MCCARTAN's founder and principal, Colum McCartan was born and raised in Ireland where he trained in Furniture and Interior Design at the College of Art and Design in Belfast. After college, he founded his first design company in Northern Ireland focusing on interiors for restaurants, hotels, nightclubs and bars.

In 1993 he joined Sir Terence Conran's Design Partnership in London working on a diverse range of projects from the famous Conran Restaurants to cruise ship interiors. Later while still in London, he became a founding member of the renowned United Designers, a breakaway group from Conran, focusing on interiors for an international clientele.

In 1995 Colum armed with an extensive portfolio he moved to San Francisco, drawn by the city's entrepreneurial spirit and spectacular scenery. By 1998 he had established a reputation for creative and innovative work with the completion of the Hotel Metropolis in San Francisco and the Le Parker Meridien in New York. In 2003 Colum opened an additonal office in New York City. The firm now directs projects across the United States.