What does it take to turn a tired country hotel into a destination people genuinely want to return to?

In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson sits down with Chris King, founder of Crafted, to explore the transformation of PowderMills in Battle, East Sussex. Set around a seven acre lake on the site of a former gunpowder mill, Crafted brings together boutique hospitality, bold interior design, British craftsmanship, wellness, food and community.

Chris shares the thinking behind the hotel’s transformation, from trusting bold design decisions and commissioning local craftspeople to creating a lakeside sauna, cold water swimming area, padel courts, pottery workshops and spaces designed for social connection.

They discuss the realities of building a new hospitality brand from scratch, supporting British makers, sourcing food locally, creating memorable guest experiences and making major investment decisions when there is no guarantee they will work.

Chris also explains why Crafted is being built as a social catalyst. With remote work and changing lifestyles leaving many people increasingly isolated, the aim is to create opportunities for guests and members to meet, try new things and build genuine connections.

It is a conversation about hospitality, craftsmanship, entrepreneurship and what happens when every detail of a physical space is considered through the eyes of the person who will actually use it.

Key Topics Covered

✦ Transforming PowderMills into Crafted

✦ Building a distinctive boutique hotel brand

✦ Bold interior design and taking creative risks

✦ Working with British craftspeople and local makers

✦ Reclaimed timber, handmade ceramics and bespoke furniture

✦ Sauna, cold water swimming and padel

✦ Designing hospitality around guest experience

✦ Local food, organic growing and sustainability

✦ Building community through shared experiences

✦ Social connection and social health

✦ Starting a hospitality brand from zero

✦ Reversible and irreversible business decisions

Check out Chris King in LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ckroaming/

Check out Crafted at PowderMills: https://www.staycrafted.com/

Enjoying the show?

Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.

Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.

Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.

Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Check out Yours For The Making in YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUuzYPW_uJfM2B1XXRuZLUg

Key Moments:

00:00 Introducing Chris King and Crafted

07:00 Why PowderMills was the right location

13:10 Bold interiors and trusting the designer

16:53 Bringing local craftsmanship into the hotel

20:00 Creating the lakeside sauna and swim experience

26:30 Can this hospitality model make money?

31:09 British craftsmanship competing on price

38:30 Designing a frictionless guest journey

43:34 Why Chris designs for himself

46:30 Taking risks and testing new ideas

50:37 Why padel is here to stay

58:27 Creating a social catalyst outside London

1:02:34 Why social health matters

1:05:30 Chris King’s advice to his younger self

What separates true bespoke joinery from furniture that has simply been made to measure?

In this solo Q&A episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson answers the questions he receives most often about bespoke joinery, cabinet making, luxury interiors and running a successful joinery business.

Robin explains how every detail is considered in bespoke projects, why traditional craftsmanship still matters alongside CNC technology, how materials are selected for luxury homes and hospitality projects, and what clients should look for when choosing a bespoke furniture maker.

He also shares how Johnson Bespoke has grown from two people to a team of twenty while protecting traditional woodworking skills through apprentice training and craftsmanship.

Key Topics Covered

✦ What bespoke joinery really means

✦ Bespoke joinery compared with made to measure furniture

✦ Traditional woodworking and CNC machining

✦ Luxury cabinet making

✦ Material selection for bespoke furniture

✦ Solid timber, veneers and premium finishes

✦ Luxury residential and hospitality interiors

✦ How to choose materials that last

✦ Pricing bespoke joinery honestly

✦ Managing client expectations

✦ Growing a joinery business

✦ Training apprentices in traditional woodworking

Enjoying the show?

Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.

Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.

Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.

Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Key Moments:

00:00 What makes joinery truly bespoke

02:57 Traditional skills or modern machinery

06:30 Choosing materials for luxury projects

15:30 What luxury means in bespoke joinery

21:19 Solving complex design challenges

24:43 Honest pricing and client expectations

28:10 Growing a joinery business without losing craftsmanship

29:56 Training apprentices and protecting traditional skills

How does someone leave a career as a patent attorney to become a furniture maker?

In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson sits down with furniture designer and maker Theo Silkstone to explore his unconventional journey from studying Material Science at Oxford to building sculptural furniture inspired by nature.

Theo shares how renovating a cottage during lockdown changed the direction of his life, why a fallen oak tree became the catalyst for a new career and how traditional cabinet making at Rycotewood shaped his approach to craftsmanship.

