Nick James Design

Nick James Design Designer and maker of fine furniture, made by hand in his workshop in Newcastle upon Tyne. Nick work

04/09/2026

HAVE SAWS - WILL TRAVEL!

Satisfying end to the week with completion of this traveling walnut saw box case for my saws.
From tomorrow I am running a weekly woodwork course - designed for complete beginners + the first session is all about drawing a straight line and cutting to it. A basic principle - but if you can get this one right - you can achieve most things in woodwork! (Good saws and a sharp pencil do make this much easier!)

03/09/2026

East meets West - Ever since visiting the incredible Japanese Joinery exhibition and meeting the even more incredible , I’ve been itching to try my hand at some Japanese joinery.

Using router cutters, I made the precise cuts needed to create this rebated, stop-splayed, cogged scarf joint with folding wedges.

I’m not sure what traditional Japanese craftspeople would make of me using a router—but I’m pretty happy with the result. Better still, the jig I designed makes the joint repeatable, so it may even find its way into a future piece of furniture. Who knows?

18/08/2026

I used a 3D printer for the first time to help design this memorial bench.

Working with curves—and communicating them clearly—can be tricky, so I printed a scale model to check that the shapes, proportions and flow felt right before beginning the build.

I find the combination of modern technology and traditional craftsmanship pretty exciting. It doesn’t replace the skill of making by hand; (+ you can’t beat a hand cut dovetail!) but it does give me another way to explore ideas, solve problems and approach the finished piece with greater confidence.

What should I make next?



03/08/2026

AD | A sharp edge makes all the difference!.
I’ve been using the   sharpening range to bring my chisels and plane irons back to life and keep them to a keen, consistent edge. The double sided diamond stones cut quickly, while the honing guide helps me maintain the angle instead of relying on guesswork.
The real test is always back at the bench - can you shave with it? 

01/08/2026

It’s funny how one tiny detail can completely change a piece of furniture…

These oak bench legs started out as nothing more than chunky square sections, but a few careful passes over the router table begin to soften everything. The hard lines disappear, the light catches the curves, and suddenly the bench starts to feel inviting rather than just functional.

It’s one of those jobs that doesn’t take long, but makes all the difference. Sometimes the smallest details are the ones you’ll notice every time you use a piece.

🌳

31/07/2026

A satisfying end to the week — this lounge chair is finally finished! ❤️

I’ll admit, the red felt a little bright at first… but now it’s complete, it’s really growing on me. Sometimes it pays to be bold! And, of course, it was the client’s choice — so it must be right. 😉

24/07/2026

A deeply satisfying and meaningful end to the week: completing this oak memorial bench for Rory.

It was an honour to be asked to create this piece for a couple whose son, Rory, had sadly passed away. They wanted to donate a bench to his school - a place where children could sit together to talk, discuss and debate, (something Rory himself loved to do!)

The bench’s curved form was guided by the natural shape of the tree from which it was made: an oak that grew in the garden of their home in the North West of the UK before coming down in a storm.

I milled the log and turned it into this one of a kind bench - honouring Rory’s memory while providing a place for conversation, connection and new ideas for many years to come.

10/07/2026

Satisfying end to the week with completion and delivery of these two dining chairs

Now time for a sit down!

06/07/2026

POV: Your client says they need more oak… 🌳

Music to a furniture maker’s ears.

A returning client asked if I could make a set of oak chairs to match the oak table and bench I built for them previously. Safe to say, I didn’t need asking twice.

The first cuts have been made, and another project is officially underway. I can’t wait to see these take shape.

Because let’s face it… you can never have too much oak.

Address

Mushroom Works, St Lawrence Road
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE61AR

Telephone

+441912244011

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