Peter Buchanan-Smith was born in 1972 in Canada, and he was raised on a farm in Ontario.  In 1995, he earned his B.F.A. from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.  In 2000, he earned his M.F.A. in design from the School of Visual Arts in New York.

In 2001, Buchanan-Smith wrote the book, Speck: A Curious Collection of Uncommon Things (Princeton Architectural Press, 2001), that explores the fascinating lives of ordinary people and commonplace objects.

Buchanan-Smith started his own design studio in 2006, Buchanan-Smith LLC, which produces branding, packaging, and identities.  Clients include the Isaac Mizrahi, musicians David Byrne, Brian Eno, Philip Glass, and the band Wilco, and The New York Times.  Buchanan-Smith was also the creative director for Paper magazine from 2005 to 2008, and he currently teaches graphic design at The School of Visual Art in New York.

In 2009, Buchanan-Smith founded the company Best Made Co., a purveyor of finely crafted tools.  The first tool designed by him, which inspired the creation of this company, was a handmade axe with bright bands of color painted on the handles.

Buchanan-Smith’s work has been honored by ID Magazine, AIGA, and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which awarded him a 2005 Grammy for his of design of Wilco’s album, A Ghost is Born.