PODCAST · leisure
Yours For The Making with Robin Johnson
by Robin Johnson
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 shows such as 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.
Episodes
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The New Makers: Monique Lucas on British Craft, YouTube and the Future of Making
Monique Lucas is the founder and presenter of The New Makers TV, a YouTube series dedicated to telling the stories of British makers, craftspeople and independent creative businesses. After working across interiors, homeware, textiles and content, Monique created The New Makers to give…
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Christian Bense on Timeless Interior Design, Art Filled Homes and Building a Design Studio
Interior designer Christian Bense joins Robin Johnson to explore how thoughtful interior design balances architecture, art, history and the personality of the people who live there. Christian shares his journey from South Africa to London, launching Christian Bense Interior Studio shortly before...
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Olly Fathers on Wood Veneer Art, Marquetry and Building a Career as an Artist
Robin Johnson sits down with woodwork artist Olly Fathers to explore how traditional marquetry, wood veneer and painstaking hand cutting become contemporary geometric art. Olly shares his path from studying fine art and working as an art technician to developing a full time studio practice with…
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How Architects Design Better Places: Masterplanning, Building Safety, AI and the Future of Housing
What makes a building work for the people who actually use it? Robin Johnson sits down with Michael Westlake and Alex Taylor of Supervene Architects to explore architecture, masterplanning and the realities of designing places that have to work for generations. From the seven year route to…
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George Macdonald on Leaving Kid Kapichi, Finding Himself Through Music and Starting Again
British session drummer and producer George Macdonald, known as G-Mac, joins Robin Johnson for a deeply personal conversation about life as a professional musician, leaving Kid Kapichi, creative identity, meditation, mental health, flow state and starting again. George traces his journey from...
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Interior Design Beyond Aesthetics: Nicky Percival on Period Homes, Project Management and AI
Interior designer Nicky Percival joins Robin Johnson to explore what professional interior design really involves, from transforming Georgian country houses and period properties to managing builders, architects, budgets and complex renovation schedules. Drawing on more than 35 years of design...
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The Lost Art of Bespoke Joinery with Master Joiner Tom Cottington
Master joiner Tom has spent more than 20 years developing the precision, problem solving and traditional skills behind bespoke joinery. In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson speaks with Tom Cottington about his journey from furniture restoration and demanding apprenticeships to...
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From Fashion Editor to Interior Designer: Sophie Rowell on Reinvention, Renovation and Côte de Folk
After 24 years in fashion, Sophie changed direction and built Côte de Folk from scratch, eventually earning recognition from House and Garden. In this episode of Yours for the Making, Sophie Rowell joins Robin Johnson to discuss career reinvention, renovating period properties, working with...
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Crafted at PowderMills: Chris King on Reinventing the Country Hotel
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...
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Bespoke Joinery, Luxury Interiors and Cabinet Making: Robin Johnson Answers Your Questions
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....
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Theo Silkstone: From Oxford Patent Attorney to Furniture Designer
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...
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Gareth Neal on Sculptural Furniture, Creative Risk and Building a Career in Craft
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...
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Jack Lury on Michelin Star Cooking, Fine Dining, Tasting Menus and Building Lury Restaurant in Hastings
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,...
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Furniture Restoration, Antique Conservation and Decorative Arts with Rodrigo Tizzano of Titian Studio
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,...
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Titanium Bikes, British Frame Building and Custom Bicycle Design: Jim Walker on Enigma Bicycle Works
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.…
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From Sculptor to Luxury Interiors Designer: Tom Palmer on Alabaster, Creativity and Building a Career in Craft
How does a sculptor build a successful career in luxury interiors, collectible design and contemporary craft? In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson sits down with sculptor Tom Palmer to explore his journey from a childhood spent making things on a Sussex farm to creating…
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Furniture Making, Social Media and Growing a Bespoke Workshop: George Curl on Building Aspects Bespoke
George Curl, founder of Aspects Bespoke, joins Robin Johnson to share the realities of building a successful bespoke furniture and cabinet making business. From painting and decorating jobs and handyman work to running a specialist workshop creating high end fitted furniture, George explains how...
