David Gavin Design
Burton Road's Style Centre
Fittingly residing amongst the tasteful independent shops of Burton Road sits David Gavin Design, which since September 2006 has been owned by interior design specialist Matt Johnson. With a life-time of experience in the field Matt was delighted when the opportunity arose for him to purchase the business.
“I needed some chairs upholstered fast and David Gavin came up on a few quick searches on the net. It was the closest place so I came down with the chairs - it was the first time I had been in West Didsbury and I loved it - calm and creative.” But it wasn’t just the location that made an impression, Matt was charmed by the shop itself and his interest must have shown - two weeks after collecting the chairs he was offered the business and moved in almost immediately.
Having worked in an antiques shop at sixteen, Matt went on to study Interior Design in London, work for Conran and serve a ten year stint at Mulberry (coordinating their own interior design service and showroom presentations) and has travelled extensively. The small premises in a south Manchester suburb might seem like a strange career direction, but it seems that Matt’s varied experiences pull the different aspects of David Gavin Design together.
There is a diverse range of services on offer including bespoke furnishings, tailored fabrics and quality materials from a supply base that has been “cherry-picked” over Matt’s years of specialising in interiors as well as a base of supplier contracts he inherited with the business.
Matt is also keen on sourcing unusual items (which he reluctantly describes as ‘objet d’art’) to add a unique element to the service “I used to source props for the Mulberry showrooms and I used to work in an antique shop so it goes back a long way – weird objects and antiques can give a really special edge and individual look to end results so it’s something people like to go for – it can be anything, from candle holders to Japanese lacquered screens to pool tables.”
But it isn’t just as a stockist or furnishings specialist that David Gavin Design has thrived over the last year. “We can do as much or as little as people want and provide as full a service as people ask for. Some people just need furniture upholstering whilst others want the works - floor-plans, lighting design and furnishings. Sometimes we do a scheme for a bedroom and sometimes people come in to the shop to buy a few cushions.”
Matt’s flair for design and attention to detail have meant he has been involved in some exciting projects. Before David Gavin Design, Matt had worked for a company on the interior of the Grade 2* listed building of Barnsley House Hotel. They were impressed with his work and later approached him individually to design the interiors for the large extension and impressive spa. Testimony to Matt’s abilities, Barnsley House was then to feature in the prestigious Conde Nast hotlist of best new hotels in the world in 2004 and has hosted such celebrity luminaries as Elton John and Liz Hurley.
Although there aren’t any large projects on the cards for the time being, Matt is busy nonetheless with a flourishing small business and plans to extend the modest shop to include a showroom, a move which Matt feels will allow him to convey the business’s qualities better. In the meantime, if you just need guidance choosing a fabric pattern or colour, or if you need the entirety of your traditional Victorian house decked out anew, popping in to see Matt for a friendly chat wouldn’t be a bad place to start.
Words by Graeme Yeo
