Making Spaces | Interior Design Leeds West Yorkshire

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WHAT WE BELIEVE

At Making Spaces, we are not interested in turning your house into a show home. We design and deliver real spaces for real life.

A well designed home that truly reflects you and your lifestyle can positively impact your health, wellbeing and quality of life.

WHAT WE DO

Making Spaces prides itself on offering accessible, client-led interior design services.

We work directly with you, to fulfil your brief whilst introducing alternative, creative ideas and solutions to solve your interior conundrum.

WHAT WE SPECIALISE IN

Spatial planning & interior architecture - for existing spaces, extensions, full builds, and reconfigurations
Anthropological, biophilic, sustainable design
Design for wellness
Interiors with authenticity, integrity and personality

"Making Spaces is devoted to equip hopeful home owners with the most practical and adaptable design ideas out there..... Karen's "real spaces for real life” motto guarantees a do-able approach to changing the atmosphere of your home."

“Taps aff!”
Or doors open is also fine.
Certainly the weather for both ☀️

Pic 1. Collingham Project alongside @niche_design_architects 📷 @corstonarchitecturaldetail

Pic 2. Parkview Project with doors akimbo by @r_e_falkingham_ltd 📷 @alicekemp__

Pic 3. Harrogate Coach House project alongside @niche_design_architects

Pic 4. The Old Forge York, the guest bedroom over looking the private guest courtyard

Classic mid century moves. Something I always come back to. Timeless simplicity.

Still a winning combo.
(In my humble opinion)

Three years on and this room is still one of my absolute faves.
When clients trust you that’s when the magic happens ✨

Space and light. We all love that don’t we?
The newly configured, open plan kitchen and dining room at Parkview project now has that in spades ☀️

📷 @alicekemp__

Happy Easter weekend everyone! What are you all up to?
I overheard a conversation a couple of days ago which made me so proud of my fellow Yorkshire folk…

👨 “Are you doing anything nice for Easter, any Easter egg hunts?”

🧒 “We’re going on a crisp hunt”

👨 ”😳”

😂 and that ladies and gentlemen is how we roll up north. It’s what Jesus would have wanted 🐣

Now to find a fitting segue….

The last time I was in the kitchen at the Parkview Project, I was served some very lovely crisps from Marks and Spencer alongside a homemade salmon and rocket sandwich all prepared on this very worktop (thank you again Mrs N). Did you know that food actually tastes better when all of your senses are in harmony? It’s true!
Never did crisps taste so good.

Seamless.

📷 @alicekemp__

Dressing room details at the ParkView Project 😍
Using the loft floor to create a principal suite gives you the option to use landings and passing spaces as prime floor space. We utilised all areas of circulation space to create a relaxed, broken plan dressing area. The landing itself almost feels like a whole new room has been created.
Liminal spaces are often overlooked, where as I see them as opportunities to create little “moments”. A place to pause briefly. All the better if you’re able to incorporate beautiful storage and lighting to provide both function and form.

I love the simplicity of this little space.

📷 @alicekemp__

Sexy storage FTW.
There’s nothing better than bespoke joinery. Absolutely maximising every inch of awkward space, it’s the joinery that made this reconfiguration possible.
What once were 2 x skinny long rooms were knocked into one larger space. I utilised the areas with reduced head height for hanging space in what would be the new walkthrough dressing room and closed storage in the en-suite bathroom. Two small Velux windows were added to the roof to help create a better sense of light and space.
The whole top floor feels totally different now, it’s not only beautiful to look at it but it really works. And really that’s what our homes should do.

📷 @alicekemp__

Bathrooms are the main reason I don’t have any kind of social life.
The amount of planning for bathrooms is INSANE.
Please note:

1. No tile trim or tile cuts. Setting the ceiling and niche heights so every single edge falls on a grout line. It’s mind numbing work but when you’ve done it, you’ll very much appreciate it every day for 10+ years.

2. Using full bodied tiles means the pattern runs through the depth of the tile. So you can leave the edges exposed. This means no tile trim which means less lines chopping up the space. Sweating the small stuff makes a big difference.

3. Where tiles run up to a 90 degree external angle onto a plastered wall, overhanging your plasterwork stop-bead by 10mm. This gives your wall tiles something to butt up to. Again, no tile trim. That lovely plastered wall seamlessly intersecting with those peachy tiles sure is a treat for the design lovers.

4. Every fitting is directly on a grout line and they are all aligned perfectly. You don’t really notice it, because you don’t notice things that look right. But you’d certainly notice something was “off” if we’d not spent the time setting out.