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How Storytelling Builds Trust, Wins Clients and Future Proofs Creative Businesses
What makes someone choose one creative business over another? In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson sits down with filmmakers Sam Christmas and Agatha Appleton-Sas, founders of True Story, to explore the power of personal storytelling, brand films, creative identity and human...
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How Supply 91 Became One of London's Most Awarded Barbershops with Maxwell Oakley
What does it take to build a barbershop that clients actively recommend, industry leaders recognise, and customers keep returning to? In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson sits down with Maxwell Oakley, co founder of Supply 91 Barbers Extraordinaire, to explore how a small…
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How Lulu Jacobs Turned Pottery Into a Full Time Creative Career
Potter Lulu Jacobs joins Robin Johnson to discuss leaving a career in branding and marketing to pursue pottery full time. Lulu shares how a short course at Turning Earth turned into a full creative obsession, leading her to build a pottery business from a garden studio while raising a young…
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How Helen Welch Built One of London’s Most Respected Furniture Schools
Helen Welch, founder of the London School of Furniture Making, joins Robin Johnson for a direct conversation about teaching craftsmanship, surviving as a maker, and why furniture making still attracts people desperate to work with their hands instead of staring at screens all day. Helen reflects…
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How Simon Thomas Pirie Built a Bespoke Furniture Business That Lasted 30 Years
Robin Johnson sits down with furniture maker and designer Simon Thomas Pirie to discuss the reality of building a long term creative business in Britain. Simon shares his journey from studying fine art and discovering woodworking through Hook Park, to running a respected bespoke furniture…
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Young Crafters Building Careers in Furniture Making and Textile Design
Robin Johnson sits down with sisters Clara and Rose Prince to discuss studying furniture making and textile design, navigating creative careers, and building a future in craft. Clara studies furniture making at West Dean College while Rose focuses on weaving and textiles at Chelsea College. They...
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From Pandemic Pivot to Sculptural Wood Art: How Oliver Chalk Built a Self Taught Wood Turning Career
Robin Johnson speaks with Oliver Chalk, a self taught wood turner who rebuilt his career during the pandemic by following curiosity rather than a fixed plan. Starting with climbing holds and basic tools, Oliver moved into large scale sculptural woodwork, developing his own techniques through...
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Started With No Plan & Built a Sustainable Timber Business from Scratch with Ben Goldsmith
Robin Johnson speaks with Ben Goldsmith from Design Woodcraft Ltd about building a timber and furniture business without a clear plan. Ben started with no tools, no strategy, and no formal direction, then grew the company through consistent work and curiosity. The conversation focuses on how the...
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Branding, Psychology and AI in Design: How Global Brands Create Emotional Connection and Stand Out
Robin Johnson speaks with Paul Drake from JDO Ltd, a global branding agency working with brands such as Dove and Shell, to break down how branding actually works. This conversation focuses on emotional response, visual identity, and why strong brands win attention and trust. Paul explains how...
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How Paddy Piggott Built the Dragon Bar from Nothing and What Running a Bar Really Takes
Robin Johnson sits down with Paddy Piggott to break down how he went from washing dishes during a recession to opening one of Hastings’ most well known bars. Paddy shares how he started with no qualifications, worked his way through kitchens and bars, and spotted the opportunity to open the…
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How Robin Johnson Built a Joinery Business After Failure and Rebuilt for Growth
Robin Johnson reflects on one year of Yours for the Making and the journey behind building his business, Johnson Bespoke. Starting in his father’s workshop, Robin developed a hands on approach to making from an early age. He went on to study surf science, where he learned critical thinking…
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100 Million Streams and Counting: Soul Singer Sam Wills on Music, Identity and Building a Career as an Independent Artist
Robin Johnson sits down with Sam Wills, a soulful vocalist and independent artist from Hastings whose song Traingazing recently hit 100 million streams. Sam grew up in Surrey, moved to Hastings at 13, and cut his teeth playing covers in local pubs and restaurants before developing one of the most...
