Cell Bench, Side Table and Table Light
Material Investigation
2026
Cell, part of an ongoing series of design experiments in aluminium and cellulose bonded sawdust. Composed of waste sawdust, collected in London workshops, and Borregaard’s cellulose fibres, this material is completely biodegradable. At its centre is a cast aluminium cone whose form lends itself to a wide range of applications. A side table, as well as the structure of a bench, the body of a minimalist ceiling light, and a tilt-to-switch table lamp.
The Bench, Side Table and Lighting are all based around one aluminium cast component, strong in structure, endlessly recyclable, and with no finish required.
In June 2026, Cell was featured in the Zaha Hadid Foundation exhibition, POST PRESS: JIGS.
Nix Studio Ltd is an East London-based design practice working across furniture, lighting, product, and interior design, founded by designer Tom Howell-Jones.
Tom began his career in the workshop, developing a deep understanding of materiality and manufacture before gaining over a decade of experience as a designer. Drawing direct inspiration from the making process, Tom spends time in metal forges, welding shops, and fine woodworking studios to uncover new techniques and processes that evolve into refined, distinctive products.
His work is characterised by honesty, geometric form, and clarity. Based in Walthamstow’s Blackhorse Workshop, Nix Studio Ltd has an on-site studio and workshop for testing, refining, and developing ideas before moving them into production.
Tom began his career in the workshop, developing a deep understanding of materiality and manufacture before gaining over a decade of experience as a designer. Drawing direct inspiration from the making process, Tom spends time in metal forges, welding shops, and fine woodworking studios to uncover new techniques and processes that evolve into refined, distinctive products.
His work is characterised by honesty, geometric form, and clarity. Based in Walthamstow’s Blackhorse Workshop, Nix Studio Ltd has an on-site studio and workshop for testing, refining, and developing ideas before moving them into production.
His work is characterised by honesty, geometric form, and clarity, always striving to achieve a sense of ‘rightness’ in each design. Based in Walthamstow’s Blackhorse Workshop, Nix Studio has a non-site studio and workshop for testing, refining, and developing ideas before moving them into production.
“When designing, I like to explore the finer details in a piece— a clasp, joint, mechanism, or the materials themselves. It’s something I’ve been fascinated by since I was a child, when I would ask my parents to move the rocking horse or spin the roundabout at the park, just so I could lie on the ground and figure out how it worked. Today, that curiosity materialises as clarity in form and an ability to understand the intersection between materials, and draw inspiration from the everyday details around me.”
Address
Unit 6
Blackhorse Workshop
1-2 Sutherland Road Path
London
E17 6BX
Blackhorse Workshop
1-2 Sutherland Road Path
London
E17 6BX
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