And that ladies and gentlemen is why I barely have a social life and rarely experience genuine joy. A small price to pay for this peachy en-suite goodness though eh? 🍑

So excited to share the master suite from the Parkview project.
What was originally a rather unusable space due to reduced head height in the eaves, was completely reworked. The beam, something that used to be a regular cause of minor head injuries now provides the perfect space for hanging clothes beneath. A bespoke, solid oak cabinet stores a curated selection of tops, knitwear and sparkly accessories making this “passing space” into the en-suite a joy to use. Function and form. Designing real space for real life.
The solid oak vanity in the en-suite is inspired by a piece of furniture my dad designed and made in the 70s. To have a tiny piece of his influence in one of my projects fills me with genuine joy.
I absolutely loved working on this project, the subtleties of the design and tiny details that only the clients and I might notice. Big thanks to my clients for letting me fulfil some of my design dreams in your home ☺️

📷 @alicekemp__

Check out this absolute hottie opening bifold doors and drawers (to be fair, I wish I’d done my hair).
The breakfast cupboard at the Parkview Project was a labour of love, absolutely every detail considered and reworked to create the perfect balance.
Built in solid oak with reeded glass doors, solid brass hardware and subtle in-frame cockbead detail I’m so proud to add this very sexy piece of bespoke furniture to my portfolio 😍

Good morning from the Parkview master bedroom floor.
What was a dark and disconnected muddle of tricky shaped rooms has become a light and airy broken-plan space with walk through dressing area with generous en-suite shower room. More on these spaces coming soon.
The bedroom itself remained untouched in terms of shape and size. But new glazing throughout, floorboards restored and stained, new window coverings and a warm neutral colour scheme have lifted this space tenfold allowing the original period details to shine.
A very calm and inviting space 💕

📷 @alicekemp__

Absolute dream kitchen.
Inspired by mid century utilitarian design, these kitchen cabinets were designed to be a sharp but wonderful contrast to the more intricate Victorian period detailing.
The kitchen prep table which you’ll see if you swipe to pic 2, was made from some of the original pippy oak kitchen drawer fronts. Always keen to repurpose where possible, the two styles of kitchen, both in solid oak, some old some new complement each other perfectly.
The ebonised kitchen base boards pull in the darker stain on the prep table whilst providing a bit of respite between the cabinets and herringbone oak floor.
My personal favourite is the reeded glass wall cabinet. A piece of furniture that could work in pretty much any room in the house.
This is most definitely an heirloom kitchen ☺️

Park View Project
Designing, restoring and respecting the property you’re working within.
On all projects, the house itself becomes one of the clients. I listen and take cues from the original surrounding space, taking into account things like proportions, mouldings, window, door and room shape.
A room that ‘feels’ wrong has probably been forced to do something in can’t. A north facing room is never going to look light and airy. A murano chandelier is never going to look its best hung from a 2.4m high ceiling.

If you’re lucky enough to own period property, then don’t ignore what your four walls are saying. The clues are all there 😌

The old fireplace here looked to have been added sometime in the 90’s so we didn’t feel at all bad removing it in order to give the newly located kitchen a real focal point and little pop of pattern and colour whilst also freeing up a little extra floor space.

The original alcove joinery was in a bad way with the internals bodged together sometime in the 70’s. We replaced with almost identical units with the same moulding detail to the door as drawer fronts, even keeping the original knobs and pulls where possible. The internals are beautifully lit with power in the baking cupboard which has been made to house the mixer and microwave perfectly and a floor to ceiling pantry fit for a proper chef 🧑‍🍳

📷 @alicekemp__

Honestly - this really is the same space! 🌞

When my clients said they wanted a better connection to the garden and the outdoors, I decided to go all out. The ceiling in what was the kitchen (swipe to see the before) was vaulted so we could add these huge frameless roof lights and we opened up the rear wall to make way for the stunning new arched bifold timber doors. These combined changes have given what was a rather dark room a real feeling of light and space. Almost like being inside an orangerie. When open, the dining area now leads onto a newly configured raised terrace area with steps down into the beautiful family garden below.
It’s truly a magical space!

Let me introduce you to the Park View Project 🙂

A stunning four storey Victorian villa in North Leeds. The new homeowners were looking to reconfigure and refurbish the kitchen and dining space on the ground floor and principal bedroom suite on the second floor. I'll be sharing photos from this two year project over the next few weeks as there are so many beautiful details which we're all really proud of.

Originally, a separate dining space led directly to the kitchen which was located in a single storey extension to the very rear of the property. The homeowners were keen to open these rooms up and provide a better connection to the garden and outdoor space. They had already had plans drawn up by a local architect but were a little disappointed by the lack of creativity. So I was asked to take another look. Spatial planning is my absolute favourite aspect of any project as it's here where you can really create the biggest impact. This project being a prime example.

Standing in nearly the same space, swipe to see the room as it was back in 2022 and again during the project in 2023.

I'm so very proud of this project, taking on the interior architecture, interior design, bespoke kitchen and cabinetry design, electrical and lighting plans. Big thanks to my clients for trusting me with their home and to the team who helped to make this all happen!

Did you know that most bathrooms in the UK are barely bigger than a king sized bed?
It’s true!

Here is our miniature bathroom - all 1.8x2.5m’s worth.
Bathrooms are the most difficult and most expensive rooms to update. Cost p/sqm for our mid range wet room being around £3.1k p/sqm. And that’s not including design fees, so add extra for those if you’re planning to work with a designer.