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Green Oak Timber Framing: Building Structures That Last 300 Years with Frontier Oak
Robin Johnson sits down with Christopher Kentish and Oliver Reimann, the co-founders of Frontier Oak, a bespoke green oak timber framing company based in Sussex. Chris came to the craft after a career in film production, introduced to it through his father-in-law's green oak company. Ollie, who...
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The Dark Art of Upholstery: Building a Bespoke British Furniture Business from the Ground Up
Robin Johnson sits down with Jeff McGurty, founder and owner of D&P Upholstery in Gateshead, one of the North East's most established bespoke upholstery businesses. Jeff built his company from a one-man band operating out of evenings and weekends into a seven-person team with a brand new, five...
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Designing Ash Furniture in Britain with Katie Walker and Charlie Dedman on Sustainable Chair Making and Manufacturing
Robin Johnson speaks with furniture designer Katie Walker and designer Charlie Dedman about the collaboration behind Meon Furniture and the realities of modern British furniture making. The conversation explores design for manufacture, steam bending ash timber, CNC machining, sustainable forestry...
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From Woodturning to TEFAF New York: Ash and Plumb on Sculpture, Storytelling and Building a High End Craft Business
In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson speaks with Barnaby Ash and Dru Plumb of Plumb and Ash about their rise from garage woodturning to exhibiting at TEFAF New York. They discuss Greco Roman influences, sculptural wood vessels, working with green oak, embracing cracks and stitch...
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Bespoke Kitchen Business Growth, CNC Cabinet Vision and Hand Painted Finishes with Brandon Collins
In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson speaks with Brandon Collins of Crabtree and Hargreeves about building a profitable bespoke kitchen and furniture business in the UK. Brandon shares how he transitioned from antique restoration with his father into high end bespoke kitchens…
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How to Scale a Bespoke Joinery Business Without Losing Craft, Profit or Your Sanity
Robin Johnson speaks with Louis Rhoades of Louis Rhoades Studio about scaling a bespoke joinery business from a one man workshop to a structured, design led studio. They break down pricing to the penny, profitability between two and four staff, why growth from four to ten is brutal, and how value...
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Louisa Pacifico on Pricing Premium Craft, Saying No and Building a Sustainable Creative Business
In this episode of Yours for the Making Robin Johnson speaks with Louisa Pacifico, founder of Future Icons about how makers turn skill into a viable business without undercutting their value. Louisa explains why premium craft succeeds through fewer higher value sales rather than volume, and why...
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Studio Furthermore on Moon Rock Furniture, Recycled Aluminium and Designing the Future
In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson speaks with Marina Dragomirova and Iain Howlett, founders of Studio Furthermore about their Moon Rock Project and the long road of material driven design. They explain how six years of experimentation led to an aluminium foam made from…
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Steve Briggs on Church Conservation Stone Masonry and Building a Sustainable Heritage Business
In this episode of Yours for the Making Robin Johnson speaks with Steve Briggs, founder of Briggs and Sons Masonry about conservation led stone masonry and the realities of scaling a heritage business. Steve explains why retaining original fabric matters, how church and listed building work…
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Robin Redmile-Gordon on Ichi-Coo Park, Craft Apprenticeships, AI and Building a Life Through Making
In this episode of Yours for the Making Robin Johnson speaks with Robin Redmile-Gordon, Director of Ichi-Coo Park, about building a life shaped by creativity and long term thinking. Robin shares how transforming Russ Hill Farm into a vast garden and living artwork helped him stay sane while…
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Sam Kille on Furniture Making Discipline Design Identity and Building Heirloom Quality Work
In this episode of Yours for the Making Robin Johnson speaks with furniture designer Sam Kille about his route from military service into bespoke furniture making. Sam explains how carpentry and joinery in the Royal Engineers shaped his discipline precision and approach to craft. He talks openly...
