All posts tagged: loft bedroom

When is a brick wall not a brick wall? – The Loft Bedroom at the Victorian Terrace

Published by Karen Knox

I’m back at the Victorian Terrace this week talking brick walls. And today I’m up on the top floor showing you the progress in one of the two second floor bedrooms. Before This room was to become a guest bedroom, but until then the homeowner, Mr H will be using this room until the bedroom on the first floor is complete. Which will be later this year once the bathroom has been ripped out. You might be wondering what a bathroom being done has to do with getting the master bedroom completed, a fair amount actually. In a terrace, you don’t get a spacious landing or much transient spaces at all for that matter, the first and second floor rooms come almost directly off the staircase. When ripping out a bathroom and fitting the new one, the trades need space to work and a lot of the prep work needs to be done not directly in the bathroom. Bathrooms are already too small for two grown adults as it is. So the master bedroom opposite …

The Mulberry Red Room – Pre-reveal

Published by Karen Knox

I wasn’t going to bother writing this post up, mainly because i’ve shared most of these pics over on Instagram already. But then I thought, “well tough bums” (a phrase Charlie and I use), i’m sure there are some of you that read my blog who don’t follow me on Instagram. And actually i’d quite like to share them over here so I can talk about each picture properly. So i’m doing it right now. Just watch me. Here’s a quick reminder of where we were on the last post. This pic was taken after some of the new furniture had arrived but before any of the works had been done. Standard. Here’s the difference two simple things make, the two things being: The right surface coverings (wall and floor) Plants That’s it. New Flooring + New Wall Colour + Plants = A Magical Space I genuinely get so excited when clients trust you and just go for it. Not many would simply smile, nod and order the paint the next day. There’s normally some …

The Loft Bedroom – Final Reveal

Published by Karen Knox

We did it! We have our new loft bedroom, all done and ready to rock. Four months after we started our build, i’m finally able to share the final reveal photos with you. I’m going to warn you right now, this post is PIC HEAVY. Initially I took about 70 photos. I know. That’s ridiculous. I’ve managed to whittle it down to about 30. Still far too many, but ya know what, just scroll along if any aren’t floating your boat. Here’s where we were back in September 2016: And here was my plan for the bedroom: Ok. So here we go. Do come in… The view from the landing into the bedroom. Gets me every time. Chooch the cat, can not get enough of this room. Mainly because she’s got a load of new rugs and blankets to paw at and ruin. We had to be clever with space here as we were limited with how much width we had with the two chimney stacks bookending each side of the bed. The Factorylux Maria Banjo wall …

Faffing with furnishings

Published by Karen Knox

Since my last post, where I gave you a little peep at the pre- final reveal for the loft extension, quite a few of you asked where the throw on the bed was from. Nice init? Twas my Christmas pressie from the brother and sis in law. At £39.99 from Maisons Du Monde it was a steal, however, i’m afraid to say it’s now sold out. And i’m not surprised, as all things Moroccan, ethnic or tribal are hot to trot this year. EVORA blanket – Maisons Du Monde At 160 x 210cm it’s plenty big enough to sit across the entire width of the bed and hang over the sides. Really don’t like it when they come up too short and simply rest over the top. But that’s me, being fussy. They had (yes, past tense) matching cushion covers too. Also now sold out. Gah! Although they do still have the MAKASSAR black and white blanket available at £34.99 if you’re looking for a similar style and size. MAKASSAR blanket from Maisons Du Monde As i’m gassing on …

The Pre-reveal – The Loft Extension Wk 16

Published by Karen Knox

Week 16? Is it? I’ve lost count now to be honest. It feels like we’ve been living in another universe where time as we know it doesn’t exist. We were hoping to be done for Christmas. And we should have been really. Easily. But we weren’t. And it was fine (it wasn’t, but you know what I mean). So the project continues into 2017 and every time I think we might have just one more week left to wait, something crops up. I’m fed up of waiting for the final reveal post now, so i’m going to have to write this Preveal post, just to satisfy myself really. Oh and to keep you guys up to date too I guess. And if i’m being totally honest, to thank all the brands that are working with me for being so patient throughout this whole project. I’ll be giving them a little shout out so you know who they are… First off, some slightly better photos of the staircase. Instead of a landing balustrade, I really wanted boxed in …

