Creative Scotland Crowdmatch has provided £1,755 of match funding
Grain and Groove: Crafting a Community
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Aim
Help us raise the funds needed to build a woodworking studio and support craft and community in Edinburgh and beyond.
We are very grateful to have been approved for match funding from Creative Scotland - it will be amazing if you can help us to share our project, thank you!
MISSION and VISION
Grain and Groove is a woodworking studio set up by 3 young woodworkers based in Edinburgh, Scotland. We are seeking support to raise £10,000 towards the start up costs of setting up a woodworking studio in The Pitt Warehouse on the banks of the Firth of Forth. Our dream is to build a workshop that will enable us to grow our business whilst also making space for the community through courses, talks and events.
ABOUT US
Grain and Groove was founded in early 2025 by Ben Sims, Chlomo Hutcheson and Laura Dorothy.
We met in 2023 whilst attending Chippendale International School of Furniture and instantly became fast friends. On graduating we realised our complimentary skills combined brilliantly as a team and we decided to set up in business together. Since then, we have designed and produced our own homewares and furniture line, selling across Edinburgh and the wider area at craft markets, events and online. We have also had the privilege of working on a number of commissioned pieces.
Our work is inspired by a shared love of folk art, mythology, and the Shaker movement. Within our homewares collection, the product we are most proud of is the Shaker box. Traditionally crafted from maple or cherry, these distinctive oval boxes are made in a wide range of sizes and have become enduring icons of functional design and craftsmanship. Grateful thanks here to our friend Cliff, who we first met during our graduation show at Chippendale, and has since spent hours teaching us the intricacies of steam bending and Shaker box making.
We were fortunate enough to attend the Vitra Design Museum's exhibition ‘The Shakers: A World in the Making’ last year. Beautifully curated, the exhibition gave us a deeper understanding of the movement and its enduring legacy. The Shakers' values strongly resonate with Grain and Groove, particularly our commitment to inclusion, equality, and creating opportunities for all, regardless of race, gender, or ability. Inspired by this ethos, we plan to offer Shaker box-making classes, giving others the opportunity to learn the traditional skills behind these thoughtful pieces.
A defining element of our work is the use of original illustrations by Phoebe Rose Design, as marquetry wood inlays. Phoebe is entwined in the very fibres of Grain and Groove, and her art brings a new dimension to our pieces, giving them character and narrative.
From the outset, it was important for us to be part of Scotland's vibrant community of makers, to share knowledge, and champion each other's work and we are active members of the Scottish Furniture Makers Association and included in the Craft Scotland directory. We are continually inspired by the beauty and diversity of contemporary craft being created across Scotland, and are proud to contribute to this thriving creative landscape. Our commitment to locality and sustainability means we use Scottish timber wherever possible.
Growing up in a digitally reliant society it is easy to become detached from the things we live with. Using our hands to create is a human need and our ancestors survived by working with natural materials sourced from the local environment. We believe there is real magic in taking a board from rough sawn timber to a finished piece with your own hands. It is well recognised that taking part in a craft activity is good for us both mentally and physically, and it is almost something of a revolutionary act to partake in art in this current climate.
LOCATION
Over the past year we have been operating from a shared workshop space near North Berwick. It has been a great springboard for our business, giving us the opportunity to refine our processes and gain a clear understanding of what we need from a permanent workshop of our own.
A year on, it is incredibly exciting to be offered the opportunity to set up our own studio space within The Pitt Warehouse.
We had already identified that our ideal workshop would be located within Edinburgh, with easy access to public transport links for both our team and customers. The Pitt are able to fulfil our need for a flexible, secure space that will allow us to expand our production capacity, improve efficiency, and create a welcoming environment for client meetings, workshops, and community engagement. Having our own dedicated premises will provide stability and room to grow.
