About Nested Living
Nested Living is a design studio and workshop in Oxfordshire, led by Helen and Bruce Gordon. We create bespoke kitchens, furniture, joinery and interiors, working with homeowners, architects, developers and organisations across Oxfordshire and the South East.
We bring design and making together under one roof, guided by regenerative principles that put craft, natural materials and long-term thinking at the heart of every project.
Our Story
Nested Living grew from Helen and Bruce Gordon’s desire to work differently within the built environment, moving away from fast, extractive models toward a more considered, life-centred approach.
With over 60 years combined experience across textile design, retail buying, sculpture, film production, cabinet making, interior design, regenerative practice and the built environment, we recognised the value of bringing diverse disciplines under one roof. By integrating regenerative consultancy, systems thinking, design and making, from early-stage consultancy, through to installation and on-going care, we maintain continuity, quality and integrity throughout every project.
Rather than working competitively or in isolation we choose collaboration, local supply chains and social value as core principles, designing and making in ways that support communities and reduce harm.
Our studio exists to create bespoke kitchens, furniture, joinery and complete interior fit-outs that support everyday life while respecting the materials, people, and places involved in their creation.
Our Regenerative Design Approach
Regenerative design means creating in service to life. Not just minimising harm, but actively supporting the health of people, communities and ecosystems.
When we talk about living systems, we mean the interconnected cycles and relationships that sustain life: healthy materials, thriving communities, resilient local economies. Our kitchens, interiors and furniture are always part of these systems, never separate from them.
This thinking shapes everything we do:
- Timber sourced from known, sustainable sources- prioritising UK-grown and reclaimed where possible
- Circular design principles- materials can be re-used, adapted, returned
- Design for disassembly- furniture and joinery can evolve over time
- Non-toxic finishes and materials that support indoor air quality
- Ongoing care and maintenance- relationships that continue after installation
From felled London Plane from Kensington Palace we’re using for a heritage project to experiments with compressed workshop waste, every decision asks: how can this support life?
Designing for Life
At the heart of our work is a simple belief: design should support life.
We see interiors as living systems shaped by the people who inhabit them, the buildings they sit within, and the wider ecological and cultural contexts around them. This means designing for longevity, adaptability, and care, rather than short-term trends or quick solutions.
Guided by regenerative principles, our approach prioritises material health, circular thinking, and long-term value. We create spaces and furniture that can evolve over time, be repaired and re-loved, and continue to support well-being long after installation.
This perspective allows us to design kitchens, interiors and furniture that feel grounded and meaningful, while remaining practical, durable, and deeply connected to how they’re actually used.
Our Studio & Workshop
Nested Living brings design and making together under one roof in our Oxfordshire workshop.
This integrated approach allows us to maintain clarity and quality throughout every project, from early regenerative consultancy and spatial thinking through to detailed joinery, furniture making, and installation. Our team includes interior designers, furniture makers, a regenerative practitioner and systems thinker, and project coordinators, bringing diverse skills from textile design and retail to sculpture, film production to cabinet making and living systems thinking.
This breadth of experience enables us to handle projects of varying scales: from single bespoke furniture pieces to complete kitchen fit-outs, whole house renovations, office interior and restaurant installations.
Decisions about proportion, materiality, and construction are informed by hands-on knowledge and real-world experience. Having our workshop on-site means we can prototype, refine and make with intention, maintaining a strong connection between design ideas and the physical reality of what gets built.
Who We Work With
We work with a diverse range of clients and collaborators, including:
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Private residential clients
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Architects and interior designers
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Developers and project teams
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Design-led commercial and workplace clients
Whether working directly with clients or as part of a wider design team, we value collaboration, clear communication, and shared intent.
Our project scale ranges from single furniture commissions to complete fit-outs- including bespoke kitchens, whole-house renovations, office interior and restaurant installations. We work across residential and commercial projects, always bringing the same commitment to craft, care and regenerative thinking.
The people behind Nested Living;
Nested Living is led by Helen Gordon and Bruce Gordon, supported by a team of designers, makers and project coordinators. Together we bring over 60 years of combined experience to every project.
Helen Gordon
Co-Founder & Creative Director
Co-Founder & Creative Director
Helen is a designer and regenerative practitioner with over 30 years’ experience across retail, manufacturing, and the built environment. Her work is shaped by living-systems thinking, material care, and a deep interest in how spaces influence behaviour, well-being, and everyday life.
Alongside design, Helen brings a facilitative and strategic approach to projects helping clients and collaborators uncover what really matters and translate that into interiors that feel coherent, meaningful, and designed to endure.
Bruce Gordon
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Co-Founder and Managing Director
Bruce leads the making side of the studio, with over 30 years’ experience as a woodturner, sculptor, cabinet maker, joiner and project manager, leading sculpture teams on film productions and managing complex build projects. He is both a designer and a maker — highly three-dimensionally aware, with a strong sculptural instinct and a love of problem-solving.
Working hands-on with materials, form and space across diverse contexts, Bruce brings ideas to life through thoughtful construction and material intelligence. Drawn to complexity and challenge, he ensuresW each piece is robust, considered, and made with care.
Where we’re based
Our studio and workshop are based near Abingdon in Oxfordshire, allowing us to work closely with local suppliers, craftspeople, and project teams across Oxfordshire, Berkshire and the South East.
Having a dedicated workshop enables us to prototype, refine, and make bespoke kitchens, furniture and joinery with intention, maintaining quality control and a strong connection between design decisions and what actually gets built.
We welcome workshop visits by appointment. Seeing the space, meeting the team and understanding how we work often helps clients decide if we’re the right fit of their project.
Begin with Discovery
Every project begins with a conversation.
Whether you’re exploring a bespoke kitchen, interior, furniture commission, or consultancy support for a regenerative project, we’d love to hear from you.
Our Work
Over the years, we’ve completed everything from heritage restorations and listing building fit-outs to contemporary kitchens, bespoke furniture and experimental projects like our Waste Bench made from left-over building materials.
Our portfolio spans residential, commercial and consultancy work, each project approached with the same commitment to craft, care and regenerative thinking.
Start a Conversation
Every project begins with a conversation.
Whether you’re exploring a bespoke kitchen, interior fit-out, furniture commission or consultancy support for a regenerative project, we’d love to hear from you.