Bespoke · Handcrafted · UK Made
Handcrafted, bespoke and unique products created from beautiful hardwoods
Bespoke chessboards, chopping boards, butchers blocks and cheeseboards made to order to your exact specification in the UK. Each piece a lasting gift.
Portfolio
Chessboards, chopping boards, butcher blocks and cheese boards. A selection of further truly bespoke and artisan creations including coasters, wine racks, shot glass holders, log stores, towel rails, shoe racks and coat and key hangers.
Every board begins with the wood — its grain, its warmth, its story.
Lemonwood & Purpleheart Chessboard
A truly bespoke and artisan masterpiece — sixty-four hand-cut squares of vivid purpleheart and pale lemonwood, each one unique in grain and character, set proud on a solid meranti base with polished brass ball feet. This is the kind of piece that stops a room. Crafted entirely by hand in our Worcestershire workshop, no two boards are ever the same.
Purpleheart & Maple Chessboard
A striking chessboard in contrasting purpleheart and maple, finished with brass hardware.
Cheese Board No 1
A multicolour striped cheeseboard with brass handles — a showstopping centrepiece for any table.
Zebrano & Multi-Timber Chopping Board
A rainbow-stripe chopping board in zebrano, walnut, padauk, purpleheart, lemonwood and maple.
Striped Hardwood Pair
Two complementary striped hardwood boards in purpleheart, padauk and walnut.
Maple Cheeseboard with Brass Handles
A maple cheeseboard with padauk and purpleheart inlay, brass handles and cheese knife.
Purpleheart Cheeseboard with Brass Handles
A solid purpleheart cheeseboard with brass handles, ball feet and cheese knife.
Maple & Greenheart Chessboard
A striking chessboard in vivid greenheart and pale maple, set on a walnut base with brass ball feet. The deep forest green of the greenheart is one of the rarest colour contrasts in the range.
10 Bottle Copper Pipe Wine Rack
An eye catching wine bottle rack made from 15mm copper pipe that can be positioned anywhere in the house.
22mm Copper Pipe Log Store with Purpleheart Top
A stand out from the crowd artisan log store made from robust 22mm copper pipe where you have the option to have an open top or you can add in a beautiful hardwood top from our selection.
15mm Copper Pipe Towel Rail
A striking copper towel rail made from 15 and 22mm copper pipe. The rail is not connected to the hot water system so it is a naturally air drying product that can be positioned anywhere in the bathroom or landing.
22mm Log Store with Walnut Top
A stand out from the crowd artisan log store made from robust 22mm copper pipe where you have the option to have an open top or you can add in a beautiful hardwood top from our selection.
Copper Pipe Shoe Rack
A simple shoe rack made from 15mm copper pipe with two shelves. We also manufacture the same unit with three or four shelves. The feet are cast iron and really catch the eye.
Maple End-Grain Butcher Block
This is a beast of a board created with an end grain finish with black steel furniture. This board is made with maple and you have the option of changing the black steel furniture to brass furniture. Various sizes and woods available.
Walnut End-Grain Butcher Block
The walnut version of this beast of a board with an end grain finish and black steel furniture. The beauty of these stunning boards are not just their working area and longevity, but they can be taken outside to the BBQ or pizza oven to showcase the outside dining experience. Various sizes and woods available.
Padauk End-Grain Butcher Block
Padauk really sets the scene in a kitchen for a butcher's block. It also looks stunning with brass furniture. A perfect combination of functionality and stand out beauty in one product. You are not stuck for the perfect gift now!!
Purpleheart End-Grain Butcher Block
Nobody else in the world will have a butcher block in their kitchen like your purpleheart one. A truly unique end grain board with black steel furniture that can be upgraded to brass. The deep violet tones of purpleheart make this an extraordinary centrepiece in any kitchen. Various sizes available.
Chopping Board
A beautiful large chopping board with a 70 degree bevel which creates a comfortable lifting experience. The board has a central padauk stripe with maple, walnut and cherry stripes. Why not come up with your own pattern and we will gladly create this for you.
Walnut Chopping Board with Brass Feet
A beautiful bevelled walnut chopping board with brass feet that lights up any kitchen. A perfect corporate gift, Christmas or birthday gift that will last for a lifetime.
