Lisa (@loft208) and her husband have lived in Manchester city centre for eight years and it seems they have always had an affinity for factory conversions. Their first flat was in a converted mill and after outgrowing this, they decided to look for a more traditional renovation in a different area. However, with every property they viewed, the immediate love and burst of excitement that everyone talks about just didn’t occur. That was until a 1300 sq ft cardboard box factory conversion came onto the market and they immediately fell head over heels in love.

The factory was renovated by Urban Splash, a company renowned in the architecture industry for its forward-thinking approach and iconic regeneration projects. In this instance, the factory became the first scheme in Manchester to sell shell spaces to the purchaser who wanted to work with their own architect to design their home. While this concept worked for many, for Lisa and her husband it meant buying an apartment with many peculiar design decisions and a layout that would never work for them. We spoke about the huge decision to start from scratch, the hurdles faced by doing this and how Lisa refined her design style.

Tell me about your interior design journey.

So while a lot of people had a great design eye when the apartments were originally renovated and sold to separate purchasers, the previous owner of ours did not. They were hardly any lights in the apartment, no plug sockets in the kitchen, a fish tank in the wall and half walls everywhere, even in the bathroom! For this reason, we decided to knock it all down and start again, so I had to do an incredible amount of research to work out exactly what we wanted which is where my interior journey really began.

How would you describe your design style?

It’s definitely scandi meets minimalism, but ultimately I just wanted to create a cosy and spacious feeling. I love the industrial design style, which naturally comes with this apartment, but it can feel quite cold and stark. So we decided to keep a few elements of this in the overall scheme such as the brick walls but plastered over some areas to soften the overall appearance and atmosphere of the space.

What were the most important design elements that you wanted to achieve in your home, both aesthetically and practically?

One of the biggest things was to create a large kitchen that integrated with the rest of the living space. The apartment originally had split levels which divided the space up awkwardly, so it was a priority to level out the floor to ensure all the spaces flowed. Everything was so segregated and built so strangely that it was a no brainer to knock all the internal walls down and just start again.

What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced while converting the warehouse space into a home and how did you overcome them?

We completely underestimated the amount of work that needed to be done. We thought we would only need three months to complete it, so rented out our old apartment with the intention of moving into the new quite quickly. However halfway through the build, we were told that we would need planning permission for the work that was being done because it was such a huge change and that the council would need to approve the proposed plan against current fire regulations. In the end, it took them three months to issue the necessary licence, so in that time we had to send all the contractors away and put the build on pause. At this point, we had ripped out everything and it was completely unlivable, so we moved back into my parent’s house and lived in my childhood bedroom for six months before the apartment was completed!

And of course, what were the biggest accomplishments?

Sometimes I sit down and can’t believe we actually did this renovation. The biggest achievement was redesigning and rearranging the space. It’s become a space that really suits our lifestyle and somewhere that we really call home. It’s become our sanctuary which is especially important now that we are having to work from home and spend most of our time here.

What is your favourite room and why?

It’s got the be the whole living space, there are so many lovely elements and different spaces to enjoy from the kitchen to our reading area. Just to have a kitchen with all the appliances that we’ve ever wished for and a dining table that can sit up to eight people is awesome, to be able to have a dinner party is so great!

If I’m on a budget but want to update my house, what are the five things I should invest in?

Key pieces of furniture that add a bit of a wow factor are important
Soft furnishings, you don’t have to spend a fortune to create a cosy and homely feeling
Incorporating plants into an area can really help bring it to life and break up a space
You can buy some great affordable art or make your own to really pull a space together
Just a bit of patience! Little by little you will build up your perfect space!

Tell us about your favourites...

Design Trend: It’s always going to be scandi for the lines, simplicity and cosiness!

Materials: Linen because it’s such a beautiful texture and black powder-coated finishes

Interior Shops: Rose and Grey Interiors for homely touches, Gejst Design for those special touches, Pea Style for something different and H&M HOME for essential items

Who are your favourite accounts to follow right now and why?

Bianca (@theschoolhousehome) - if I was going move somewhere after this apartment it would be into something like this!

Viktoria (@tthese_beautiful_tthings) - I love her style and the details she has in her home. The neutral palette used throughout is just gorgeous

Susannah (@susannahhemmingstylist) - she does the most incredible up-cycles of furniture I’ve ever seen!

Paola (@mymodernduplex) - for her stunning renovation and design as well the good banter!

What’s next for you?

We will probably stay here for another three years at least but in that time we will always be looking out for an epic renovation to take on, as I can’t imagine not having another opportunity to make something truly our own again! It would be our final home, so if we are going to do it will have to be something really special!

From Box Factory to Scandi-Chic Home