To create our perfect family shower room, for two adults and 12 year old boy who’s just getting into his “low taper fade” and being a “sigma wolf” it meant getting shot of the bath and replacing with a large walk in shower, ceiling speaker, stainless steel brassware, electric UFH throughout including inside the shower area for quick drying floors, dual fuel towel heater for warm towels all year round, backlit mirror with demister, dual toothbrush chargers and bespoke joinery to maximise on storage. God I love storage that works. It’s so sexy having a drawer just for your HRT❤️

The hinged shower screen is perfect for pushing flat against the wall when not in use, the low iron glass means it’s super clear with no blue tint making it barely visible.

I can’t tell you the joy this room has brought to our family of three. Losing the bath in here was the best decision for us shower fans. Anyone that decides to keep a bath “just in case they sell” is not quite getting what a home is for.

Brassware @crosswater
Shower screen @livinghousecouk
Tiles @parksidetilesuk
Ceiling @littlegreenepaintcompany Clay
Fitting @parkstone_heating
Bespoke joinery @original_bare_joinery

I honestly don’t know how people do Reels. They are so complicated. But here’s one showing the recently photographed Eco House Project, aka. @from_retro_to_eco. Hurrah!

Images with the lighting on💡have been kindly shared by @uklocations where you can now hire this beautiful home for all your filming and photography location needs. The rest are by yours truly.

Big shout out to @mesh_architects, @potes_smart_homes @4seasonsleeds @tailored_surface_designs and everyone else who worked on this three year project. But mainly me, just for completing this Reel which took what felt like another three years.

This environmentally conscious, biophilic smart home with home automation, ASHP, MVHR, rainwater harvesting and bio roof has taught me so much and altererd the way I look at design 💚 and that can only be a good thing.

A little peep into the snug at @from_retro_to_eco this morning. Working alongside @potes_smart_homes we’ve created a room for serious movie lovers. With integrated surround sound, discrete dimmable lighting, automated shading and walls, ceiling and bespoke joinery colour drenched in @littlegreenepaintcompany Invisible Green this is the perfect spot for ‘Friday Family Film Night’.

Whilst TV watching is this room’s main attraction, I was keen to create a space that was also just very nice to sit in during the rest of the week. In a home that’s mainly open plan, it’s key that you have a few spaces where you can close a door. Our homes are meant to support and nurture family connections providing opportunities for being together…. but having the option to disconnect from time to time is equally important.
I’m sure my fellow INFJ’s will agree 😉

#designforwellness
#makingspaces
#makingspace

- Eco House Project -

The aim for @from_retro_to_eco was to build an environmentally conscious home. One that supported a healthy family and work life. Alongside @mesh_architects their house has been designed to provide a large central open plan space visually connected to both the front and rear garden via large glass sliding doors. Scientific research shows it is psychologically and physiologically beneficial for human beings to regularly connect with the natural environment and greenery. Did you know that exposure to the colour green can actually lower your heart rate, pulse rate and blood pressure? Pretty cool.

The Japanese have championed the health benefits of living with plants for centuries. Whilst Bonsai Trees are a symbol of appreciation and respect there are several health benefits to maintaining Bonsai such as improving air quality, reducing stress, enhancing well-being and focus. Forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, has been practiced in Japan since the 1980s. Introduced as a way to reduce stress and encourage people to reconnect with nature, it's something the west have only really begun to understand 40 years on.

Plants are never an afterthought for me, they are positioned as part of the spatial planning process and are later incorporated into bespoke joinery design. At the Eco House project, I knew I wanted a huge plant in this corner by the TV, to soften the line into what would become a window seat. I designed a beautifully curved, media bench to be coated in the same microcement as used throughout for the ground floor. It provides an organic, tactile area to sit on and climb into. It houses some tech, and some softer, more aesthetically pleasing items such as blankets and books but most importantly an integrated planter making it appear as though this Bird of Paradise is growing up and out of the floor. Technology and nature sat side by side. The recessed LEDs along the top of the wall and inside the planter both cast a warm glow on an evening.

Swipe to see some progress pics and also a little close up of how we used a moss wall in the principal ensuite 🙂🌿 More photos coming soon!

Huge thank you to the sun that shone wonderfully through our bedroom window this morning ☀️
So much so, I made the bed and captured it shining onto my pillow. I thought these caramel tones looked lovely 🤎

Sometimes you just have to share, even when it's not finished.
Not one thing in this photo existed beforehand. The walls were stripped back to bare brick and the floor was lifted to reveal the original joists. But it's a photo in my gallery I often scroll back to as I'm so proud of this project

The role of interior designer is varied and complex. Here's some of the hats I wore for the Arts & Crafts project back in 2023...