My week with Factorylux

Published by Karen Knox

In a weird twist of fate, it’s a been a full on week of Factorylux lighting goodness. If you remember, we’re working with Urban Cottage Industries on the lighting for our loft bedroom. Urban Cottage Industries design and produce their Factorylux lighting range, and we’ve been working with their modular range which comes with fun stuff like conduit and pattress boxes. Think of it as Pick n Mix but for lighting. Design your own lights basically. Well, as we’d finished sealing the brick wall, the electricians were now ready to rock and roll and start piecing the puzzle together. I asked if they minded me taking some pics whilst they were fiddling. They didn’t. I managed to take a couple and then, ya know it felt a bit weird and I was kind of getting in the way. So I only got a couple. All the Factorylux conduit is pre-cut and threaded so it was just like a big metal jigsaw. They only needed to chop off the end pieces that ran down into the floor and up …

Black Wednesday – Week 11

Published by Karen Knox

If you’re in or close to Leeds, you may have heard me on Wednesday last week. You might have mistaken the noise for a small pig being squeezed in a vice, but no, it was me. Screaming. I don’t remember the last time I felt so angry (it was probably the week before) but you know you’ve completely lost your shit when your husband comes home from work early. Without you having to even ask. Don’t jump! We’ve been waiting patiently for our staircase for 11 weeks now. Keep getting told, they’ll be started on it soon and it’ll be another week. Each and every time a new trade comes in to crack on with their job, I get; “When’s the staircase coming?” “Where’s the staircase? “Haven’t you got your staircase yet?” Erm, yes, don’t you like it. It’s there. We’ve had an aluminium staircase made to look just like a bloody ladder. **eye roll** The last we were told (Monday 14th November) is the staircase was being “made right now”. Factor in two weeks to make …

The Loft Extension – Wk 8/9

Published by Karen Knox

As you can see, i’ve been keeping really upbeat since my last loft post. Full of the joy of life I am. Honestly, i’m a pleasure to be around right now. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karen Knox – Making Spaces (@makingspacesnet) We’ve just finished week nine and if i’m honest, I thought we’d be done by now. Not 100% done, but I thought the actual build would have been winding down. Alas, that is not the case. Things here are continuing to move slowly, but we’re certainly moving now. And there is a teeny tiny sliver of light shining at the end of a long, dark (and snowy) tunnel. That’s me sounding positive btw. The plastering has finally commenced (hooray!) and our plasterer has been busy working his way around the bedroom and all the way down our new gable wall. Still no staircase. STILL. It’s quite bizarre, but as soon as the plaster goes on the whole place goes from looking like a building site to an actual room. Of all …

The devil’s in the detail

Published by Karen Knox

There are some things when you’re redecorating a room or redesigning a space that get forgotten about. They’re not normally on our list of considerations. Your builder, electrician, plumber will just fix in the most obvious, industry standard items. These items are in every room. They’re functional. They do the job and they’re fine. Just fine. But what if you don’t want fine? If you just stopped to consider these small, often unnoticed details, it can have a massive impact on a space. The devil is indeed in the detail. And there’s nothing like a build to highlight just how many small seemingly “none-decisions” can make a big difference to the design. We’re now at the point where the build is kind of complete. The rooms are getting plastered next week, first fix plumbing going in and door casings being built by the joiner. Which focuses my mind on: Skirting boards & architraves Door handles Lights, switches and sockets Skirting board and architrave We’ve (and when I say we’ve, I mean I’ve) uhmmed and ahhed over …

The Loft Extension – Wk 6/7

Published by Karen Knox

Firstly, i’d just like to apologise for the radio silence over the last week. I think it’s fair to say, this loft conversion is starting to get to me. Like, properly. It’s not the mess, dirt, cold, the fact I can’t walk down the hall without banging my knee on a boxed toilet or the plastic floor covering that crackles when you trot over it. No, not these things. It’s the fact I can’t actually sit down for more than 10 minutes at a time and concentrate on ANYTHING as our front door is moving continuously with various trades coming in and out. I’ve never made so many cups of tea. I’ve also never got through so many bags of sugar. They’re all “two sugar” guys. Two! The other thing my busy mind is struggling with, is the continual trouble shooting. Overall, i’m a negative, pessimistic person. I focus entirely on worst case scenarios which makes me really good at project management. How does that help? I combat anything that might go wrong before it actually …