All posts filed under: #designupnorth

Dowsing Reynolds Leeds Store

The Dowsing & Reynolds Store is Now Open

Hello hello! I thought some of you would like to see some pics from the recent (well not that recent, that’s how behind I am) opening of the Dowsing & Reynolds store in Leeds. I collaborated with Ally & James of Dowsing & Reynolds fame on the design concept, so it’s so lovely to be able to share the fruits of our labour with you. Professional images by Matt McCormick Come on in! Set over two floors, it was created by founders James and Ally Dowsing-Reynolds with help from interiors doyenne Karen Knox from Making Spaces and from retail psychologist Kate Nightingale from Style Psychology. Gorgeous Yorkshire I had to look up what “doyenne” actually meant. Apparently I’m “a well respected or prominent woman in a particular field.” Well that’s very kind of your Gorgeous Yorkshire, I might just pop that quote on my website, thank you very much. Before – first site recce, getting a feel for the space and taking lots of photos Let me just say from the outset, that I had no …

Knox Brackets Dowsing Reynolds

The Knox Bracket – A piece of Making Spaces at Dowsing & Reynolds

You can now buy me!! I’m for sale! I’m a bracket! Do you remember this project from 2017? The Industrial Shaker Kitchen – Before Well, part of this kitchen update, I designed some rather special shelving that sat on some rather special shelving brackets. After – Remember? Well these shelves caused quite a stir, so much so, I told Mr Dowsing Reynolds they should manufacture and sell them as part of their hardware range. I’m bossy like that. And guess what? The eponymous Knox Brackets are now for sale on the Dowsing & Reynolds website. You can now add me to your basket, have me delivered and fix me to your wall. It’s very exciting! Knox Shelf Brackets Here’s what it says on the D&R website about my design baby: “Rewind to 2016 when our very own James and Ally Dowsing-Reynolds moved into their new family home. They don’t like to do things by halves, and so it came as no surprise to us to find out that they’d bought a doer-upper… To say the least. …

MAKING SPACES WORKSHOP - Setting up an Interior Design Business

Workshop at Making Spaces HQ – How to set up your interior design business

Exciting times ahead! I’m finally doing something i’ve been planning for well over a year. Planning logistically and also planning in terms of getting Making Spaces HQ (my house) fit for paying guests (new patio door, kitchen update, updating front door, landscaping… ) Every month I have several emails from people who are wanting to “meet up for a coffee” or “pick my brains” about how I got started with Making Spaces. And whilst i’d love to be able to help as many people as possible, the reality is I don’t have that time. Some weeks I barely get to see my own husband! So, from January 2019, i’m running workshops at mine for five people at a time where I will answer ALL of your questions and share my experiences and all i’ve learned over the past four years about setting up a business in the interior design industry. No waffle, no bullshit, just straight up, down to earth, honest advice. In my former life, you may already know, I was a dancer (nearly 30 …

Nicola Broughton Home

Popping my public speaking cherry #designupnorth

Just a quick one today peeps, i’m still recovering from that last blog post… I hope you read it as it took me an age to write. Anyhoo – just wanted to let you all know that i’m making my very first panel appearance. I know! And you’re invited. Do read on… (I’m one of the friends) If you don’t know my northern insta buddy, Nicola Broughton (aka, The Girl with the Green Sofa) then here’s the low down. It’s going to be fun. For you that is. I will no doubt be shitting myself and hiding behind a large Kentia Palm. I’m more than happy mouthing off on here where I can go back, delete, edit, re-write, but in front of actual, real life people, i’m a bit shy I am. And if I have to speak into a microphone, well then i’ll be mortified as you’ll definitely hear the remains of my childhood lisp and my hybrid north west, Yorkshire accent. Hopefully the next two weeks of elecution lessons will have paid off in time. …

Third time lucky?

