Paul Hodgkiss Designs celebrates 40 years of Scottish design and craftsmanship

A Glasgow workshop that’s shaped some of Scotland’s best-known bars, hotels and distilleries – and crafted the Commonwealth Games podiums – celebrates four decades in business

A family-run kitchen, furniture and interiors studio behind some of Scotland’s most distinctive wood-based designs is celebrating four decades of craftsmanship and design, as the business sets its sights on further long-term growth.

Paul Hodgkiss Designs was launched in 1986 and has evolved over four decades into a business recognised for its distinctive approach to design and craftsmanship, with a focus on sustainability, quality and longevity.

Four decades in Glasgow’s Southside

Paul founded the business in a small workshop in Glasgow’s Southside, which remains its base today, alongside a team of 10 people. What started as a passion project has evolved into a recognised brand, known for sourcing sustainable, high-quality Scottish timber and creating distinctive designs that have shaped the look and feel of homes, bars and venues across the country.

Over the last four decades, the company has been commissioned to work on bespoke projects for Scottish bars and hotels, including Edinburgh’s W Hotel, Bowmore Hotel, Monkey Bar, Bouzy Rouge, Café Antipasti, Bar Bola, Meat Bar and Palomino.

The reputation for distinctive solid-wood craftsmanship and design has also taken the business into Scotland’s drinks industry, with commissions for distillers including Isle of Arran Distillers, Glenfiddich, Loch Lomond’s Luss Distillery and Ben Lomond Gin. Its work also encompasses bespoke kitchens, staircases and architectural joinery for homes and businesses across Scotland and overseas.

A global stage for Scottish craftsmanship

One of the defining moments in the company’s story came in 2014, when Paul Hodgkiss and his team were chosen to design and handcraft 96 wooden medal podium sets for the XX Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, along with medal trays and 1,500 wooden quaichs presented to winning athletes. The commission put the Southside workshop’s craftsmanship in front of a worldwide television audience and established Paul Hodgkiss Designs as a nationally recognised business.

Designing the Luss Distillery

A more recent milestone came with the completion of the new Luss Distillery in 2025. Paul Hodgkiss Designs was commissioned as lead designer, working to a ‘Scottish Contemporary’ brief and ensuring the concepts maintained their original purity throughout the significant building project.

The team designed the interiors and exteriors of the main distillery and discovery buildings, working collaboratively with award-winning experiential marketing agency Hot Pickle to maintain a consistent design language. It also managed a complex team of builders, architects and tradespeople.

The team experimented with techniques and materials, combining traditional structural materials and finishing methods with local timbers to create innovative modern designs. This included incorporating the gin’s brand into the structural design, resulting in supporting timber frames with frameless glass walls and the now distinctive Beacon windows.

Within a few months of opening, the distillery was awarded a five-star quality grading by the Association of Visitor Attractions.

Investing in the next generation Paul Hodgkiss said: “The last four decades have been an exciting and amazing journey. I’ve always loved the challenge of design, working with wood and other natural materials. 40 years on, I’ve witnessed some highs and lows, but thankfully mostly highs, and I’m particularly proud that, in that time, we’ve welcomed 26 apprentices who have become the next generation of experts in wood design.

“To think I’d still be here, surrounded by a team of specialists, blows me away. I’m incredibly proud to have remained loyal to the Southside of Glasgow, and that’s rewarded me with such a talented team and loyal customers across the country who genuinely appreciate real craftsmanship, rather than the throwaway culture that is so present today.

“The bespoke projects have tested my skills and involved real blood, sweat and tears, but I think I take the greatest pride in knowing that our kitchen and other interior wood-based designs have transformed the homes of our clients.

“There’s something quite humbling in knowing that you’ve played a small part in turning a house into a family home that will last for generations.”

For more information on Paul Hodgkiss Designs, visit www.paulhodgkissdesigns.co.uk.