Alex McKay

Available to hire

I approach design as I do my art — through storytelling. Flow, light, colour and rootedness guide every space I create.

About

I approach design as I do my art — through storytelling. Flow, light, colour and rootedness guide every space I create. Blending practical architectural details with timeless style, a dash of fun and sustainable, biophilic layers, I craft interiors that feel grounded and quietly tell a story for people to connect.

Having worked across three continents, I am attuned to nuance and different cultural rhythms. Inquisitive and technically confident, I move from concept to reality—collaborating closely, balancing detail, cost and site supervision to bring great ideas to the lived environment. I begin by uncovering the story at the heart of a client or space to define their brand, translating that narrative into atmosphere, materiality and detail across hospitality, residential and public spaces.

  • 19 years' experience
  • Joined December 2024

Languages

  • EnglishFluent

Industry experience

  • Travel & Hospitality
  • Real Estate & Construction
  • Professional Services
  • Media & Entertainment
  • Other

More experts in Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Work experience· 10 roles

Interior Designer · Buzzworks HoldingsJan 2025 – Present · 1 yr 11 mos

Working with a well-established restaurant and pub operator backed by private equity investment, to support their expansion into boutique accommodation across Scotland. I ensure brand consistency across existing venues while delivering boutique rooms that reflect and elevate the wider Buzzworks collection. Collaborating with a growing multidisciplinary team.

Interior Designer & Artist · AM.spacesJan 2018 – Jan 2025 · 7 yrs 1 mo

Bespoke Hospitality accommodation. Residential Consultations. Public spaces. Brand identity development. Inclusive Design. 3D Modelling. Construction Drawings. FF&E Specs and Sourcing. Purchasing and Project Management of Residential, Commercial, University and Landscaping Spaces. Planning and Logistics Management. Workshops. Bespoke Art and Curation.

Brand and Design Development Manager · Tamarind Group International (Nairobi Group)Jan 2015 – Jan 2016 · 1 yr 1 mo

Rebranding and expansion of a long-standing F&B hospitality brand for the next generation of restaurants, holiday homes, and residential developments. Team management. Project management. Business development.

Brand and Design Development Manager · NAIROBIGroup - Tamarind Group Int.Jan 2015 – Dec 2016 · 2 yrs
Senior Interior Designer · Planning Interiors, Ltd. (Hospitality Division)Jan 2012 – Jan 2015 · 3 yrs 1 mo
Senior Interior Designer · Planning Interiors, Ltd., Hospitality DivisionJan 2012 – Dec 2015 · 4 yrs
AMSCO Manager · African Management Services Company (Part of the United Nations Development Program)Jan 2012 – Dec 2015 · 4 yrs
Interior Designer · SFJones ArchitectsJan 2008 – Dec 2012 · 5 yrs

Education

Bachelors of Science · California State University Northridge2005 – 2008

Health and Humanities, Family and Consumer Sciences with emphasis on Interior Design

Bachelors of Science in Interior Design · California State University, Northridge2030 – 2008
Bachelor of Science in Interior Design · Cal State University Northridge2030 – 2008

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