New Product: The Floating Bench Returns - Award-winning garden furniture design collaboration with Simon Thomas Pirie rejoins the Sitting Spiritually range

Sitting Spiritually, the British garden furniture maker and sole swing seat and bench manufacturer licensed by the Royal Horticultural Society, is pleased to announce the return of The Floating Bench to its permanent collection. Designed in collaboration with fellow Dorset-based maker Simon Thomas Pirie, the bench is now available to order as a 2 or 3 seater in three distinctive timber finishes.

First introduced as part of the Simon Thomas Pirie Contemporary Range, The Floating Bench quickly established itself as one of the most celebrated pieces in the collection. It was shortlisted for RHS Chelsea Garden Product of the Year, featured in two RHS Gold Medal-winning show gardens, appeared in BBC coverage of Chelsea, and was selected for Liberty’s Outdoor Living Collection. In 2019, it received the Design Guild Mark from The Furniture Makers’ Company - one of the most respected accolades in British furniture design, recognising excellence in both aesthetics and craftsmanship.

Its return to the range follows sustained interest from designers, garden owners and those who encountered the original and have been waiting for the opportunity to commission one.

A Quieter Kind of Garden Seating
The Floating Bench brings a more architectural, sculptural presence to the garden. Its defining feature is a gently curved back rail, shaped through steam bending in native oak, which appears to float unsupported while remaining robust and deeply comfortable to sit against. The open back frames the garden beyond rather than interrupting it - light in appearance, considered in its comfort, and quietly confident in its line.

Material contrast sits at the heart of the design. The bench pairs natural oak with scorched oak, using the Japanese technique sometimes referred to as Yaki-Sugi, to create a finish that is richer and more layered than paint or stain. A low-solvent oil and wax treatment provides natural weather protection, allowing the bench to live outdoors year-round and stand up beautifully to the British climate.

Three Finishes, Two Generous Sizes
The Floating Bench is available in three timber variations: Standard (natural and scorched oak), Noir, and Blond ,each offering a distinct character while retaining the bench’s signature form. It is made to order as a 2 or 3 seater, handcrafted by Simon Thomas Pirie in his Dorset workshop.

Pricing
2 Seater Floating Bench: from £3,900 + VAT (£4,680 inc. VAT)
3 Seater Floating Bench: from £4,000 + VAT (£4,800 inc. VAT)

Noir finish variants are also available at a modest premium. Made to order with a typical lead time of 4–6 weeks. Delivery and assembly included on mainland UK.

About Sitting Spiritually
Sitting Spiritually of Lyme Regis designs and makes handcrafted garden swing seats, benches, day beds, rope swings and oak pergolas from their workshops in Devon and Dorset. They are the only swing seat and bench manufacturer licensed by the Royal Horticultural Society, with seats placed at RHS Wisley, Rosemoor, Harlow Carr and Bridgewater, and a 2025 collaboration with the National Trust. With over 500 independently verified five-star reviews, their reputation for craftsmanship, comfort and considered customer service is well established.

About Simon Thomas Pirie
Simon Thomas Pirie is a Dorset-based designer and maker of contemporary furniture and public art, known for his innovative use of native hardwoods and commitment to material integrity. The collaboration with Sitting Spiritually brought a fresh, more architectural design language to the outdoor furniture collection.

Quote from Nick Hunter, Sitting Spiritually
“People who've seen The Floating Bench tend to come back to it. We've had designers, garden owners and visitors to RHS shows asking about it for some time now, so it feels like the right moment to bring it home. Once you notice the cantilevered arm with no visible support, just clean line and considered engineering, you start to understand what sets this bench apart. It's one of those pieces that earns its place in a garden and just belongs there.”

Notes to Editors
The Floating Bench is available to order exclusively from Sitting Spiritually.
W: sittingspiritually.co.uk/shop/details/the-floating-oak-bench
T: 01297 443084

For press enquiries and high-resolution images please contact:
Nick Hunter
nick@sittingspiritually.co.uk
01297 443084

- ENDS -