Design-led timber framed buildings & structures

Serving Devon and the Southwest

We are based in the Kingsbridge & Salcombe area and undertake timber frame projects across the whole of the South Hams and Devon. The team uses timber framing workshops in Devon where the timber structures are prefabricated before being delivered to site and installed in short time frames with minimal disruption.

25 years of experience & expertise

The team has built up a strong portfolio and has a reputation for projects which are thoughtfully designed & detailed and made with care, from high quality natural materials. We utilise a wide variety of techniques - spanning structural framing, construction carpentry, contemporary timber engineering, joinery & furniture making

MU Workshop has extensive experience managing complete timber building projects, working in collaboration with a trusted network of industry professionals to deliver high quality bespoke timber structures. We work directly for clients and also operate as specialist designers alongside Architects and subcontract to Principal Contractors where necessary. The team uses timber framing workshops in Devon where the timber structures are prefabricated before being delivered to site and installed in short time frames with minimal disruption.

See a selection of previous projects

Thoughtfully designed, carefully detailed, beautifully executed

At the heart of MU workshop is our dedication to bringing together building design, craftsmanship and efficient fabrication techniques under one roof. These disciplines, so often segregated within the modern construction sector, are more naturally entwined and at their best when allowed to be interdependent. Our approach is to ensure an integrated design & delivery process where the deep hands-on understanding of materials & techniques can inform the process from the outset, and where the design-intent can be owned and managed through to final completion by an engaged team, heavily invested in the outcome.

The potential of this approach is hard to match with a traditional design & tender route and we find that it enables us to deliver unique spaces which celebrate the beauty & idiosyncratic character of their materials & structure.

Projects always evolve, and having an team who share a vision and are involved in design decisions brings multiple and benefits to a project - from efficiency & project control to the resilience of the build process and the ability of the team to easily develop solutions and avoid unforeseen situations.

Timber building design services

Our work is design-led. Establishing a strong vision at the early stages of a project is important and this starts with a client brief, feasibility and concept design which considers and balances the various factors at play from client aspirations t& budget considerations to planning requirements & site constraints. Our designs are worked through to detailed working drawings using the latest 3D software.

We can work with you from the earliest stages of a project and offer a range of design services to help you.

Brief History

MU workshop is owned and run by designer & craftsman Nik Sheppard.

Nik has been working with wood in one form or another and creating spaces for 25 years. After his move to Devon in 1999 he worked for Carpenter Oak for 18 years, initially as a structural timber framer / team leader. With a close relationship with RJA Architects the work was heavily architecture-driven and embraced many innovative & progressive techniques within timber construction alongside more traditional Oak framing techniques. Latterly he became production/ operations manager and co-ordinated multiple teams and projects across the UK. In 2018 he retrained in 3D CAD and co-founded HUTI where he was MD and principal designer & project manager for 5 years. After a rebrand and restructure in 2024, MU Workshop was born with a renewed focus on eco-conscious, design-led buildings. His wife Shelley joined the team bringing her skills in space creation and styling interiors with bespoke contemporary art to the team.

Nik has an engineering background and a deep understanding of materials and construction techniques which he combines with a passion for great design and careful detailing. He oversees projects from end to end and collaborates closely with a network of architects, engineers, craftspeople and workshops to deliver unique bespoke projects of all sizes.