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Laurent Peacock on Bespoke Furniture Design Craftsmanship and Finding a Creative Identity
In this episode of Yours for the Making Robin Johnson speaks with South London furniture designer Laurent Peacock about his route from industrial design into bespoke furniture making. Laurent explains why mass production left him cold and how working directly with wood gave him clarity and…
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Ella Fielding on Chainsaw Carving, Creativity, Neurodiversity and the Power of Making
This episode of Yours for the Making dives deep into the world of chainsaw sculptor Ella Fielding. Her story offers a clear view of how creativity takes shape when instinct, physical craft and neurodiversity come together. Robin Johnson talks with Ella about her early start in sculpture, the…
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Building Looking Glass Lodge: From Woodland Vision to Sustainable Retreat in Fairlight
In this episode of Yours for the Making Robin Johnson speaks with Lindsey and Rik Goodman about designing building and running Looking Glass Lodge in Fairlight East Sussex. The conversation follows their journey from an early idea of a small shepherd style retreat to delivering a striking glass...
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The Precision, Patience and Art of Marquetry with Master Maker Audrey Fasquelle
Robin Johnson talks with master marquetarian and teacher Audrey Fasquelle in a detailed exploration of the craft, technique and mindset behind one of the most demanding decorative arts. Audrey shares her journey from early cabinet making in France to advanced marquetry for luxury vehicles, along...
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The Real Cost Of Making Things Right With Biesse Expert Mark Trapnell
Robin Johnson sits down with Biesse Sales Manager Mark Trapnell for a detailed look at manufacturing, production flow, tooling decisions, CNC capability and the practical realities of running a modern workshop. Mark shares his journey from apprentice heavy goods mechanic to senior roles across...
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How Stephen Clark Designs Furniture People Actually Want
Furniture designer Stephen Clark from Clark & Co joins Robin Johnson for a detailed look at how real product design works behind the glossy brochures. Stephen explains the journey from university projects to designing mass market furniture for major retailers and then shifting into high end…
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The Battle To Build Premium British Smocks With Jacob Lockwood
Jacob Lockwood joins Robin Johnson to unpack the reality of building a premium clothing brand in Britain at a time when most of the industry has outsourced its craft. Jacob explains how he turned his military needs into a business that now designs and manufactures high grade British smocks using...
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How James Burtt Built a Podcast Empire from Scratch
James Burtt joins Robin Johnson to share his remarkable journey from a failed radio presenter and cabaret singer to becoming one of the UK’s leading podcast producers. Having launched almost 200 shows—with 98% charting on iTunes—James reveals the strategies behind creating, growing, and…
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The Woodsman’s Code: James Vann on Forestry, Craft, and Living from the Land
In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson sits down with tree surgeon, timber framer, and chainsaw instructor James Vann for a grounded, unfiltered conversation about the life of a modern woodsman. From growing up on a Kent farm to working across Europe in forestry and learning the...
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Carving Your Own Path: Jarrad Belton on Furniture Making, Timber Ethics and Finding Purpose in Craft
In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson speaks with furniture maker and educator Jarrad Belton, known as the “worker of wood”. Jarrad shares his journey from leaving college unsure of his path to discovering carpentry, mastering timber machining, and retraining as a fine furniture...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
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 shows such as 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.
HOSTED BY
Robin Johnson
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Yours For The Making with Robin Johnson have?
Yours For The Making with Robin Johnson currently has 80 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Yours For The Making with Robin Johnson about?
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 shows such as The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop this podcast dives into the...
How often does Yours For The Making with Robin Johnson release new episodes?
Yours For The Making with Robin Johnson has 80 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Yours For The Making with Robin Johnson?
You can listen to Yours For The Making with Robin Johnson on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Yours For The Making with Robin Johnson?
Yours For The Making with Robin Johnson is created and hosted by Robin Johnson.
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