Company Story

Derek McLeod Design came about in 2008 as founder Derek McLeod stepped out of a cabinet shop and into the world of design. Working as a cabinetmaker imbued a sense of craft and precision that reverberates through everything that McLeod embarks upon. Cabinets must be made in an exact manner with virtually no room for error, yet are more than empty boxes, rather canvases for the objects that make up our lives.

Through exhibitions, competitions and self-initiated efforts, McLeod expanded into materials beyond wood; spun steel, machined brass, leather, stone, and cast iron became sources for new products. A desire to explore the possibilities inherent to the material and its processes still guides development of new ideas. An, at times, stubbornly DIY attitude instilled in him by his father has encouraged McLeod to take on challenges no matter how daunting. The company continues to grow through rigourous attention to detail, pursuing design excellence regardless of the materials involved and by taking creative chances to achieve compelling new products.

Developing products for other manufacturers has been a part of the company from the beginning, however, it is now evolving into a focus on offering more products directly to the architecture, interior design and collector markets. Pieces can already be found in hotels, campuses, offices and residences, a testament to the insistence on function and quality regardless of application.

Lastly, the company has committed to give back where it can. For each chair, stool or table sold, a tree will be planted through One Tree Planted, offsetting resource use in a tangible way.