At Like Butter, we specialise in modular, sustainable furniture that prioritises flexibility, versatility, and play. Since 2007, industrial designer Jem Selig Freeman and sculptor Laura Woodward have worked together to push the boundaries of design and craftsmanship, with a focus on making furniture that adapts and evolves with the people who use it.
Our KittaParts system is at the heart of what we do - modular and fully reconfigurable, it’s designed to change as your space and needs evolve. Alongside KittaParts, The Shelves offer sleek, adaptable storage solutions, while our Clip Crates combine style and function for everything from vinyl storage to home organisation.
In our 17 years, we’ve worked with over 7,000 clients and completed more than 8,000 projects, collaborating with names like Adidas, your neighbours up the street, and Patti Smith. While we’ve previously taken on large-scale installations and custom projects, today we’re laser-focused on offering flexible, thoughtful products that work in any home or office.
Sustainability is core to our process. Everything is made locally in our solar-powered Castlemaine workshop, using ethically sourced timber. We keep our profit margins modest, pay our team fairly, and are committed to giving back through responsible, low-impact manufacturing. Our vision is simple: to help lead the shift towards a circular economy by promoting ethical choices and sustainable practices in design.
We’re designers who make - combining innovative design with responsible materials to create furniture that’s built to last.
We're on a mission to minimise material waste through better design and process, and reduce our carbon footprint to zero. Where a legacy product falls short, we’re phasing it out or redesigning it better. Where investment is needed, we’re backing our vision. Production is now largely solar powered, with our new factory in Castlemaine equipped with 33kWh of roof-top generation. This mission is also why in 2020, we pledged to donate 1% of our total revenue to a tree planting and native forrest protection, as part of Sawdust Bureau's Treemaker initiative.
We’re a group of designers, sculptors, makers, and creatives who thrive on experimenting with materials and machines. We’re driven by pushing the process to its limits and refining every detail as we go. Our work is all about leaving a positive, lasting impact on the planet through thoughtful design.
For a peek behind the scenes (and some fun antics), check out our Instagram @likebutter.au, where Jem shares workshop processes and projects we’re working on.
In 2007, it all started with Laura’s need to produce some stainless steel sculptures. So, we bought a plasma cutter and nearly burned down Jem’s sister’s shed in inner Melbourne. From those chaotic beginnings, we started doing metal plasma cutting for local artists and designers. Not long after, we made the switch from steel to timber, and as demand grew, so did our team and our collection of machines.
A lot has changed since those early days, but one thing remains the same: we’re still driven by a commitment to constantly improving our process and making the best products we can. Now, we operate out of our purpose built workshop in Castlemaine, Central Victoria, and deliver directly to your door.
Pictured: Laura and Jem in 2011 with the first large batch of classic LB crates.
