"Having found our new home, we knew that we needed some visionary help. The house, although Victorian, had a very unattractive 1970’s flat roof extension at the back and having a young family, we needed space and light.  At this stage we had not sold our own home and needed to know that the house we were falling for had the potential to become the home of our dreams. It was at this point we contacted The Space Studio.

We met with Kevin Singh in a primarily meeting to discuss in brief, ideas that we had and what he and The Space studio could do for us. This meeting gave us great confidence as we had never embarked on such a project before. It was at this point that we decided to commit to The Space Studio.

We once again met with Kevin, during which time he was of great assistance in helping us question what we wanted to achieve at the end of the whole process. Having seen the house and armed with a brief, Kevin went back to The Space Studio and disseminated the information to the rest of the team. Within a few weeks Kevin had returned with numerous drawn up proposals. He went through each of them, explaining their individual concept. From this we decided on one particular proposal which captivated everything we wanted to achieve from the build. Kevin had been able to look at the bigger picture and had created a design that facilitated a lifestyle that we wanted.

From the point of deciding on a design to the completion of the build, Kevin and The Space studio team where there to facilitate the smooth, seamless running of all the processes involved, taking the hassle and aggravation away that comes with such processes. There were weekly site meetings with key individuals involved in the build, chaired by Kevin. During these meetings, amongst other things, the costing’s and timescale’s were discussed, so keeping us up to speed on where the build was from a completion and monetary point of view. Another member of the team is Jo, who was fantastic on many levels! She looked at the space that Kevin had designed and helped us decide on how to fill it, from where a plug socket should go and colour schemes, to where the kitchen should be. She also helped keep me sane! There was also John, who helped facilitate the planning application and building regulations process, which was great as we had very little knowledge on such issues. There were of course other members of the team that we never got to meet, but are very grateful for their behind the scenes involvement.

Some 12 months down the line from completing the build, I still walk into the light streamed space, that is now our family area and kitchen and think to myself how fantastic it is. I will not lie and say that having building work go on around you is an easy thing, it never is, but without The Space studio it would have been a whole lot harder. They were there from conception to completion, giving guidance, support and expertise. I would without hesitation use The Space Studio."

Kate Upton, client, Wentworth Road, August 2008

"St Basils first worked with Space Studio in the redesign and refurbishment of our Resettlement Centre in Birmingham. Located in a windowless basement, we were keen that the scheme should have a light, airy, contemporary feel which respected the young people who used our services and inspired them to tackle the issues which had led to their homelessness. The contract must have seemed strange to them as the work was to be carried out by a shop-fitting company on a pro-bono basis including materials. Space Studio therefore had to work with already fixed partnerships, achieve creative and innovative results on a very tight budget. In fact, it was worse than that as the original designer had pulled out as he couldn't achieve the desired impact within budget. This didn't put Space Studio off, in fact I have a sneaking suspicion, they rather enjoyed the challenge. The result is a fabulous space which,over 5 years on, still inspires and motivates young people, staff and visitors.

Since then, Space Studio have helped us with other charitable projects, some which have come off and some which we are still working to fundraise for. We're a bit hooked now as their creative style is hard to find elsewhere. Unlike some designers who can only create at high cost, our experience is that Space Studio produce a highly creative and practical solution to suit your needs and as far as possible, your resources. For St Basils, that has meant we haven't had to sacrifice good design through limited funds."

Jean Templeton, Chief Executive, St Basils

“From the moment we first met them we hit if off,” says Lesley. “We were on the same wavelength. And so when we decided to update, because of the stunning designs they came up with for the Colour Lounge, we thought that they might come up with some good ideas for Mac-Lloyd – and they did.”

Lesley McLoughlin, client, Mac-Lloyd Hair & Beauty, Frizz Magazine 2006

"Our initial brief was to extend the kitchen in our large but awkwardly shaped Victorian semi-detached. Having met several architects, who were able to design a small square extension as we had envisaged but did not really provide any inspiration, we returned to the Space Studio with whom we had worked on a previous project. They were quickly able to understand our requirements and provided the creative spark and energy that the project had had been missing. The result of their input was a more radical proposal which incorporated remodelling the entire back half of the downstairs, combining 3 rooms and part of the hall to create an open plan living / dining / kitchen space. Not only did this give us the larger kitchen that we originally desired but it also created a perfect family living space for ourselves and our 3 young children. This solution had further advantages such as preserving the external lines of the house, avoiding the need to encroach on the garden space and also saved the costs of extending. The work has been a great success and has actually changed the way we live.     
 
With our busy work and family lives we opted for the 'turn key' service which included full design, planning and project management. The Space Studio provided a very professional service and the whole experience was much less stressful for us than it would have otherwise been. We signed a formal contract with the building firm in advance of the work which included agreed timescales for the project and a fully itemised schedule of the costs. The project was managed against the contract and any variations were signed off at the weekly site meetings. This ensured that we felt fully in control of costs throughout the project. One of the best things about working with the Space Studio was the team based approach that involved their architectural and design expertise but also took full account of our requirements as clients. We would not hesitate to recommend them and would use them again in future."

Julian Miller, client, Lordswood Road, domestic refurbishment project

"Kevin was my architect when I undertook a major renovation on my house last year. From start to finish the service was exemplary. And, when inevitable hitches occurred they were always dealt with competently and in a satisfactory manner. My requirements were met in FULL. And, friends constantly compliment the work that has been done."

Fiona Leslie, client, Bull Street, domestic roof conversion

“They were focused. We told them the requirements, and they questioned how the space would be used, and took that on board. Although they were restricted, they managed to fulfil the requirements successfully. It is designed well for our needs, and presents the right image. We wanted a professional image, something slightly different, which we got. We don’t deal with students, and so we needed to define that through the professional image.”

Scott Thompson, client, UCE Open Advantage

“We felt they were totally committed to the project and I can’t recall ever having to ‘chase’ them for information or to ‘hurry things up. The design features of the Arts Cafe are essential for giving us a distinctive edge in a very competitive market. It creates customer interest, visual appeal and helps us to shake off the traditional church image particularly in the lucrative corporate market.”

Len Cox, client, Arts Café, St Martin in the Bullring

'Several design companies tried their hand at coming up with a workable layout, but it was only when Aston & Fincher suggested The Space Studio – a company who together with Aston & Fincher have created some of the country’s most spectacular salons – that the project really began to take shape.'

Aston and Fincher, Serenity Spa – Grand Salons 2006