WHO ARE WE?
Based at the Old Schoolhouse in Suffolk, we work across London, East Anglia & the South East.
We are a close-knit team of designers and makers, united by a commitment to exceptional quality and a considered, personal approach. Every project is crafted with care, precision and an uncompromising attention to detail.
To protect the integrity of our design and craftsmanship, we undertake a fixed number of commissions each year. This ensures every piece receives the time, focus and expertise it deserves.
From the outset, you will work directly with our Founder and Creative Director, Andrew, and his team. Together, we will define both the aesthetic and functional requirements of your brief, shaping a design that is precise, purposeful and distinctly yours.
Throughout the process, we welcome you to visit our show space and workshop. Selecting materials, meeting the makers, reviewing progress and experiencing the craft first-hand offers insight into how your furniture is thoughtfully brought to life.
Andrew, founder of SHW, discovered his love of making at an early age, woodworking alongside his father. This passion for design and craft led him to study Industrial Design at Coventry’s renowned design school..
He began his career creating products for some of the world’s most iconic brands, from British Airways to Dove Skincare. Yet his enduring love of working with wood and creating tangible, lasting objects eventually drew him back to his roots.
Over the years, renovating and furnishing his own homes highlighted a frustration: the furniture available rarely met his functional needs or reflected his sense of aesthetic. In response, he began making pieces himself. Drawing on two decades as a founding Creative Director at a leading design agency, Andrew now brings a thoughtful, client-first approach to every free-standing and fitted furniture project — combining design thinking with craftsmanship to create pieces that are purposeful, considered, and uniquely tailored.
Craft at the Core of Everything We Make
Kevin, SHW’s workshop lead, brings more than two decades of experience—and a lifelong affinity for working with wood—to every piece we create.
He began his career with a City & Guilds apprenticeship at a high-end cabinet makers, before continuing his journey at Plain English. It was here that he developed an instinctive understanding of how thoughtful design is translated into enduring craft.
Kevin has a rare ability to bring Andrew’s bespoke furniture concepts to life with clarity and precision. Combining time-honoured hand skills with advanced CNC technology, he ensures each piece is beautifully resolved—both in form and function.
Most recently, Kevin led as Head Carpenter at a leading timber yacht company, overseeing a team of specialist makers in the creation of handcrafted vessels. From keel to galley, every detail was executed with care, discipline, and an uncompromising commitment to quality—an approach he brings to every SHW project today
Bringing structure and strategic clarity behind the scenes, Kate ensures everything runs seamlessly so great design can take centre stage.
Kate is our Operations Director. With a background in leading complex operations and transformation programmes, Kate brings structure and strategic oversight to the business.
Working behind the scenes, she manages the operational and commercial aspects of Schoolhouse Workshops—supporting everything from supplier relationships to brand and digital presence—ensuring the studio can focus on delivering considered, design-led craftsmanship.
From restoring mid-century classics to crafting bespoke furniture, Alfie brings a refined eye and maker’s instinct to every piece.
Alfie has always had a passion for furniture, with a particular appreciation for mid-century design. While studying for a degree in photography—another long-standing interest—he began restoring vintage pieces in his spare time, developing a keen eye for detail, composition, and craftsmanship.
After completing his degree, Alfie transitioned into furniture restoration full-time, honing his skills through a wide range of projects. Over time, his interest naturally evolved from restoring existing pieces to wanting to design and make his own. This led him to Schoolhouse Workshops, where he joined Andrew and the team to further develop his craft as a maker.
Turning complex ideas into beautifully resolved, buildable design.
Rushpal is our Technical CAD Designer, bringing a lifelong passion for problem-solving and design to the team. With interest in programming from a young age, he has developed a highly technical and creative approach to furniture design, combining precision with imagination.
Working across a wide range of software and collaborating with our designers and makers, Rushpal plays a key role in translating ideas into detailed, buildable designs. He believes every home should be as individual as the people who live in it, and approaches each project with this in mind.
Known for his ability to think outside the box, Rushpal brings thoughtful solutions to complex challenges—helping turn bespoke concepts into beautifully realised pieces.