- spatial planning
- internal reconfiguration
- electrical plan
- lighting plan
- bespoke joinery design including cabinetry, internal doors and external glazing
- floor tiles layout (there was a beautiful brick border and herringbone details along an internal hallway)
- antique and vintage sourcing
- colour scheme
- product research & specification
- kitchen design
- project coordination and client support

I wonder if 2025 will be the year where I'll get chance to revisit this project and enjoy the styling and photography. It sure would be lovely to capture this project 😍 I mean any room with that beautiful, original Arts and Crafts fire surround next to a David Shrigley gets a 👍 from me!

Another look at chez Making Spaces ce soir.

My obsession with 70's colour schemes, in particularly browns, beige-y creams and rusts continues. Having grown up in a 70's house with brown paisley carpet, afromosia frame sofas, wicker light shades and heavy weight green, velvet curtains these are the colours that offer me the warm comfort of home.

Our living room had a little colour update back in 2023 or thanks to a hastagcollab with @littlegreenepaintcompany. With walls in Clay and the ceiling in Scullery, I'm looking to flip this colour scheme for our bedroom refresh. More on that in due course.

Swipe to see this room as it was when we first moved here. This is probably the room we've done the least in since moving here, but we did update:
- the radiator
- glazing
- carpets
- general decoration

This year I'd like to tackle curtains, and the carpets and sofa are due for an update after 12 years of full time family use and abuse. Carpets will have to wait a little longer, but I am excited to say that our sofa is currently on order from @kingliving and is due to arrive sometime next month. Eeee! I can't actually believe I've bought us a new sofa without going to see and sit on it first (King Living only have showrooms in the capital - surprise!), but after three years or searching, the '1977' modular sofa in tan boucle is the one that finally got me to whip out the old credit card and commit (despite a 16-20 week wait - no instant gratification here peeps). I did message my interiors pal @mad_about_the_house about her very own 1977 sofa and she very much rates it 🙂 Who am I to argue? Hopefully it will be as well received as Kate's as seen in her beautiful, new (old) Italian house.

Swipe to see a pic of what's arriving up north quite soon!

Our 3 bedroom semi had the traditional layout with separate kitchen & dining room. It looked "acceptable" in the estate agents pics (swipe). In reality, it was a dark and depressing death trap; an electrical fire waiting to happen.

I lasted less than a year in the perilous kitchen before I truly lost my shit & started throwing teaspoons on the floor. The kitchen cabinets were knackered, the false UPVC ceiling was falling down, the fuse blew if we had the washing machine, oven & kettle on at the same time. We lost a lot of teaspoons.

In 2013 the extension ideas were binned as we desperately needed a functioning & safe kitchen, especially with a curious 11 month old about to start toddling. With a total of £14k to spend, the plan was to knock through & open up the existing space instead.

Our £14k covered:
- Knocking the wall down between the kitchen & dining room
- Blocking up kitchen door, pantry & kitchen windows along side of house
- Removing stone built outhouse to allow for a a new window overlooking the garden
- Cleaning & reusing stone to brick up old doorway & windows
- Repointing
- Levelling floors
- Flooring (we kept the original dining room floor to save money & carried the same flooring into the kitchen)
- New kitchen (cabinets, appliances & worktop)
- New radiator
- Update & move the boiler, fuse board & washing machine into new utility cupboard
- Gas supply relocated
- Rewiring, re-plumbing, plastering & decorating
- Skip hire & waste removal

If someone quoted £14k for all that work now - you'd bite their hand off. You can at least double, if not triple that figure today.

We've updated the space several times since we did the initial knock through. Another £3k in 2018 to open up and remove the badly fitted UPVC French doors updating to a large aluminium slider, and another £2.5k to update the kitchen fronts and add built in cupboards (with cat loo) in the dining room ☺️

There's still stuff I'd like to do in here, flooring being one of them with added UFH in the kitchen as we've no heating that side of the room. Swipe to see before & during pics including some scrappy floor plans which someone out there might find useful.

Hello everyone, how are you all doing this festive season? Did you get want you wanted from Santa?

I'm afraid I didn't get exactly what I wanted, which, to be fair, was an extension. So maybe asking for a bit much. I did however receive some very fancy new towels for our new bathroom (photos of that space coming soon).

Santa also brought me a little feature in @telegraph (thanks @olivialidbury) in an article all about "How to transform your home – without an expensive extension". What a coincidence!

When we moved here I desperately wanted an extension so we could have a larger kitchen plus the addition of a utility/cloakroom space. Alas, this was not to be. And certainly won't be possible now that building costs have almost tripled in the last five years.

Over the next few days, I'll be sharing some alternatives to extending. You don't always need more square footage - what you need is to be canny with the space, opt for bespoke joinery to maximise on storage but also be strict with what you keep and don't keep. (I can hear you rolling your eyes, Pete! Yes, I do need all 20 coats actually!)

Our kitchen is approx 2.7m x 2.5m and whilst I'd love another metre or two, we have managed to make this space work for us. Mainly by letting Pete cook everything so I don't "get in the way".

If you're interested in seeing more pics of our home and reading some top tips on how to make the most, I'll be posting some updates over the next few days....
In the meantime, I'll pop the link to the Telegraph article in my Stories so you can read all of the angry comments. Funny.

