Welcome to Workroom by Rebecca Snelling

Douglas Snelling is my father. He’s also a grandfather, competitive vegetable gardener and all-round good sort. I’m his daughter, an artist who’s not making much art and a new mother. Together we own and operate Workroom. Here’s how it started:

Ever since I can remember, Dad has made things. Over the years, he has spent endless hours in his workshop creating – among other things – very interesting pieces of furniture. While he was doing that I was off doing a fine arts degree. It taught me how to look at things – ‘nurturing the eye’ as they say. A few years back now, I began to take an interest in Dad’s pieces of furniture and the craftsmanship behind them. Eventually, I found a way to add my visual aspect to his work. And so Workroom was born. Conversations flowed with Dad saying things like “I get this idea completely, I’ll get on to it now”.

Soon we had designed and built prototypes that went on to become Workroom’s most loved pieces. But before we put our work anywhere near the market, we refined every piece to the very highest standard. It’s the most rewarding part of the job for us and we still do it that way now. But perhaps the greatest part of my partnership with my father is the fact that we can’t exist without each other. My ideas combine with his skill to create something neither of us could do on our own. And we both naturally fall toward the use of honest materials, especially solid timbers.

Workroom now has its retail home at Douglas + Bec, a dedicated store I opened with my partner Paul in 2010. Here you’ll find the entire range of Workroom’s creations along with offerings from independent designers who appreciate the same qualities as we do.

Workroom a family project: designed and made.