I am a designer and maker of bespoke furniture and I am based in East Lothian, Scotland. Having launched my business in 2021, my journey into furniture-making did not follow a conventional route.

I earned a Masters in Chemistry at St. Andrews University in 1997 and a PhD in Chemistry from Birmingham University in 2001, and then qualified as an ICAS Chartered Accountant in 2004. I subsequently went on to work as an accountant in Edinburgh until 2009 and then a further ten years as an Asset Pricing Manager, with responsibility for the pricing of financial derivatives.

In mid 2019 I first made the decision to leave financial services behind and I retrained as a fine furniture maker at the Chippendale International School of Furniture. I realised that I had a desire to do something different, something that would be rewarding to me personally and would give enjoyment to others. I like the idea of being able to produce something that will outlast me and acts to counter the disposable culture prevalent amongst so much of today’s furniture industry.

A Creepie Stool is a traditional piece of vernacular Scottish furniture and is a low stool made from leftover scraps of wood. I began making these from offcuts that I could not bring myself to burn and they give me the chance to showcase beautiful hardwoods, often with noteworthy grain patterns, while also giving customers an accessible entry into the world of bespoke furniture.