Safari Storytelling Chair — Hand-Carved Oak

The Safari Storytelling Chair is a hand-carved oak throne packed with wild animals — lion, giraffe, elephant and leopard carved in vivid detail across the backrest and sides, bringing the savannah into any classroom, library or outdoor space.

Originally inspired by a school that wanted something completely unlike anything in a catalogue, the Safari Chair has become one of our most talked-about commissions. There is something about sitting in it that makes a story feel urgent and possible — the animals are right there, larger than life, waiting to be part of it. Teachers tell us children queue up to be the one to sit in it at story time.

Built to live outdoors in a school garden or inside a library — the joinery and finish are made for both.

Dimensions

• Total height: 170 cm
• Total width: 80 cm
• Seat depth: 70 cm
• Seat height: 46 cm

Key Features

• Hand-carved and painted safari animals — lion, giraffe, elephant and leopard, individually detailed across the backrest and panels
• Solid British oak — sustainably sourced, substantial and built for long-term outdoor or indoor use in schools
• Choose your finish — supplied unvarnished as standard, or add three coats of Epifanes yacht varnish for lasting colour and sheen (+£50)
• Generous adult proportions — 170 cm tall, designed to be a dramatic focal point as well as a comfortable storytelling seat
• Handmade in Mid Wales — solid hand-built joinery, every cut made in the workshop

Your Version

The animals on the Safari Chair can be changed, added to, or completely reimagined — if your school has a particular animal as its emblem, or if the children have been studying a specific habitat, we can carve it in. We can also add a school name, a year, a motto, or a carved map of Africa as a backdrop. Tell us what would make this chair belong to your school, and we will design it from there.

Typical lead time is 4–5 weeks. Prices include VAT. Schools can order by purchase order and pay on invoice — once ordered, the chair is confirmed and booked in. We are experienced at working with school supplier registration systems and can provide all details needed: VAT number, bank details, address and any other information your trust or council requires.

Browse more of our animal chairs in the full storytelling chairs collection, read about some recent commissions in our storytelling chairs blog, or design your own chair if you have something entirely different in mind.

Finish

This piece is supplied unvarnished as standard. Left natural, solid oak slowly weathers to a soft, silvery-grey — completely normal for outdoor timber, a graceful way for a piece to age, and with no maintenance needed. If you’d prefer to bring out the grain and warm, honeyed tones, choose the varnished option (+£50) and we’ll hand-apply three coats of Epifanes, a premium marine yacht varnish.