Whittlehouse Studio began as a quiet idea in a narrow Durham lane — to make space for people who wanted to learn furniture craft without pressure or noise. Our team comes from mixed paths: cabinet makers, conservators, joiners, and teachers who share one simple goal — to make hand tools feel familiar and achievable for anyone who wants to work with wood.
The workshop is filled with bench space, clear light, and the rhythm of planing and marking. Each visitor is guided through measured steps: how to choose and prepare timber, how to sharpen and handle tools, and how to translate a drawing into a solid piece. We keep numbers small so each session feels unhurried, and everyone leaves with progress that feels personal, not industrial.
Our approach avoids heavy theory or trade jargon. Instead, you’ll find straight language, clear examples, and time to stop and ask. Whether you’re shaping your first dovetail or finishing a small cabinet, each lesson builds confidence in process and patience in result. We believe craft doesn’t need perfection; it needs steady attention, a good surface to work on, and clear tools that behave.
Whittlehouse Studio is also a community hub. Local makers use the space for testing finishes or refining prototypes. Students drop by to practice a joint or talk through project plans. We host short “bench evenings” where anyone can bring small repairs or ongoing pieces and share progress. The studio runs on conversation as much as on shavings and sawdust.
The furniture we create or teach within these walls reflects both traditional English joinery and practical modern adaptation. Oak, ash, and birch are our main companions. Every offcut finds a second use — a jig, a wedge, a small stool for the next class. Waste stays minimal, and we partner with local timber yards that share the same respect for sustainable sourcing.
Instructors at Whittlehouse don’t stand apart. We teach by joining the work, showing setups in real pace. You’ll see mistakes corrected and new ideas tested openly. That transparency makes learning grounded rather than scripted. The bench becomes the teacher, and each pass of the plane becomes its own small lesson.
Beyond technical skills, we encourage simple workshop discipline: tidying, oiling, caring for tools, and noticing details. These habits build rhythm and responsibility. The aim is not to make perfect furniture, but to grow quiet confidence — to look at a piece of wood and know what it wants to become.
Our studio’s address — 12 Claypath, Durham DH1 1RH, England — remains open to visitors by arrangement. Calls are welcome on +44 191 645 7832, and questions can reach us through [email protected]. Whether you’re nearby or planning a weekend session, we’ll help you find the right level and timing.
Whittlehouse Studio continues to grow through shared curiosity. Each project tells a story of learning, repair, or rediscovery. We don’t promise mastery, only an honest place to begin and return to. Every mark on the bench adds to that shared history of making in Durham.