They discuss furniture design, woodworking, cabinet making, sculptural furniture, creative careers, sustainable timber, material science, AI in furniture design, marketing for makers and the realities of running a creative business.

Key Topics Covered

✦ Theo's journey from Oxford to furniture making

✦ Leaving a career in patent law

✦ How a fallen oak tree changed everything

✦ Learning cabinet making at Rycotewood

✦ Designing sculptural furniture

✦ Functional art and furniture design

✦ Working with oak, ash, metal and Jesmonite

✦ Building bespoke hi fi cabinets

✦ Marketing for furniture makers

✦ Using AI during the design process

✦ Setting up a new workshop

✦ Building a creative community

Enjoying the show?

Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.

Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.

Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.

Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Key Moments:

00:00 From patent attorney to furniture maker

04:27 Learning cabinet making at Rycotewood

06:03 Designing sculptural furniture

10:21 Why marketing matters for makers

12:00 Working with oak, ash and Jesmonite

15:06 Material science meets woodworking

23:30 Why old furniture is a timber goldmine

31:33 Learning from other crafts

40:56 AI and the future of creative work

54:48 Building a new workshop

56:08 Advice to his younger self

Gareth Neal joins Robin Johnson to discuss his career as a furniture maker and designer, his approach to sculptural furniture and the realities of building a creative career around craft, art and design.

Gareth shares how an influential teacher encouraged him to study furniture design and craftsmanship, how life in Hackney Wick shaped his work and how pieces including the Anne Table, George Chest of Drawers and Brodgar Chair helped establish his reputation internationally.

The conversation explores art furniture, studio furniture, contemporary craft, traditional woodworking, furniture design, creative communities and the changing art market. Gareth explains why mistakes matter, how overlooked materials and processes can generate new ideas and why makers need opportunities, deadlines and pressure to push their work forward.

He also reflects on exhibiting in Milan, selling work internationally, navigating gentrification, working with galleries and creating furniture that sits between practical design and collectible art. Gareth offers direct advice for young designers, craftspeople and artists on self belief, education, risk taking and saying yes when opportunity appears.

Key Topics Covered

• Gareth Neal’s career in furniture design and craftsmanship
• The meaning of sculptural furniture and art furniture
• The relationship between art, craft and functional design
• Studying furniture design at High Wycombe
• The teacher who changed Gareth’s career
• Traditional woodworking and contemporary furniture design
• The influence of George Nakashima and Wendell Castle
• How galleries shape the collectible design market
• Working with local materials and specialist craftspeople
• How mistakes generate new creative ideas
• Why makers need deadlines and public opportunities
• Creative education and choosing the right course
• Self promotion for artists and craftspeople
• Why young creatives should take more risks
• The BMW opportunity Gareth regrets turning down

Enjoying the show?

Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.

Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.

Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.

Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Key Moments:

00:00 Gareth Neal on rebuilding his home, workshop and creative career

06:33 What sculptural furniture means and where craft meets art

20:04 The teacher who pushed Gareth towards furniture design

28:30 The Milan exhibition that changed his career

30:47 Life inside Hackney Wick’s creative scene

38:29 The Brodgar Chair and its place in the V and A

51:25 Gareth’s people, process and place approach

54:57 Why deadlines force creative work to happen

56:24 How mistakes create better ideas

01:03:14 Advice for young makers and designers

01:05:00 The BMW opportunity Gareth regrets turning down

What does it take to restore priceless antiques without erasing their history?

Robin Johnson sits down with Rodrigo Tizzano of Titian Studio, one of Britain's leading restoration and decorative arts workshops. Rodrigo shares the story of a family business that has preserved historic furniture, architectural features and museum quality antiques for more than sixty years. From Buckingham Palace and the Albert Memorial to rare seventeenth century cabinets worth millions, this conversation explores antique furniture restoration, traditional craftsmanship, mirror eglomisé, gilding, bespoke furniture making and the patience required to conserve irreplaceable pieces. Rodrigo also explains why the best restoration is often invisible, how modern technology fits into a traditional workshop and why passing skills to the next generation matters more than ever.

Key Topics Covered

• Antique furniture restoration and conservation
• Mirror eglomisé and traditional gilding
• Decorative arts and bespoke furniture making
• Restoring historic pieces for Buckingham Palace
• Preserving authenticity through careful restoration
• Traditional craftsmanship in a modern world
• Working with interior designers and private collectors
• Family business across three generations
• Balancing heritage with modern technology
• Advice for young craftspeople entering the restoration trade

Enjoying the show?

Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.

Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.

Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.

Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Key Moments:

00:00 — Rodrigo Tizzano shares how Titian Studio began in 1963 and how three generations have built one of Britain's leading restoration workshops.

02:30 — Growing up surrounded by antiques, restoration and decorative arts before learning traditional techniques from master craftsmen.

05:20 — Why great restoration is almost invisible and why doing less often produces the best result.

09:00 — The challenge of pricing restoration work where every project reveals hidden problems and every antique demands a different approach.

10:30 — Expanding beyond restoration into bespoke furniture, mirror eglomisé and decorative finishes for luxury interiors.

12:00 — Collaborating with leading interior designers and creating one off furniture for prestigious projects including WOW!house.

15:00 — Traditional craftsmanship continues to evolve through experimentation, adapting historic techniques and lifelong learning.

17:30 — Passing a family business to the next generation while introducing digital systems, social media and modern ways of working.

24:30 — Why children should discover their own path before choosing to join a family business.

30:20 — Restoring one of the world's rarest seventeenth century cabinets and the responsibility of working on museum quality antiques.

35:00 — The ethical line between restoration, conservation and creating convincing reproductions.

38:00 — Robin shares a remarkable television restoration where only four original panels survived and the entire cabinet had to be rebuilt.

43:00 — Estimating restoration work, managing client expectations and building a sustainable specialist workshop.

45:00 — Why variety keeps creativity alive through restoration, bespoke furniture, decorative finishes and conservation projects.

48:00 — Rodrigo reveals how close he came to competing on Gladiators before an Achilles injury ended the opportunity.

52:20 — Advice for young makers about patience, persistence, choosing the right partner and building a lasting career in craftsmanship.

What makes a titanium bicycle so special, and why are so few still built in Britain?

In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson sits down with Jim Walker, founder of Enigma Bicycle Works, to explore the craft, engineering and business of building world class titanium bicycle frames. Jim shares the story behind Enigma's mission to preserve British bicycle manufacturing, the challenges of welding titanium, and why custom bike fitting remains at the heart of their process.

The conversation covers the evolution of the cycling industry, the rise of Far Eastern manufacturing, the growing complexity of modern bike technology, and the realities of running a premium British made brand. Jim explains how Enigma creates bespoke titanium road bikes, gravel bikes and custom bicycle frames tailored to each rider, while maintaining the quality, craftsmanship and customer service that have earned them a loyal following around the world.

For cyclists, frame builders, makers, entrepreneurs and anyone interested in British manufacturing, this episode offers a fascinating look inside one of the UK's most respected bicycle brands.

Key Topics Covered

• Building titanium bicycle frames in Britain
• The challenges of welding titanium
• Custom bike fitting and bespoke frame design
• British bicycle manufacturing past and present
• The decline of UK bike production
• Why titanium offers a unique ride quality
• Gravel bikes, road bikes and all road bikes
• The rise of electronic shifting and integrated cockpits
• Cycling industry trends and built in obsolescence
• Surviving the post Covid cycling market
• Premium products versus price driven competition
• Repairing titanium bike frames
• The future of British made bicycles

Enjoying the show?

Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.

Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.

Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.

Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Key Moments:

00:00 — Why titanium remains one of the most challenging materials in bicycle manufacturing

00:53 — The science behind titanium welding and creating flawless frame joints

02:48 — What makes a titanium bike feel different on the road

05:29 — Built in obsolescence and the growing complexity of modern bicycles

11:28 — Integrated cockpits, hidden cables and the maintenance debate

14:40 — The collapse of British bicycle manufacturing and why Enigma was founded

16:13 — From millions of UK made bikes to just twenty thousand per year

18:34 — The explosion of titanium bike brands and the challenge of standing out

22:44 — How Enigma designs bespoke bicycles around each rider

23:47 — Why titanium became Enigma's defining material

26:14 — Building world class frames in Sussex with a small specialist team

28:13 — Tailoring ride quality through tube selection and frame geometry

29:16 — Electric bikes, the Scarpa system and the future of assisted cycling

34:59 — Covid, the cycling boom and surviving the industry's toughest years

43:50 — Why Enigma focuses on premium quality rather than competing on price

46:43 — The value of British craftsmanship in a global manufacturing market

50:35 — Frame repairs, after sales service and long term customer relationships

52:12 — The challenge of marketing British manufacturing in a crowded market

55:30 — Jim's dream titanium bike build and the perfect all road setup

59:03 — Advice for young people considering a career in the cycling industry