Born on the south coast of Hastings, England, Hilton always gravitated toward architecture, design and painting. These influences are evident in every piece of furniture that Matthew Hilton produces in his London studio, known for creating rigorously functional products from a range of exceptional materials such as solid wood, cast iron and brass. A typical Matthew Hilton design is fluid and adaptable; It perfectly combines functionality and style.

After graduating from Portsmouth College of Art, Matthew Hilton enrolled at Kingston Polytechnic, where he excelled in its furniture and design program. He graduated from Kingston in 1979 and went on to work as an industrial engineer and modeller for Capa until 1984, at which time he created his own design studio/workshop.

Throughout his career, Matthew Hilton has been recognized for his contributions to British design and in 2012 was awarded an honorary doctorate by Kingston University. Hilton was also awarded Royal Designer for Industry by the British Royal Society of Arts in 2005. In 2006, Hilton received the annual Elle Decoration design award for best furniture for its Cross extendable table.

Matthew Hilton doesn't believe in design movements, and he doesn't really like the concept of design as fashion. Rather, he thinks that the design process is part of the evolution of any object throughout history. He designs with the end user in mind, whether it is a household of ten or just one, and likes to find the solution that is fluid and easily adaptable to current domestic spaces.

Now considered one of Britain's most appreciated industrial designers, Matthew Hilton's furniture is part of the permanent collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Geffrye Museum and the Manchester City Art Gallery.