All posts tagged: real life

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 …

2016 – The Best Bits

Published by Karen Knox

Where did 2016 go? Seriously, where? I can’t believe it’s been 365 days since I wrote my best bits from 2015. This year has been all kinds of bonkers. So what’s happened then? 2016 End of Year Report Written 105 blog posts (about 80,000 words) Styled and photographed over 2000 photos Completed ten interior design projects Collaborated with over 25 brands Introduced “Making Spaces Remote” for those of you that aren’t lucky enough to live in Yorkshire. This has really taken off, and since its launch i’ve worked with clients in Cumbria, Warrington, London, Bristol, Manchester… Appeared in Real Homes, HomeStyle Magazine, At Home Magazine, High In Style, Yorkshire Living Featured on Houzz, Wayfair and Swoonworthy Nominated for an Amara Interior Blog Award Got married (whoop!) Went to NY on our honeymoon Started our long awaited loft extension, which is sooo nearly ready for its final reveal and i’m so frickin excited I could burst. Roll on January! Huge thanks to everyone who has been reading and following my progress since setting up Making Spaces back in …

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 …

What is interior design?

Published by Karen Knox

Well don’t ask me. I’m just making this all up as I go along. But it is something i’ve been asking myself a lot since I started “treading the boards”. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karen Knox – Making Spaces (@makingspacesnet) I have no formal training in interiors or design whatsoever. As you may (or not) already know, my background and training is in dance and it went on to be my career as a teacher and project manager until I became a mum nearly four years ago. But. I have learnt A LOT about what it is to be an interior designer since setting up Making Spaces and it might not be what you’d expect. Partly why I started this blog I guess, to share some of the realness behind all the lovely glossy photos you see in magazines. Those photos are about 2% of what an interior designer does from day to day. Most people i’ve worked with on a design project have been reluctant to tell others they’re …

What i’ve learnt so far. The Loft Extension – Wk 4/5

Published by Karen Knox

We’re at that bit in the project where it feels like we’re moving in treacle. We’ve got a big hole in the ceiling. It’s cold. And we’re waiting. Waiting for windows to be fitted (one more week) and the staircase to arrive (two more weeks). In the meantime we’re at a bit of a standstill and it’s starting to wear us down. So i’m going to take a moment. A moment to reflect on what i’ve learnt so far. Lesson One Any work at home, large or small puts an extra layer of tension in a household. Every day when Charlie gets home from nursery, he asks “is our new house ready yet?” which at the beginning of the project was really cute and hilarious. Five weeks later, not so much. “No Charlie, no. Our house is not finished yet. There is a scaffold up outside. A skip in the driveway, a hole in the ceiling and the heating it set to “tropical”.  Then there’s the nightly de-brief of the day’s events between me and the …

Masonic Villas – Update

Published by Karen Knox

It’s been some time since i’ve updated this project. And i’ll tell you for why… it’s all been put on hold for one thing. One piece to fall into place. And now that piece is finally done the decorating can now start. In fact it already has. Hoobloominray! How many people does it take to change a light bulb? Well actually, fit a new ceiling light over the mezzanine of this landing area? The answer: Six. SIX! This huge 4.5m drop was crying out a for a light. A huge statement chandelier. Why wasn’t there one there already I wonder? Grab a cuppa and i’ll tell you a story…. Chapter 1. Once upon a time there was no light over a beautiful landing area. The mezzanine was sad, dark and lonely without a chandelier so the Making Spaces fairy decided it was time to call on some of her friends. Chapter 2. In order for the new light to be wired in, the Lighting Fairy needed to access the loft space. The existing loft hatch was …

The Magnetic Wall – Pt 3 – Final Reveal

Published by Karen Knox

Just over a month ago, I introduced you to a playroom re-design I was working on in collaboration with Thistle Magnetic Plaster, by British Gypsum’s “Rooms Made For You“. The plan was to transform the room overlooking the rear garden into an interactive family space. A room that connected the large, recently completed living space to the great outdoors. Part II, was all about the magnetic plaster going up on the wall, what it was like to work with, how it dried and what was next on the plan of action. Here’s a brief visual catch up… It was now time to start getting the mural i’d planned up on the walls. I’d sourced some designs for the decorator and with the help of a projector, the design went from a 2D image on a screen up onto our magnetic wall. In two days, the room was transformed from a cold white square room to a warm, light, creative space filled with colour and extra special detail. Three window blinds were fitted into the window recess by …

Making the most of your space

Published by Karen Knox

Last month I wrote an article for Wayfair all about how to make the most of your space. It’s something I get asked about a lot during design consultations. “Can you help us find a place for **insert random but completely necessary item here**.” It seems we’d all like more space. I know I would. So I thought it might be pretty useful to share some of my solutions here with you.   Go up Use the height of the room wherever possible. Lots of smaller units and bookcases lined up side by side take up so much floor space. And more and more stuff gets plonked on top until you’re living with the “Leaning Tower of Niknaks.” Keep your floor-plan as open and free as possible. Have cupboards or open shelves built into your alcoves, not just in your living room but in your kitchen/diner too. Shelves fitted above doorways can house  endless boxes of books or CD’s without taking up any living space at all.   Above the bulk-head in the “box room” …