Why Lookwright

We bridge the gap between design intent and real-world fabrication.

Where other studios hand off a concept and hope the fabricator can figure it out, we build with the end in mind. Every part we spec, every vendor we source, every joint we engineer—it’s all designed to be buildable, efficient, and beautiful.

We think ahead, solve before problems arise, and streamline the fabrication process so every material, vendor, and action is purposeful and plays to its strengths.

The result? No wasted time. No wasted budget. Just good design, built right.

Services Include

From concept through production—Lookwright supports every stage of the build:

  • Conceptualization
  • Parametric 3D CAD
  • Photo-realistic rendering
  • Design engineering
  • Prototyping
  • Sourcing
  • Detailed technical prints
  • BOM documentation
  • Quoting assistance
  • Project management
  • Production oversight
  • Vendor relations

We make execution seamless—handling the details so you can focus on the big picture.

Clients Include

Whether you’re building something bold or refining something essential—Lookwright works with:

  • Architects and designers
  • Start-ups and established businesses
  • Commercial and residential clients
  • Inventors and visionaries
  • Engineers and product developers
  • Fabricators and builders​

If you’ve got a project worth building—we’re here to help.

The Name Behind The Work

Lookwright (lʊk-raɪt)

Etymology: Derived from Middle English ‘loken’ (‘to see, to behold’) combined with the suffix ‘-wright,’ indicating a skilled craftsman.

Definition: A skilled artisan or designer specializing in creating and refining visual aesthetics and designs.

Inspiration: Rooted in a background rich with blue-collar craftsmanship and union culture, the name ‘Lookwright’ draws from the logos and stickers that adorned the toolboxes and work trucks of the skilled workers who came before us. It’s a nod to all of our mentors & idols who achieved the mastery of craft & machine.

The Experience Behind The Process

Mitch, our founder and principal operator, blends Detroit’s manufacturing heritage with Northern California’s East Bay creative culture, shaping Lookwright’s unique philosophy.

Mitch grew up in and around job sites and his dad’s woodshop, always within earshot of machines running and work getting done.

His grandfather shaped some of the most iconic Cadillacs and Chevrolets as a wood model maker at GM’s Fisher Body, a department he would eventually lead as superintendent.

His father founded Sherry Building Co. Inc. in Detroit in 1986. A builder, carpenter, and woodworker, he is well-known for his meticulous attention to detail and often brought an endlessly curious Mitch to work from the time he could walk.

As a kid, Mitch would be set up in the corner of home construction sites with a row of nails started in a board—his job was to hammer them in, pry them out, and repeat. Hands-on learning at its purest.

During his most formative years, Mitch spent his days at his dad’s shop on McNichols and Sherwood in Detroit—watching, learning, and getting whisked around in a five-gallon bucket dangling from an I-beam trolley hoist. At the 7 Mile and John R location, behind Haupert & Parsons Supply Co., he’d hang in the back, observing one of the guys fix whatever a customer brought in that day—early lessons in resourcefulness, improvisation, and finding joy in the process.

No matter where he was, he was part of the crew. That inclusion—and the decades of similar experiences, along with his study of design and engineering—shaped his approach to work: make it easy for the next man. It’s a mindset that defines Lookwright’s process: always thinking ahead, solving problems before they happen, and keeping projects moving smoothly from start to finish.

Those years spent around hands-on work, real tools, and everyday problem-solving sparked a deep respect for detail, people, and craftsmanship—whether in the shop or on the screen. That same care and foresight drive every project Lookwright takes on.

A Trip Through The Years

1937 'Bus', then a Fisher Body apprentice, borrowed one of the first cars he helped model in wood before production, a ’36 Cabriolet, to road trip out of Detroit. 1975 Building walls and a reputation to pass down. Paul, early career, roughing in a structure's interior. 1988 Inside the 7 Mile and John R shop with Paul and Bridgett—where the foundation of the family industry education was laid. 1988 Inside Haupert’s, the neighborhood hardware store where Paul ran his first production wood shop in the back. 1990 Mitch onsite with Paul and Bridgett, learning the fundamentals of how houses come to life. 1990 Mitch and Paul in the Chevy work van, taking a moment to find the right hardware together. 1990 Larry showing Mitch that everything's worth understanding, if you take the time. 1997 Lookwright’s precision started here—learning how to level your level. Paul mid-install. 1999 Mitch on-site, learning the ropes the old-school way: corded tools, nail apron, and hands-on from day one. 2001 Mitch moving dirt on-site, earning his lunch one shovel at a time. 2001 Mitch on demolition and site prep duty for a remodel, working within the constraints of the original roof. 'Frenchie', a master mason and local legend, in the background. 2002 Mitch in the family shop, working at the router table on parts that would later become part of a scholarship-winning design portfolio. 2004 Same style, same habit. Mitch in the shop, working with scraps and off-cuts, a practice he never outgrew. 2005 Paul swapping a router bit mid-project. Those burly woodworker mitts always stood out—and inspired Mitch to put in the work. 2010 Paul clowning on-site during the install of a custom library of casework he and Mitch built together. 2013 Mitch demos a CNC router for Paul, flipping the script on years of teaching. A new tool, same spirit: curiosity, capability, and constantly pushing forward. 2014 Early Lookwright tee design, nodding to our roots in the trades and our vision for a one-stop shop combining craft, design, and engineering. 2015 Mitch with a dining table he built using old-growth redwood, salvaged from 100-year-old barn rafters in Petaluma. 2019 Mitch hanging tough in the shop of the talented lifelong friend and collaborator, Bodeche, in god we trust all others pay cash. Visit Bodeche 2025 Mitch at work on some prototype parts in the Lookwright shop space, West Oakland, CA. 2026 Stay tuned, there's more to come!