Our Story

The company founder Nick Powell throughout his early working life was involved in developing premium products and brands for major global companies in the furniture, sportswear, and luxury yacht sectors.  This experience connected him with leading product designers, eCommerce specialists and manufacturers.   

During this period, he witnessed first-hand the movement of manufacturing and product development projects overseas, with products being purchased in bulk at lower cost on the back of exploiting the low-cost labour regions of the world. This often involved the closing down of local factories and at the same time significantly increased the travel distances of the products and the people involved in developing them from 50-100 miles to nearer 5,000 miles.  

At that time, before there was a trend for customers to buy locally, Nick set out to go against the grain and started promoting and supporting local quality craftsmanship and modern British furniture design, two things he was passionate about. With the help of some talented friends, he put together a business plan for British Design Shop and proposed the business concept to three other British based business partners (a designer, a maker, and an eCommerce specialist) and together they formed the business, privately investing their own money to start the company.   

Fundamentally, Nick and the team didn’t like the direction of the high street (which were mostly offering a broad range of mass-produced mainstream product designs at a cost to turn sales volumes off the shop floor, often permanently on sale and generally lacking in areas of design, quality and craftmanship).  Alternatively, at the design centre end of the market quality contemporary products were being imported by global brands at prices that are difficult to comprehend, whilst appearing at the same time to be distancing themselves from the end customer.   

Working closely with talented local designers and makers, Nick and the team set out to develop premium contemporary British designed and made pieces of furniture that were sold at a fair price directly from local makers.    

What makes us different is our unique product designs, combined with our single-minded commitment to support quality local British manufacturing. 

We are also determined to offer fair and genuine prices for quality locally made products. 

This is achieved by adopting a direct-to-consumer approach, selling unique designs that can be specified for each client on a one-to-one basis via our own studios and online. 

Each customer is treated individually in a relaxed way and with care, making sure customers get a personal shopping experience from start to finish. 

Buying from the British Design Shop means you are buying authentic British made goods, manufactured by skilled local craftsmen, using only the finest materials. We really value our people as they bring their exceptional skills and years of learning, which comes together to make the highest quality products. We make each piece in our collection with care, starting with the design. Using the best materials and traditional methods, we create functional, durable, and exceptional pieces. Whilst always with an eye to the future with the ever-changing design and new trends.

At British Design Shop we believe in enhancing the lives of our customers through the power of better design and individuality, and the same philosophy and approach extends throughout our company, benefiting all the individuals who work here. The British Design Shop team is made up of committed, talented pool of individuals working on everything from design and product development to manufacturing prototypes, creating visual content and delivering personalised customer care.