Designer insights with Matthew McCrossan

Matthew has been working independently since 2008 and aims to deliver a customer driven service from design to completion of every job. He has a history of woodwork and has won commissions for Grade 1 listed building restorations. He spent years volunteering with the National Trust and has since worked heavily in the domestic market, providing furniture solutions to homes in the North East of England. Matthew works to ensure that every client not only ends up with something that looks good, but an item that will stand the test of time. We are proud to present the designer insights of Matthew McCrossan.

Designer Insights with Matthew McCrossan

Image Credit: 1) Matthew McCrossan 2) Matthew McCrossan 3) Instagram 4) Pink Apple Designs 5) Clutter Free Kitchens

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1) In your own words describe your unique style and creative aesthetic?

We aim to design simple & timeless pieces of furniture that complement the space they inhabit and where required provide practical solutions to our clients requirements.

2) When starting a new project, what is your creative process?

The start of any design is thorough consultation with the client. Even those that claim no creative flair will often enjoy and have a great deal to add with a little help. I always aim to dig deep and discover the client’s requirements so that anything we make remains relevant to them for years to come. When it comes to the design process it always starts with coffee... lots of coffee!... We take the time to arrange a number of appointments with clients along the way to ensure the designs can be tweaked along the way before running up final 3D plans, where individuals can see their furniture in the space before signing off.

3) Out of the creative people you have worked with, who is it that you respect and admire the most?

There are far too many to mention, but the people I truly admire are those that allow time for play and discovery. Up and down the country, there are thousands of talented designer/makers in every town and city and it’s these people that are really pushing the industry forward in terms of design trends. It’s the people that can survive the business side of things whilst retaining the sense of fun in their work that I enjoy seeing produce great work.

4) When looking for inspiration is there a particular thing you do to get inspired?

Instagram and Pinterest are great recourses for inspiration. They’re really accessible and easy to use to connect with fellow designer/makers, bloggers, trendsetters and all of the people that share an interest in any given field.

5) What has brought you to this point in your career? And what is your advice for people looking to follow in your footsteps?

My career has been a bit of meandering and drawn out thing, but underpinning it all has been a love for what I do. Without being flippant, we all have to make a living; so there will always be a need to work a certain way that will provide for the lifestyle you choose, but the old adage of “find a job that you love and you’ll never work again”, is really important to remember, especially if you’re to survive the tough times that will inevitably come at some point in your career.