Oh and happy New Year's Eve, Eve everyone!

1. Can you believe it’s December already? No! I can’t either.

2. Can you believe that the before and after photos are of the very same space (keep swiping to see the before pic, back when this property was cut and shut into two flats).

3. Can you believe that since posting the finished photos of this project a couple of months ago that @renovating_harrogate have only gone and sold their house and moved into another do-er upper, where they are starting all over again from scratch. Absolute project junkies.

There’s only three working weeks left this year which seems insane and already 2025 is looking pretty chocker block. With some LARGE existing projects which have been in planning and design stages for most of 2024, come the new year, they will be nearing kick off on site.

And... I opened my doors to new applications last month for projects starting next year and into 2026 and have had a flurry of enquiries I’m currently working through. Citing! 😊

📷 @alicekemp__

Two bathroom posts in two days. Who even am I?

You may have spotted earlier this week that we are having our bathroom done at home. They are by far the most stressful rooms to do. Especially if you want your tile cuts and grout lines in a particular position - which obviously I do. Because that matters.

We've ditched the bath and have opted for a wet room set up with walk in shower. Made all the more exciting as we've added electric UFH & a dual fuel towel radiator for warm toes and towels year round. There's also a flush ceiling mounted @lithe_audio bluetooth speaker going in so I can listen to the #elisandjohn podcast whilst flossing... My teeth, not that weird Fortnite dance from 2018.

Decided against a shower niche for several reasons really, but mainly because I just like the simplicity of a shelf. I spent way too long searching for "the one" and came across an independent seller on Etsy who can pretty much make whatever in any colour you fancy. A very lovely pop of colour in this fairly a neutral bathroom (the floor tiles are copper brown which I adore). Tap for tags.

We're two weeks into things here (mentally I've been in this project for months) and it looks like we've got another week's wait for second fix electrics, a couple more tiles, grouting then sealant curing time etc. Then probably another 2-3 weeks for the bespoke cabinet , so it won't be until next month that I can share the completed room - which feels like an age!

Currently Pinning all the bathmats and towels whilst recovering from a fortnight long shitty virus. I've got a shortlist of about 57 options so far. Am doing a great job.

Good morning!

Am very excited to be able to share the first pic of the house bathroom at @midcenturyhomeinsaltaire 🎉🎉🎉

What started as a simple refurbishment of a split level, mid century home turned into a complete rebuild; external and internal walls, interior and exterior cladding, insulation, new roof, glazing, electrics, plumbing, drainage.... A huge undertaking by my amazing clients, but after hanging on in there for longer than anyone should have to due builder upon builder letting them down, they now have a water tight, double glazed and insulated top floor. No more red buckets required (swipe to see the before shot of the same space showing just one of the several receptacles needed to deal with the downpours).

As a massive part of the budget needed to be directed towards building materials and labour, we had to be canny with what materials we could use for the interior finishes whilst still honouring the period of the property. Sapele veneer interior doors were expertly sourced, alongside zinc die-cast handles - absolutely perfect details for this mid 60's home.

Simple, square tiles and nickel brassware were the starting point for this retro yet timeless bathroom design. A subtle terrazzo floor tile was a must of course. Then along came the bespoke vanity and mirrored wall cabinet also made in sapele. It's very similar to teak - a favourite for mid century furniture designers, but much more cost effective.

The painted blue ceiling and pale blue accents in the cabinet hardware help to cool down the warm tones whilst adding a touch of fun to the space. Ultimately, this bathroom with full sized bath and separate walk in shower will become the kids bathroom. Lucky ducks!

The principal bedroom with ensuite shower room and dressing room is currently underway and it's going to be such a corker once it's all done. So more to come on this project in 2025. Get that blooming shower curtain ordered guys!!

So much design inspiration from our four night stay at @thehoxtonhotel in Barcelona this summer. I definitely took more photos of inanimate objects, building materials, architecture and design details than of my actual family.
Hmmm... 🤔

Aaaand... It's now sold!
I know. They've done it again. As soon as they'd completed this three year restoration project, @renovating_harrogate listed their property and have taken their next steps towards finding their next home.
Absolute project junkies. I don't know how they do it. But it looks like 2025 will be bringing a new project their way!
Eight years, two houses and lots of cups of tea later and we're still on speaking terms. Congratulations to Andy and Vanessa and all the best for property number three 💪

Yes, it's a TV!
I know a lot of people are strict "no TVs in the bedroom" types, but I think they're a brilliant addition.
Great for when you're ill.
Great for when your kids take over the living room.
Great for cosy films in bed.
My personal favourite is watching a crap series whilst changing the sheets and polishing the room. Sometimes with a glass of wine.
Sometimes with a cup of tea.
I'm flexible like that.
This TV looks a bit less like a TV 'cause we had a frame made for it by the local picture framers. Et voila; Degas Ballerinas.

