Introduction
Founder and design director of Luke Hughes & Co Ltd, a business specialising in designing and making furniture for major institutional buildings whichhave sensitive architectural interiors (such as the Houses of Parliament,Oxbridge colleges, major cathedrals and, latterly, major City corporations). Clients include the Transport & General Workers Union and Buckingham Palace.
The guiding principle of the design work revolves around the the fact that great buildings have little use without furniture, yet inappropriate furniture can ruin a great building. Luke Hughes and Company provide furniture solutions for the public areas of old and new buildings.
The company has been based in Covent Garden since 1980.
Clients
Ecclesiastical
* Bristol Cathedral
* Charterhouse School Chapel
* Clare College Chapel
* Ely Cathedral
* Epsom College Chapel
* Keble College Chapel
* Rochester Cathedral
* St Andrew’s, Alderton
* St Andrew’s, Holborn
* St Barnabas, Dulwich
* St George’s, Bristol
* St George’s, Bloomsbury
* St Mary’s, Ealing
* St Mary’s, Woodbridge
* Westminster Synagogue
Educational
* All Soul’s College, Oxford
* Cambridge University Library
* Cambridge University Press
* Christ Church, Oxford
* Clare College, Cambridge
* Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
* Darwin College, Cambridge
* Downing College, Cambridge
* Emmanuel College, Cambridge
* Epsom College
* Green College, Oxford
* Harrow School
* Hughes Hall, Cambridge
* Institute of Criminology, Cambridge
* Keble College, Oxford
* Lincoln College, Oxford
* London School of Economics
* Merton College, Oxford
* New College, Oxford
* Newnham College, Cambridge
* Open University
* Oxford Centre for Hebrew Studies
* Pembroke College, Cambridge
* Pembroke College, Oxford
* Rhodes House, Oxford
* Robinson College, Cambridge
* Royal Academy of Music
* Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
* St Anthony’s College, Oxford
* St Catharine’s, Cambridge
* St Cross College, Oxford
* St Edmund’s College, Cambridge
* St Hugh’s College, Oxford
* St John’s College, Cambridge
* St Peter’s College, Oxford
* The Queen’s College, Oxford
* Trinity College, Oxford
* Trinity Hall, Cambridge
* University College, Oxford
* Wolfson College, Cambridge
Institutional
* British Academy
* British Embassy, Cairo
* British Embassy, Moscow
* British Heart Foundation
* Buckingham Palace
* Eltham Palace
* Fitzwilliam Museum
* Foreign & Commonwealth Office
* General Medical Council
* Historic Royal Palaces
* Holyrood House
* House of Commons
* Hospital Infection Society
* Institute of Chartered Accountants
* Institute of Electrical Engineers
* International Institute of Strategic Studies
* London Library
* Ministry of Defence - historic rooms
* National Gallery
* National Gallery of Scotland
* Paul Mellon Centre
* Royal Albert Hall
* Royal College of Paediatrics
* Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
* Royal Geographical Society
* Royal Institute of British Architects
* Royal Institute of Navigation
* Royal Opera House
* Royal Scottish Academy
* Royal Society of Arts
* Tate Modern
* Tower of London
* Transport and General Workers Union
* TUC
* Worshipful Company of Butchers
* Worshipful Company of Haberdashers
Biography
Brief CV of Luke Hughes
| 1980 | Set up own craft workshop designing and making furniture |
| 1986 | Founded Luke Hughes & Co Ltd (with a view to linking craft skills with modern industrial techniques) |
| 1993-8 | Appointed to Crafts Council by the Secretary of State for National Heritage |
| 1994-7 | Chairman, Grants Committee of Crafts Council |
| 1997-8 | Academic Review Board, Prince of Wales Institute of Architecture |
| 1997 | Trustee, Art Workers Guild (Chairman since 2002) |
| 2000 | Elected to the Court of Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers |
Published articles include those for The Economist, London Review of Books, Royal Society of Arts Journal, Architects¹ Journal, Crafts Magazine, Spectator, The Independent etc.
Lectures include those for the Royal Society of Arts, Crafts Council, Art Workers Guild, Geffrye Museum, Cambridge Architecture Faculty, Christie¹s.
Mountaineering exploits include North face of The Eiger and to within 100m of the summit of Everest: also pioneering expeditions to Tibet, Nepal, Kashmir, Greenland, Rockies, Alps, and the Pyrenees. Other activities include working as a volunteer diver prior to the raising of the Mary Rose.
Born 1957; married; one daughter
Educated: St Paul’s School; Peterhouse, Cambridge (degree in History of Art)
Contact details
Work tel: 020 7404 5995
Website: http://www.lukehughes.co.uk
Send this member an email
Image Gallery
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Title: Newnham College: Refectory Tables & Chairs (004-01)
Dimensions: N/A
Media: French oak
Description: Part of a set of 300 stacking chairs and 40 folding tables for Newnham College, Cambridge. The dining hall was originally designed by Basil Champneys in 1871.
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Title: St Hugh's College, Oxford: Bedroom Furniture (019-65 cropped)
Media: European oak
Description: Part of a set of furniture designed for 96 bedroom conference block in 1997. The building was designed by David Morley Architects.
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Title: Canterbury Cathedral: New Nave Seating (023-08)
Dimensions: N/A
Media: French oak
Description: The first phase of replacing 1200 chairs in the Cathedral and Chapter House.
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Title: British Embassy, Moscow: Clam table (115-02)
Media: Sycamore, lacquered MDF, stainless steel fittings
Description: One of a series of pieces designed for the new British Embassy in Moscow in conjunction with architects Ahrends, Burton & Koralek. 1999
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Title: Rochester Cathedral: President's Chair (023-18)
Dimensions: N/A
Media: Walnut, rush, gold leaf
Description: One of a series of liturgical pieces designed for Eucharist services in the nave at Rochester Cathedral.
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