A small Bristol business is creating flatpack desks for children’s home-schooling and for adults to work from at home in an innovative move to safeguard its future.
HUSK, which has a workshop in Montpelier, was forced to shut down its first showroom at Wapping Wharf just weeks after it opened. 
The firm had previously created custom-made kitchen cabinet fronts and worktops. But with its showroom closed and existing projects either postponed or shelved, the team knew they had to adapt quickly.
Their brainwave was to help people up and down the country to transition to working from home and home-schooling their children with a new range of desks.
As a rapid response concept, the business aims to deliver within three days of order and, in just a week, has already received work from across the city and as far afield as Newcastle, Ipswich and London.
All HUSK’s desks are made in its workshop by team member Will Manaton, who is working there on his own.
When couriers arrive to pick up orders and materials arrive on site, he is careful to maintain a 2m distance and wear the appropriate personal protective equipment. Orders are managed by HUSK team member Millie Teden, who is working from home.
HUSK co-owner Dave Young said: “Our team puts their hearts and souls into their work and were gutted when we had to grind to a halt following the government advice.
“This is an interim measure to continue trading through these unprecedented times, keeping a few of our team in work and protecting the future of the business. We hope very much to be able to scale back up later down the line.
“We felt this idea fulfilled a real need, helping people to more easily continue their jobs at home and home-school their children. The desks can also be painted, which makes for a fun arts and crafts project to keep the kids entertained!”
Dave’s six-year-old daughter Frida has customised her HUSK desk, pictured. The desks are made from birch plywood with a raw finish. Normally, HUSK would oil the wood themselves, but this takes time and would increase costs, so it is looking at creating oil or staining kits as add-ons. HUSK is also planning to introduce a standing desk to its offering.
Dave added: “We are thrilled to now have this new venture up and running. It was certainly a quick turnaround, and I’m hugely grateful to the team for their dedication and efforts in helping to get this off the ground. With over 30 orders already delivered, we hope it will prove worthwhile in the coming weeks.”
Dave Young set up HUSK in November 2018 with Ross Norgate after successfully supplying bespoke furniture and joinery under Young & Norgate, also a Bristol-based independent business, for more than 10 years.
The desks are priced from £80 for a small schooling desk to £175 for a large working from home desk.
