Inside the award-winning penthouse with views of York Minster

Proud Yorkshire couple Kelly and Jeremy Poole, founder and director of Kudos Interior Design, are celebrating being the North and North West residential design winners of The British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) for their York City Penthouse.

Kudos Interior Design transformed a penthouse in the heart of York into a refined, gallery-like residence for clients who are avid art collectors with a passion for travel.

Inspired by Japanese design principles, the scheme combines bespoke timber joinery, layered lighting and tactile materials to create what Kelly describes as "a calm, contemplative interior that works as both a private home and an immersive gallery."

The design frames uninterrupted views across York and towards York Minster and the judges applauded the project for its beautiful bespoke joinery, which ‘reflects the client’s love of Japanese design’.

They also admired its ‘distinctive gallery-like character’ that creates a ‘striking and memorable residence’.

The creative couple, who live in Thorner, “combined bespoke timber joinery, layered lighting, and tactile materials to create the calm, immersive interior where art, architecture, and context are seamlessly integrated.”

Kelly, 48, who has more than 30 years experience in design says: "The clients are avid art collectors with a passion for travel.

"They sought to transform their penthouse into a refined, gallery-like residence that would showcase their collection while responding to its exceptional setting. They let Kudos push the boundaries.

"They are creative people and that is why they chose Kudos. They wanted something slick and unusual.

“With uninterrupted views across York and towards York Minster, a key requirement was to frame and enhance these vistas within the interior.

"Inspired by Japanese design principles, they envisioned a calm, contemplative environment balancing clarity with warmth and texture.”

Kelly says the space needed to function as both a private home and immersive gallery, with carefully integrated lighting and bespoke joinery – all executed to a high level of precision.

She says the design solution she came up with met the needs of the users of the space, who were delighted with the end result – something that gives her a lot of satisfaction.

“The design solution met the clients’ requirements by creating a functional living space that also supports the display of their art collection.

"The layout was planned to maximise views of York Minster, with clear sightlines maintained from key areas.

"A restrained material palette provides a neutral backdrop, allowing artwork to remain the focus. Bespoke joinery integrates storage and display, reducing visual clutter.

"Japanese-inspired screening defines zones without restricting light or flow.

"A layered lighting scheme combines ambient, task, and accent lighting to support daily use and highlight artwork effectively, ensuring the space is practical and well resolved.”

The project took them on an exciting journey.

Kelly says: “We had to work with designers in the USA and we were up at 2am doing teams calls because of the time difference.”

She said the most successful creative, innovative and problem-solving design solution she delivered was the integration of bespoke joinery and screening “to combine display, storage, and spatial definition within a single architectural language.

This approach allowed the apartment to function efficiently as both a home and gallery, reducing visual clutter while maintaining clear sightlines to York Minster.

The coordination of lighting within these elements was also key, enabling artwork to be highlighted without additional fittings.

This level of precision ensured a clean, cohesive result where functionality and aesthetics are fully integrated.”

Attention to every detail added ‘wow’ factor with everything being lovingly and painstakingly created.

“Everything was bespoke. We designed the furniture and had it made and we supplied and installed all the accessories. There were lots of bespoke elements.

"The wallpaper was made out of fabric and there were wallpaper inlays and the lighting design was key.”

The clients, Kelly says, loved it.

She says: “They were over the moon. It ticked the boxes living in the city and we made the space really personal to them. We are still a young, growing company. Kudos is six years old.

"We have achieved an awful lot because we are so passionate about what we do. We have a really unique portfolio.

"We work to the maximum of creativity with other people’s personal taste.

"The best bit for me is when I am left to be creative, when the clients don't give too many boundaries seeing people fall in love with what I have created.”

While designers may have a reputation for being aloof or intimidating, Yorkshire lass Kelly says she and husband Jeremy, 43, the director of the company, are anything but.

“We are down to earth, honest, approachable and warm designers.

"We create spaces that affect people's well being and life styles and improves mind set and has a positive impact on their lives as surroundings affect moods and well being and can have a massive impact.

"It's about creating a space you want to be in.

“I love seeing people's delight at the end when they see what I have done – it leaves me really satisfied and I get a real kick.”

The British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) revealed the winners of the 2026 BIID Interior Design Awards, recognising the very best in design excellence from across the UK and beyond at Drapers’ Hall in London on October 15.

Kudos Interior Design is a 2026 finalist in the Northern Design awards next month for commercial spa and wellness design: Pipeworks gentleman’s spa, Leeds.