THE PITT
Established in 2015, The Pitt was hailed as one of Scotland's first year-round street food markets and over the intervening years has grown in size and scope. It is owned and operated by Granton Project CIC (Community Interest Company), continuing its mission to support local businesses, creativity, and community engagement in North Edinburgh.
The Pitt Warehouse offers it’s tenants essential resources, facilities and networking opportunities, as well as a vibrant, supportive community atmosphere. The open, nurturing environment encourages collaboration across sectors, cultivating a rich and diverse ecosystem of talent and ideas. We really admire the Pitt team’s bold vision for a larger social, cultural and grassroots space and would love to become a part of the project and contribute our skills to the venture.
LOCAL COMMUNITY
We have been greatly inspired by the work of other businesses located in The Pitt Warehouse; they put community at the forefront of everything they do and it has made a big impact on the way we envision the growth of our own company.
One of our long-term ambitions is to give back to Edinburgh, and in particular the community of Granton. We hope to create an open and welcoming space through studio open days, evening talks, workshops, and hands-on classes that encourage people to engage with craft and making.
The escalating mental health crisis caused by digital stress, economic inequalities and the long-lasting effects of the pandemic can affect us all, and we strongly believe in the positive impact learning a craft can have on people.
‘Craft can alleviate the symptoms of anxiety, depression, loneliness and even dementia, according to research.’ Crafts Council
COURSES
One of the key motivations for establishing our own workshop is the opportunity to teach a range of woodworking techniques.
We personally found whilst studying woodworking, a vast improvement in our fine motor skills, greater self esteem and a deeper connection to history, community and the environment. The satisfaction we gained from making pieces, however small, was immense and never diminishes however experienced we become.
We are aware that learning a new skill can be daunting, so we aim to create a safe and open environment where there is room for people to make mistakes and grow from their experiences. One of the key factors contributing to our success at furniture school was the kind, patient guidance of our brilliant tutor, Ben Dawson, and by taking up teaching ourselves we would love to continue in his footsteps.
START UP COSTS
The biggest expense of setting up at The Pitt is the construction of an enclosed timber workshop space fitted out with 3 phase wiring.
The intention is to create a 1000 s/q ft structure that shields other businesses in the open warehouse from dust and noise. We are planning to complete this task ourselves and put our carpentry experience into practice. We’ll manage costs and sustainability goals by purchasing recycled timber from ‘Reuse Glasgow’ and seeking reclaimed materials whenever possible. It is important to us that our environmental footprint in the build is as small as possible.
In addition, we need to fit out our workshop with machinery, tools and safety equipment.
CROWDFUNDED INVESTMENTS
Timber for building out the workshop space
Electrics
Table saw
Band saw
Planer/Thicknesser
Dust Extractor
Hand Tools
Safety Equipment
DONATE and RECEIVE REWARDS
It really will mean the world to us if you feel able to make a donation to our fundraiser and we are offering a range of unique, handcrafted Grain and Groove rewards to show our appreciation for your support.
TESTIMONIAL
‘Grain and Groove have already proven the viability of their venture and their strength as a team. What they need now is support and investment to move to the next stage. Crowdfunding backers will definitely be rewarded by watching these folk build their great venture and will be brought into a wonderful maker community.
I have no doubt that Grain and Groove will succeed and grow something that makes important waves in the future of our craft. I will invest and so should you!’ Ben Dawson (Tutor)
TIMELINE and REWARDS
Firstly a GIANT thank you from the Grain & Groove team - Ben, Chlomo and Laura!
It has been an absolute privilege to meet so many of you in person at the exhibitions and fairs we have shown at over the past year, and we really hope that if our Crowdfunder is successful we’ll be able to invite you to visit us at our new studio in The Pitt Warehouse, Edinburgh.
Please note, you can follow along on Instagram to keep up to date with all our news!
We plan to start construction of our workshop this October, 2026, and aim to have crafted all the rewards to be sent out or collected within 2 months of the close of our Crowdfunder.
Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts x
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 15th September 2026 at 2:03pm