Hello to those of you that happen to see this post 👋 How are you?
The summer has flown on by but man, am I looking forwards to the school gates opening next week.
For someone who likes, loves, NEEDS solitude in order to function, I am eagerly awaiting stillness and silence.
It's been my busiest summer yet, work wise. Despite promising myself I would allow myself some time to slow down. I've nearly reached my 10 year anniversary of Making Spaces and the imposter syndrome still sits on my shoulder most days. "You're not trained, you've got no qualifications, you can't even use sketch up".
So to prove to people (or myself) that I am good - actually really good, I over work. I over perform. I over achieve. I set that bar really high and try my best to stay there.... aaand then burn out.
(Then feel immense guilt, self hatred, find myself in a pit of doom, take some time to do absolutely nothing, find perspective, recharge then start all over again).
The. Classic. Cycle.
Over the past 12 months or so, my work has shifted considerably. From small to medium sized projects to full house reconfigurations with smart home technology to exciting new Passive House builds with fun stuff like slides, cargo nets and climbing walls and less fun but immensely important stuff like airtightness and thermal ratings. I've always taken on projects where I knew I would learn something new, adding new tools to my design tool box. My brain is certainly enjoying being let loose at all this new learning. But man, the imposter syndrome has been LOUD.
When I'm in rumination mode, I find writing things down super helpful. It puts the words and thoughts in some kind of order, helps to connect the dots and form sentences. Once it's posted (sent off into the ether where either noone or someone will or won't read it) it no longer floats around in my noggin. And that is a relief.
Maybe some of you can relate. Perhaps some of you are wondering what the hell I'm going on about and are asking "why isn't she posting a picture of a nice room rather than a weird tea towel in a frame?"
It's @davidshrigley btw. These opening hours are serious work goals! 👌

Mum, I did a Reel.
I know. I've let the still image posse down, but I've tried to make it so you can actually have time to see the images (rather than a Clockwork Orange style, brainwashing vid where you suddenly feel sick at the sight of a pigeon and you don't know why 🤔)
I promise I'll have a sit down and a good think about what I've done. In the meantime, I hope you like some of the design details from the Collingham Project kitchen with some royalty free music playing in the background.
If you're as disgraced as I am, and subsequently choose to unfollow me, please do say goodbye in the comments below first.
Or if you actually like this kind of thing and think I should do more of it, then why don't you just bloody well say so, so I can stop judging myself so harshly. Unbelievable!

Architecture - @niche_design_architects
Photography - @beautifulhomesinthenorth and me

Double doors into your dark and moody ensuite bathroom with red roll top bath you say?
💅
Bit posh isn't it @renovating_harrogate!?

📷 @alicekemp__

Making spaces - creating vibes.
Love this shot of the master bedroom at @renovating_harrogate
A close up of just some of the details we added to this room:
- simple, delicate panelling
- an antique art nouveau cast iron fireplace
- @littlegreenepaintcompany's Obsidian Green colour washed throughout the bedroom and ensuite
- dark woods mixed with antique gold finishes

Simple. Striking. Timeless.

📷 @alicekemp__

Please vote tomorrow everyone.
If you, like thousands, are completely disillusioned with all things politics, you can still use your vote to say just that. Go to the polling station and spoil your vote. Let them know!!
This country has been in a bad way for years now, but the one thing we do still have is the right to vote. Do not take that for granted!!
Then some words about interiors... How's about an antique dressing table and a bit of Obsidian Green by @littlegreenepaintcompany?
The principal bedroom at @renovating_harrogate
Looking dark and moody - just like tonight's Yorkshire weather forecast by the looks of things 🙄

Finishing off the week with the downstairs WC at @renovating_harrogate 🚽

No alliteration.
No before and after finger snap reels
It's not #toilettuesday #wcwednesday or #saturdaycistern (ok that last one isn't a thing)
Just a good ole fashioned before and after (s)wipe 😊🧻

Good morning!
Do you have sun this morning? We have sun this morning. Might this be the start of summer? 🌞
Am back at @renovating_harrogate today to show you the staircase. Half of which was originally boxed in and messed about with to provide a separate entrance to the first floor flat. Honestly, the state of this house (or two flats) was real bad. Swipe to see the same space after the partition was removed. Swipe again to see Andy in his element - I think this was their first day with the keys to their new home and he was already at it with his hammer and crowbar, lifting up boards to see if the bottom half of the original staircase was still there. Luckily they were! Hoorah! But the original newel post and half of the spindles were not. Booo!
Thanks to @lomaxcontractors who did a cracking job of restoring the lower half of the staircase back to its former glory.
What a beaut 😍

📷 @alicekemp__

Back on the ground floor at @renovating_harrogate this shot shows you how the new family room (behind me) dining space (colour blocked to my left) and kitchen all connect.
In the background you can see the traditional kitchen, hand painted in @paintandpaperlibrary Copper Beech.
Terracotta floor tiles reclaimed from the entrance hall (too many were damaged to keep them there) were used to tile the new fireplace. I love how all these rusty reds work together but also help define each space ♥️

Dark green ✔️
Red velvet ✔️
Statement chandelier ✔️
Your Sunday lie in at @renovating_harrogate awaits.

