop straight in here — for now these are on-brand placeholders.
Fitted oak wardrobes
Didsbury · European oak · hand-oiled
Hand-painted kitchen
Altrincham · Tulipwood · hand-painted
Oak staircase
Hale · Solid oak · waxed
Alcove media wall
Sale · Ash · hardwax oil
Walnut dining table
Wilmslow · Black walnut · oiled
Period staircase repair
Stockport · Pitch pine · restored
Reviews
What our clients say
4.9 average from 96 reviews
“From the first workshop visit it was clear we were dealing with a real craftsman. The fitted wardrobes are beautiful — scribed perfectly to our wonky old walls — and the oak has only got nicer with time. Worth every penny.”
Rachel & TomHomeowners · DidsburyGoogle “I specify Marlowe & Oak for my interior projects whenever the budget allows. The joinery is impeccable, the timber and finishes are exactly as discussed, and they're a genuine pleasure to work with on site. My clients are always delighted.”
Imogen HartleyInterior Designer · HaleHouzz “They made and fitted a new oak staircase and matched it to our Victorian house perfectly. Tidy, unhurried, properly made — you can feel the difference. It's the sort of staircase that'll outlast us.”
DavidHomeowner · StockportCheckatrade
How a commission works
From first conversation to finished piece
Consultation & survey
We start with a chat about what you want, then a measured survey of the space. Workshop visits are welcome — come and see the timber and how we work before you commit to anything.
Design & quote
I draw the piece with you, help you choose the timber and finish, and send a clear, itemised quote. Nothing is built until you're happy with the design and the price.
Handmade in the workshop
Your piece is hand-built at the bench using traditional joinery and solid timber, then hand-finished and checked over — one craftsman seeing it through from board to bench.
Fitting & finish
We deliver and fit it cleanly, scribed to your walls and floors, then run through a snagging check together so it's left perfect — and guaranteed for ten years.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
The questions we're asked most about lead times, timber, fitting and guarantees. Can't see yours? Give us a call or send a message — we're always happy to talk it through.
What are your lead times?
Most commissions take four to six weeks in the workshop once the design is signed off, though it depends on the size of the piece and how busy the bench is. Kitchens and staircases need a little longer. We'll give you a realistic timescale at the quote stage and keep you updated as we go — we'd rather take the time to get it right than rush it.Solid wood or MDF and veneer — what do you use?
We build from solid timber and high-quality hardwood plywood wherever it matters. We'll use paint-grade MDF for hand-painted shaker doors and panels where it's genuinely the best material for a stable, perfect finish — but never the foil-wrapped chipboard you find in flat-pack furniture. We'll always tell you exactly what your piece is made from.Do you fit as well as make?
Yes — we design, make and fit. Because the same craftsman who built your piece also fits it, it's scribed properly to your walls and floors and finished snag-free on site. You're not left to find a separate fitter, and there's no one to pass the blame to if something needs adjusting.Is your work guaranteed?
Yes. Our workmanship is guaranteed for ten years, and because everything is solid timber and traditional joinery, it's built to be repaired and re-finished rather than thrown away. If anything ever needs attention, we'll come back and put it right.Do you charge for design?
The first consultation and quote are free and without obligation. For more involved commissions — a full kitchen, a complex staircase — we may agree a design fee for detailed drawings, which is then credited against the work if you go ahead. We'll always be upfront about any fees before you commit.What areas do you cover?
We're based in south Manchester and work across Greater Manchester and the surrounding villages — Altrincham, Stockport, Sale, Wilmslow, Didsbury, Hale, Cheadle and the areas around them. For a special commission we'll happily travel a little further; just ask and we'll let you know.
Where we work
Working across Manchester & the villages around it
- Manchester
- Altrincham
- Stockport
- Sale
- Wilmslow
- Didsbury
- Hale
- Cheadle
Not sure if we cover you? Just ask — get in touch and we'll let you know.
Get in touch
Start your commission
Tell us about the piece you have in mind and we'll arrange a free consultation and survey, then send a clear quote. Prefer to talk it through, or come and see the workshop? Give us a call.
- Phone
- 0161 555 0188
- Opening hours
Monday – Friday: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am – 1:00pm
Sunday: Closed
Workshop visits welcome by appointment — come and see the timber.
- Areas covered
- Manchester · Altrincham · Stockport · Sale · Wilmslow · Didsbury · Hale · Cheadle
Tell us about your commission
Fields marked * are required.