Walnut & Lemonwood Chessboard
A stunning chessboard made with walnut and lemonwood squares on a base of walnut with round brass feet. There is a ridge around the base where the fallen chess pieces can stand proud until the next game commences!!
Novelty Wine Bottle Holder
Novelty wine bottle holder
Why we choose our hardwoods
Padauk
West & Central Africa
Vivid orange-red heartwood that deepens to a rich reddish-brown with age. Dense, durable, and naturally oily — it takes an exceptional finish and is a signature timber of our boards.
Walnut
North America & Europe
Deep chocolate-brown with straight to wavy grain. Prized for its warmth and workability, walnut is a classic choice that pairs beautifully with lighter timbers.
Cherry
Eastern North America
Warm pinkish-brown that darkens dramatically with light exposure to a rich amber. Fine, straight grain with a smooth, lustrous surface — a timeless hardwood.
Ash
Europe & North America
Pale cream to light tan with a bold, open grain. Strong and flexible with excellent shock resistance — its light tone provides striking contrast in striped designs.
Purpleheart
Central & South America
Extraordinary violet-purple heartwood unlike any other timber. Extremely hard and dense, it creates dramatic contrast and is one of our most requested accent woods.
Zebrano
West Africa
Golden-yellow background with bold dark brown streaks — nature's own stripe. Each piece is unique, making it a showstopping choice for statement boards.
Maple
North America & Europe
Creamy white to pale golden with a fine, even texture. Hard-wearing and food-safe, maple is a favourite for chessboards and chopping boards where a clean, bright tone is desired.
Meranti
South-East Asia
Medium reddish-brown with an interlocked grain that produces a subtle ribbon figure. A versatile, stable hardwood that works well in both bold and understated designs.
Greenheart
Guyana, South America
Olive-green to dark brown, exceptionally dense and naturally resistant to decay. One of the hardest timbers we work with — its unusual colour makes it a rare and distinctive choice.
Lemonwood
Cuba & Caribbean
Pale yellow to golden with a fine, uniform grain. Hard and smooth-finishing, lemonwood brings a warm, honeyed tone that complements darker accent timbers beautifully.
Wenge
Central Africa
Almost black with fine pale streaks running through the grain. Strikingly dark and architectural, wenge creates bold contrast and a distinctly contemporary feel.
Bubinga
Central & West Africa
Deep reddish-brown with pink to purple veining and a natural lustre. Sometimes called African Rosewood, bubinga is dense, stable, and produces a stunning figure when finished.
Can't see your preferred timber? Get in touch — we work with many more exotic hardwoods to order.
Chessboards in Their Natural Habitat
Each of our chessboards is crafted to be played on, displayed, and admired. Here are some of our boards pictured in the homes and settings they were made for — from rustic farmhouse kitchens to elegant drawing rooms. Every board is made to order; tell us your vision and we will bring it to life.
All of our products make the perfect birthday, Christmas or corporate gift
Enquire about a giftThe Craft
Craftsmanship Born from Passion
"Every board tells the story of the wood it came from."
At The Board Designer, every board tells a story. Not just the story of the beautiful hardwoods from which it is crafted, but the story of craftsmanship, dedication, and a lifelong love of working with wood.
The Board Designer was established during the lockdowns of 2021, a time when many people found themselves reconnecting with old passions and discovering new possibilities. What began as a personal passion quickly evolved into a business dedicated to creating exceptional handcrafted boards that combine beauty, functionality, and lasting quality.
While The Board Designer is a relatively young business, the experience behind it spans more than four decades. For over 40 years, our maker worked as a senior project manager within the construction industry — learning the value of precision, attention to detail, patience, and pride in workmanship. Those principles remain at the heart of everything we create today.
Wood has always fascinated us. Every piece of timber possesses its own unique character, grain pattern, colour, and texture. No two boards are ever identical, and that individuality is what makes handcrafted wooden products so special.
In a world increasingly dominated by mass production, we believe there is still tremendous value in products that are thoughtfully designed and carefully crafted by hand. We don't simply manufacture boards; we create heirloom-quality pieces intended to be enjoyed for many years and, in many cases, passed on to future generations.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about our story. We are proud to share our work with customers who appreciate quality craftsmanship and the timeless beauty of fine hardwood products.
Made to Order
Commission a piece
Tell us what you have in mind — the timber, the size, the occasion. We'll take it from there.