Unless you've got kids (or a cat) that needs feeding 🧒😼

Happy Sunday 🌞

One, two or three?
I'll take room one please 😊
(Swipe to see the same space as it was before and during)

The principal suite across the top floor at @renovating_harrogate has certainly had a little makeover hasn't it? The view from the ensuite through the new double doors into the bedroom gives a little soupçon of the vibe for this boudoir.

The walls, woodwork and ceilings were colour washed in @littlegreenepaintcompany Obsidian Green with the statement Hepworth bed in rich red velvet from @loveyourhomeuk giving a sense of luxury. This space as designed all the way back in 2021 but when you opt for a timeless design, it's as relevant today as it was back then.

📷 @alicekemp__

Morning!
Today I'm sharing the principal ensuite at @renovating_harrogate
Swipe to see how this space started. Originally 3 bedrooms, the whole second floor has been reconfigured to provide the principal bedroom suite. This new bathroom with roll top bath, walk in shower and double vanity with marble countertop can now be accessed via double doors directly from the bedroom and another one from the dressing room.
Spatial planning is key to any successful project and we're all really chuffed with how this whole space turned out 😊

📷 @alicekemp__

Original stained glass window on the staircase at @renovating_harrogate 😍
Can't take any credit for that obviously, given it's 150 or so years old and has been here long before anyone who worked on this project was born. This and other stained glass windows in this space is one of the reasons we kept the colour palette in here calm and subdued. By using gloss on the woodwork its beautifully highlighted the numerous detailed mouldings, literally allowing them to "shine".

📷 @alicekemp__

A close up of the beautifully refurbished original period features; fireplace, ornate mouldings, stained glass windows. All set off perfectly with that marble tiled floor (and an armchair picked up from FB marketplace - Vanessa from @renovating_harrogate is the FB marketplace queen 👸)

Design, styling & photography - @makingspacesnet
Hard graft - @renovating_harrogate and team

The grand entrance hall at @renovating_harrogate really is quite something. Even moreso when you look back at how Andy and Vanessa found it when they bought this house back in 2021 (swipe back to see!)

This space had been chopped up to provide two separate entrances to the flats that had been (badly) carved out of this four storey building.

Luckily, upon stripping back and removing the offending studwork, we discovered most (but certainly not all) of the original staircase and beautiful ceiling mouldings and woodwork detail still in tact.

It’s taken a lot of time and patience to restore everything back to its former glory; levelling the floor, rewiring, plumbing and reinstating the details that make these properties much sought after. Even down to sourcing a fire grate after an old gas fire was disconnected and left a big hole.

The subtle colour palette of @littlegreenepaintcompany Castell Pink, Ferdinand and Obsidian Green works beautifully alongside the stunning Rosso Di Scacchi tumbled marble chequerboard floor with green marble border (don’t forget the border peeps!) from @mandarinstoneofficial And the mahousive reeded glass Zeus chandelier from @pookylights certainly holds its own against that original Victorian ceiling design.

Very proud to have a space like this added to my portfolio 😊

I tell you what's not easy... Taking a photograph of a rectangular dining table through a doorway into a triangular space 📐🥴

I give you the dining/family room at @renovating_harrogate
This is actually the original shape of the house as it was built 150 years ago. A bit of a one off and something which needed some consideration on how best to utilise this quirk. What was once a weird, dark tiny kitchen in the ground floor flat, we opened it all up, updated the external door opening to a new window and ran the flooring throughout.

But how to deal with the lower ceiling and unusual shape?

Cue the classic colour block move. By painting this entire wedge of the room in @paintandpaperlibrary
'Masai' (yes even the floorboards) it's defined the dining area perfectly. Nodding to the the traditional dining rooms of old, red is believed to aid digestion with brick red hues creating a sense of intimacy and togetherness. Quite apt for a dining space no?

Swipe to see some before/during shots to give you an idea of what we started with. More coming on this space soon 😊

Sometimes it's just really reeeeally good to see how far a property has come.
@renovating_harrogate bought this property on Tewit Well Rd in 2021. Since then they have worked their socks off (whilst having baby no.2) transforming what was once 2 badly configured 1980's flats into the grand Victorian home it was originally built to be.
Swipe to see the same set of bricks and mortar during the very early rip out phase - summer 21.

This is now the fireplace in the family/dining room. Behind me is a plethora of toys and boy noise. But this view brings an element of calm amongst the storm that is created by two toddlers. A moment of respite from the chaos of kids.

Over the coming days, I'll be posting some images of the spaces I managed to get my design mitts on. I really hope you guys like it.

(Excited to see what you've captured @alicekemp__ 😉)

Am off tut Harrogate tomorrow to shoot the master bedroom, grande entrance hall and dining room at @renovating_harrogate.
I've had a few beaut projects in Harrogate - one of which was the Harrogate Coach House Cottage. I absolutely love this kitchen. A Making Spaces design bought to life by @studionestharrogate
Working closely with @niche_design_architects we transformed what once was a basic, generic "property flip" property into a beautifully personalised home. No cut and paste here.
Everything considered. Just as it should be.