Disclaimer – If this is your first time reading my blog, then i’ll warn you that this isn’t probably the best one to start on. I mean, you’re free to read n’ all, you’re in charge. But this post is less about interiors and more about life stuff. I write these kind of posts a couple of times a year, so if you’re not in the mood to read the ramblings of a stranger, then I really won’t be offended. Otherwise, please… I’ve been nominated for an award at this year’s Amara Interior Blog Awards. I wasn’t sure whether to accept the nomination or not as I have mixed feelings about these kind of things really. I’ve had to quash my ludicrous levels of cynicism and put down my safety blanket in order to accept the nomination and take part this year. The Drawing Room This will be the last time I throw my hat into the ring, so I felt the need to write a post about what the Amaras actually are and why …

No House Rules with Kate Watson Smyth

Mad About the House comes to Leeds – #designupnorth with No House Rules

I went out one night last week. Didn’t get to sleep until well after midnight… and i’m still paying for it now (god, i’m so old). I don’t get out much, mainly because i’m a natural introvert, i’m normally in bed for 8.30pm and I find pyjamas just oh so comfortable. But for this recent No House Rules event, I made an exception. The No House Rules ladies, Katie and Amy (aka. @comedowntothewoods and @thisstyle_rocks) in partnership with Rose & Grey had arranged for Kate Watson-Smyth of Mad About the House fame to come to that there Leeds. I’ve been a huge fan of Kate and her work for several years now. It was one of the first blogs I latched on to. Her words, insight and general take on design certainly resonated with me. And a lot of other people too…. I remember when she followed me back on Twitter a few years ago, I was mega excited. Proper fan-girl style. Spring forward a few and our paths have crossed virtually a fair few …

Interior Design Collective - Design Surgery Workshop

IDC Design Surgery #designupnorth

It’s just a quickie today peeps! I’ve been writing up another (third on the bounce) final reveal post, for the Copper Bedroom (like busses they are), but i’ve had to interrupt that public service broadcast with some very exciting news: The very first IDC Design Surgery has now been confirmed!! We’re sooo excited. And true to my word, I have fought hard to host the very first of these IDC workshops up north, here in my beloved Yorkshire. These consultation style workshops are the first of their kind, as the content is planned around you and your own home projects. You tell us what you want to learn and we deliver. And when I say we, I mean me and my partner in crime and other half of the IDC dream team, Fiona Duke. There are only 10 places per workshop, we capped it at 10 as we want to be able to talk to each and every one of you and work through your home design dilemmas, so you leave feeling armed to deal …

#MADESUPPERCLUB

The MADE Supperclub #designupnorth

Something design and events related happened up north last week! I know! And not just up north, but in Yorkshire. And not just in any ole venue with any ole brand, it was hosted by MADE at Redbrick. The very first #MADESupperclub, Yorkshire style. And I was on the invite list…. which is just as well as I would have been kicking off big time if I didn’t get one of the 14  golden tickets. And what a lovely do it was too. Very chilled and intimate which meant I got to chat to nearly everyone. People meeting people Claudia from MADE and Katie from Come Down to the Woods Kerry Lockwood and Lisa Dawson Ellenor from Dowsing & Reynolds on the left Canapes Amy from This Style Rocks and Claire from My House Candy Victoria from Apartment Number 4 Nicola Broughton from The Girl with the Green Sofa and me **waves** in my sheepskin because it was frickin baltic outside. There was a lot of camera phone action going on that night which is …

#designupnorth – 1

I’ve been waiting to launch this new hashtag for about two years… but in between setting up and running Making Spaces, writing a blog, then setting up the Interior Design Collective (and trying my best at being an average wife, running a house and keeping a four year old alive), I never really had the time to set this up properly. I’ve written several blog posts already highlighting all things #designupnorth, which you can check out here: #designupnorth   View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karen Knox – Making Spaces (@makingspacesnet)   In true me style, I just popped it on my Instagram feed one evening last week, with literally no planning or forethought (highly overrated that stuff) and waited to see if anyone else was on board with the concept of shining a light on all the wonderful creatives up North. Well it seems a lot of you were as notifications kept pinging in… absolutely brilliant! So here’s what i’m hoping: If you’re somewhere up north, love, live or work in the creative/interior design …

Gas pipe shelf

Bare Joinery

As you guys may already know, i’m the daughter of a woodwork (Design & Technology) teacher. My dad has been a big inspiration to me over the years and helped me on so many projects at home it’s unreal. He’s the kind of guy that can turn his hand to anything. Building, joinery, tiling, plumbing, landscaping… I even watched him build a two-storey scaffold on his own, in the pissing rain so he could fit new barge boards at my first house. He borrowed the scaffold from one of his mates (he’s always knows someone who knows someone) and drove it 100 miles up to Leeds on his roof rack. If my dad lived up here, it’s fair to say, i’d have enough work for him to give him a full time job working with me. My dad with a screwdriver, “in back pocket of Farah“ He’s made all of his own furniture at home, some of which as part of his Creative Design university course at Loughborough, back in the 70’s. They still have an …