Hi, I’m The Odd Thing…

...AKA Matthew Jackman. I’m a furniture maker and up-cycler with a keen eye for design. 

I’m a Fine Art graduate and self-taught graphic designer with a passion for photography, woodwork, sculpture, video and print. I take my inspiration from furniture design classics, architecture and interior design trends. 

Designing and making has long been a hobby of mine. As a child I would spend weekends tinkering with wood offcuts and learning how to use the tools of the trade under the guidance of my uncle and father. I developed my creative skills through my studies at university and subsequent career as a graphic designer.

From fine art to furniture designer

My skills came into their own when my wife and I began lovingly restoring our 1930s house. The problem we faced with an older house was sourcing furniture to fit weird shaped alcoves. I designed and built bespoke furniture for the spaces we couldn’t find furniture to fill - and I haven't stopped since! 

We respected the original features in our house and restored them with a quirky, contemporary twist. You find this same unique quirkiness in every piece The Odd Thing creates. 

Back yard beginnings

The Odd Thing started life from a small workshop in our back garden. I designed and built furniture and gifts for friends and family, and my wife would enjoy the dulcet tones of power tools all day long! 

When I started to take on private commissions, I soon outgrew the space. It was time to expand. The Odd Thing now operates from a workshop space near the centre of Warrington, Cheshire. 

What’s important to The Odd Thing

Sustainability

Our purpose is to save items from landfill and reinvent pieces responsibly with minimal waste and impact on the environment. 

Source materials locally 

We are a small business and want to our work to support other small UK businesses. We go out of our way to source materials and parts to match our customers’ expectations and we’ll keep going until we get it just right.

It’s all in the detail

Everything we produce is meticulously designed and handcrafted. The quality must be good enough for our own home, before it goes into a client’s. We want you to love it as much as we do.

Innovation

We like to push the boundaries of what’s possible with every project and make every product stand out from the crowd. If run of the mill is what you’re after, we’re not for you!