October 22, 2014

St Ives designer breathes fresh life into period properties

Something of a design revolution is sweeping through the town of St Ives, as Kerry Knight of Beatengreen Design turns her hand to renovating private homes and holiday rentals. Kerry, a fully trained interior designer, gave up her vintage boutique on St Andrews Street last year in order to build her portfolio. She has been busy creating a series of unique spaces in some of the town’s prime properties – using social media to develop and communicate her ideas.

“I try to find the old soul of a house and work to enhance those period features, while incorporating fresh and innovative products and materials,” explains Kerry. “I particularly like the juxtaposition of old and new – a lot of my projects are about playing with the balance between the two.”

Beatengreen’s methods also represent a meeting of old and new. While Kerry and her partner Matt spend time trawling auction houses to pick up original items, the ambitious designer also uses online tools such as Pinterest to share and develop ideas with clients. “Often home-owners live a long way away so creating interactive design boards is a great way to make sure you’re on the right track,” Kerry explains.

Kerry’s clients clearly find the approach useful. “Sharing visual inspiration online was a huge success and both increased our productivity and design co-ordination and resulted in the beautiful properties that we have today,” commented Chris and Jo Russell, whose holiday property The Old Police Station is one of Kerry’s latest projects.

Kerry offers a full service, from initial design consultations to overseeing the finishing touches. “I try to approach every new design completely from scratch,” she explains. “Each interior is unique rather than simply an evolution of any one style.” As well as sourcing furniture from auction houses, Kerry uses local tradesmen and works with an upholsterer to bring unloved chairs and other pieces back to life. She also picks up unusual decorative items or soft furnishings online. “Once I have the concept for the property right, it’s a matter of bringing all these elements together – from quirky coat hooks to textiles which enhance the design scheme of each room.”

Kerry is finding her service is particularly in demand from owners of holiday homes, who want to offer their guests something a little different. “St Ives is known for its visual beauty and creative spirit,” said Claire Gilbert, Managing Partner at St. Ives letting agency The Cottage Boutique. “When people come to stay here they want their surroundings to reflect that. Using an interior designer can really make a holiday property stand out, offering an individual style in a market where people have a lot of choice.”