Yes mate!
Making Spaces is in today's @theststyle Magazine Whoop! 🙌
A fab article all about kids bathroom design which is very definitely a thing these days. Am currently designing another three for my latest projects.
The kiddos bathroom from @renovating_harrogate features, with some top tips from moi and other supremely talented (London based) designers who you should check out:
@dalrymplestudio
@lizziegreen.co (love your work Lizzie 😍)
@lonikachande
@goodboneslondon
@alicepalmerco

Thanks for including this northerner in your article @olivialidbury I'd love to see more designers out of the capital represented in the UK press. But again, thank you for featuring this one 🙏

Happy BH Sunday everyone. I hope you all have a lovely long weekend.

Did you see I posted my first reel yesterday?
I know 🙈
I'm sorry about that.
But there was a good reason!
Back to some stills today (huzzah) to explain why it was double exciting to see @tofy.uk on Channel 4 this week. Episode 3 of 'Stacey Solomon's Renovation Rescue' featured two whole minutes of Making Spaces design AND my first product design was also singled out 😊

Swipe to see a close up of The Knox brackets designed in collaboration with @dowsingandreynolds back in 2018. There are just a few still available to buy from their store.

Swipe again to see the before photo of this space. This project really was awesome to work on.

Anyway, i'll stop going on about it all now - fear not. Normal sporadic posting will now resume.

Enjoy your Sunday's everyone!

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Since founding Making Spaces in 2015, Karen has won Best of Houzz awards for ten consecutive years, with her work being featured in several publications, including The Sunday Times Home, Livingetc, The Telegraph, The iPaper, Homes and Gardens, several online features including Houzz, MADE.COM, Apartment Therapy, Mad About the House alongside TV features on BBC1, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

Making Spaces is also listed on The Modern House directory. - "A Sourcebook for Modern Living"

WHAT CLIENTS SAY

"Karen took my ramblings and vague brief and developed them into an exquisite design, and I now find I have a room that almost feels like it gives me a hug every time I walk in. I feel I am the very lucky custodian of a work of art that Karen has produced and am looking forward to transforming the rest of the house into a unique and personalised home"

M. Owen - Harrogate.

"If you are fortunate enough to work with Karen you will love the experience and the finished product."

K. Griggs, Sand Hutton

Karen is an absolute joy to work with and I am absolutely thrilled with the work she has done for me. The use of colour and pattern, careful thought into proportions, design details are all very apparent to me and people who visit my home.

J. Robinson, Leeds

Seamless bathroom design - Making Spaces.jpg

Karen is a simply brilliant interior designer to work with. We weren't sure what to expect but she very quickly got under the skin of our requirements, and the end result is a quantum leap ahead of anything we could ever have done ourselves, whilst simultaneously fully reflecting our personalities.

R. Misra, Leeds

WHAT THE PRESS SAY

MakingSpaces-ParkView - Bespoke Kitchen Design

"...a very clever interior designer who seems to be effortlessly on trend"

Kate Watson-Smyth, Mad About the House

"...with a motto of "real spaces for real life" we can instantly get a feel for what is important in the spaces that Karen creates. The quality of the finish is outstanding."

Interiors of Instagram - The Big I

WHAT WE BELIEVE

At Making Spaces, we are not interested in turning your house into a show home. We design and deliver real spaces for real life.

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A well designed home that truly reflects you and your lifestyle can positively impact your health, wellbeing and quality of life.

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WHAT WE DO

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Making Spaces prides itself on offering accessible, client-led interior design services.

We work directly with you, to fulfil your brief whilst introducing alternative, creative ideas and solutions to solve your interior conundrum.

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WHAT WE SPECIALISE IN

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​Spatial planning & interior architecture - for existing spaces, extensions, full builds, and reconfigurations

Anthropological, biophilic, sustainable design

Design for wellness

Interiors with authenticity, integrity and personality

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"Making Spaces is devoted to equip hopeful home owners with the most practical and adaptable design ideas out there..... Karen's "real spaces for real life” motto guarantees a do-able approach to changing the atmosphere of your home."

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WHAT CLIENTS SAY

WHAT THE PRESS SAY

"...a very clever interior designer who seems to be effortlessly on trend" Kate Watson-Smyth, Mad About the House

"...with a motto of "real spaces for real life" we can instantly get a feel for what is important in the spaces that Karen creates. The quality of the finish is outstanding." Interiors of Instagram - The Big I

Spatial planning & interior architecture - for existing spaces, extensions, full builds, and reconfigurations

"...a very clever interior designer who seems to be effortlessly on trend"

Kate Watson-Smyth, Mad About the House

"...with a motto of "real spaces for real life" we can instantly get a feel for what is important in the spaces that Karen creates. The quality of the finish is outstanding."

Interiors of Instagram - The Big I