A Studio For Quiet, Well-Made Things
Cookham is a small design studio in Christchurch devoted to making objects that feel calm, grounded, and intentional. We care about honest materials, thoughtful design, and creating pieces that settle comfortably into a home for many years.
This is not fast furniture.
This is slow craft, made with attention.
Where Art Meets Craft
Every object begins as a drawing ~ a shape, a proportion, a moment of usefulness.
From there, it moves into the workshop, where the precision of digital tools meets the judgment of the human hand.
The CNC brings accuracy and structure.
The handwork brings warmth and tactility.
Together, they create something balanced ~ technical and human at the same time.
Local Materials ~ Local Making
We work almost entirely with New Zealand timber, especially West Coast plywood, grown and milled on the South Island. Sheets arrive in Christchurch by train, keeping the supply chain short, light, and connected to the landscape.
No container ships.
No anonymous imports.
Just local wood becoming local objects.
Every piece is designed, cut, finished, packed, and posted from here in Canterbury.
A Quiet Workshop
The workshop runs slowly and intentionally.
Dust drifts, tools rest, and nothing is rushed.
Edges are softened, surfaces are waxed, and details are checked. It’s a place shaped by patience rather than urgency.
Cookham oversees the process with steady attention.
Some call it supervision. Others call it creative direction.
Either way, the standard is clear: make it properly, or don’t make it.
Made to Last ~ Meant to Stay
Our work is built with longevity in mind.
Natural materials, clean geometry, strong joinery, and a design language that ages gently rather than dates quickly.
These objects are intended to accompany you for years ~ becoming small heirlooms of daily life, passed on rather than thrown away.
Creating Useful Beauty, One Object at a Time
The goal is simple: create things that make everyday life feel a little better.
Warmer evenings. Tidier shelves. Calmer corners.
Design that supports living, not overwhelms it.
This is just the beginning.
Many more objects will come from this workshop ~ each made with the same care, the same local materials, and the same quiet intention.