Interior Design | Interior Architecture | Spatial Planning |
Designing around people, not convention
DESIGN FROM MOVEMENT
"I have hired interior designers before. None of them have had the same creative flair or deep understanding of space and functionality. Karen delivers a very personal service and goes to great lengths to understand you and the space."
When designing a home, I consider more than how a space looks. I think about how it feels to move through it, how people gather and interact, their daily routines and how different spaces connect with one another. I listen carefully to my clients, but I also listen to the building. Every house has its own story, its own constraints and opportunities. My role is to uncover them and create a home that feels as though it was always meant to be that way.
Good design begins with understanding how we move and navigate space. Prior to becoming an interior designer, I spent years studying how people move as a professional dancer, teacher and choreographer. That experience continues to shape my work today, helping me create homes that support the rhythms, routines and relationships that define our day to day.
"Karen meticulously reviewed our architects plans and suggested several changes that have greatly improved the layout and space. Without her early input we would have made expensive mistakes. Hire Karen BEFORE you start any building work and you will reap the benefits."
K. Griggs - The Old Forge, York
I work with a handful of clients each year. Not because I'm trying to be exclusive, but because my particular process is a detailed one. I choose new projects with care, because that's how I approach the design itself. Together, we spend time questioning assumptions, exploring alternatives and understanding how you actually live before we move onto design work. I am particularly interested in whole house renovation projects, extensions, reconfigurations and design led new builds; projects where a good dose of creative problem solving is called for.
My understanding of space wasn't learned from books. It has grown from a lifetime of observing how people move, how buildings shape our behaviour and how we respond emotionally. My instinctive ability to visualise spaces in three dimensions allows me to imagine possibilities that aren't always obvious on a floorplan. Over many years and several different projects, those instincts have been tested, refined and strengthened through experience.
I'm deeply grateful to every client who has trusted me with their home. Their faith in my approach has allowed me to build a studio that reflects my values rather than someone else's idea of what a designer should be.
"the most stand out thing about Karen is her integrity. You feel like she’s got your back, always. Liaising with multiple trades is never easy or straightforward, but she is wonderful at holding people to account and advocating for you as a client. Everything she suggests is for the good of the design."
RECOGNITION, AWARDS AND PRESS
