Yours For The Making with Robin Johnson

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 build one of Britain's most exciting independent restaurants from scratch?
In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson sits down with Jack Lury, chef and owner of Lury Restaurant in Hastings, to explore the reality behind modern fine dining, Michelin ambitions, restaurant ownership and creative cooking.
Jack shares his unconventional journey from studying history and sociology to working in Michelin starred kitchens, private chefing, Sotheby's and eventually opening his own intimate tasting menu restaurant with his wife Izzy. He explains why he rejected toxic kitchen culture, how Sri Lankan heritage influences his food, why simplicity creates better dishes and how running a ten seat restaurant allows complete creative freedom.
They discuss restaurant design, seasonal cooking, zero waste kitchens, menu development, private dining, hospitality, craftsmanship, leadership, perfectionism and the constant pursuit of improvement. Jack also reveals why Lury Restaurant was never intended to last forever and why every creative project deserves a defined lifespan.
Key Topics Covered
Becoming a chef without attending culinary school
Learning in Michelin starred kitchens
Escaping toxic hospitality culture
Working as a private chef in London
Cooking at Sotheby's with unlimited ingredient budgets
Building Lury Restaurant from scratch
Running a ten seat tasting menu restaurant
Sri Lankan influences in modern British cooking
Seasonal menus and ingredient driven cooking
Fine dining without unnecessary formality
Creativity, simplicity and refining dishes
Zero waste restaurant operations
Michelin Guide ambitions
Restaurant design and creating an immersive dining experience
Leading young hospitality teams with respect
Why creative projects should have a lifespan

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 history student to professional chef and the obsession that changed Jack's career forever
01:38 Starting at the bottom in a kitchen and why every chef must master the basics before earning responsibility
06:26 Writing to thirty Michelin starred restaurants with almost no experience and landing his first opportunity
08:38 Inside Michelin kitchens, toxic workplace culture and why Jack walked away from the career he thought he wanted
14:28 Private chef work, Sotheby's and cooking with extraordinary ingredients for some of London's wealthiest clients
18:09 Building relationships that create opportunities and why networking matters more than talent alone
20:22 The hidden reality of private chefing, expensive ingredients, demanding clients and creative limitations
22:47 Fine dining burnout, sixteen hour shifts and why so many chefs leave the industry
33:30 Moving to Hastings, taking a huge financial risk and opening Lury Restaurant with almost no money
39:12 Renovating an entire restaurant on a shoestring budget with family help, determination and countless late nights
44:03 Why independent restaurants have more soul than expensive luxury venues
50:39 Inside Lury Restaurant and how a tasting menu creates a completely different dining experience
55:07 Dietary requirements, zero waste cooking and why every booking has to be carefully planned
57:00 Creating relaxed fine dining without unnecessary formality or traditional restaurant rules
01:02:51 Building dishes around the seasons and changing the menu almost every week
01:04:34 The Sri Lankan bread course that became the restaurant's signature dish
01:06:00 Finding a unique creative voice and why the best dishes often contain fewer elements
01:08:42 Weekly self critique, constant refinement and chasing small improvements every service
01:10:28 Why Lury Restaurant was designed as a project with a defined lifespan
01:11:45 Chasing a Michelin star and what that recognition would truly mean
01:15:07 Every detail matters from handmade crockery to locally commissioned artwork and bespoke aprons
01:20:09 The advice Jack would give his younger self about confidence, self respect and leaving unhealthy workplaces
01:23:25 Where to find Lury Restaurant, book a table and join the newsletter for exclusive events