about us

Hi, we’re Louise & Dave. Lood studio is our creative woodworking studio based in the woods in rural Kent. All pieces are hand made by us. Dave does the wood turning, Lou does the steam bending

We both had long careers in retail design which took us across the globe, but a return to home gave us the opportunity to set up our own workshop and follow own creative passions. Our solar powered Kent studio is nestled on the boundaries of Hamstreet Woods nature reserve, part of a woodland reserve descended from an ancient oak forest.

Our processes involve utilising the ancient crafts of wood turning and steam bending to create beautiful, individual and unique homewares. Each of us works individually but with a complimentary palette of forms and ideas, collaborating on some pieces. An aim to capture a fleeting moment of movement in an otherwise static form.

We source our wood from local suppliers and woodlands, seeking out and embracing the beautiful knots, cracks burrs & figure distortions as part of our designs and that are beautiful natural features of hardwood that make each piece unique.

If you would like to get in touch, say hi and drop us an email at: lood.studio@hotmail.com

carving steam bent wood in the workshop
log plie ready for steam bending
lou sitting in the woods
steam bending in action in the workshop
in the woods
lou, dave and hobo on a tree
wood pile
dave having a cuppa
wood turning in action
grass in the wind
lou having a cuppa
in the woods

steambending

Sculpted using traditional steam bending techniques, wood is hand curved and shaped to form unique pieces

Steam bending involves subjecting the wood to moist heat, by steaming it in a steam box. The steam softens the lignin - the natural glue that holds the wood fibres together - making the wood pliable. The process relies on the inherent strength and flexibility of the material. As the wood is bent, it undergoes temporary plastic deformation but retains its structural integrity once cooled and dried. The process requires an ongoing learning process on each differing wood's behaviour, including grain structure, moisture content, and how it responds to heat and pressure

Traditional steam bending within furniture making and ship building promotes the need for a straight grain and most definitely no knots, but we enjoy adventures in purposely exploring and bending these imperfections, enjoying the beautiful forms and textures gifted to us by nature.