What were dated caravans are now some the best dressed holiday lodges in the Dales thanks to a great designer

“I had just had the baby and had eased right back on work and so my first reaction was ‘no way do I want to take this project on’,” says Jo.

Undeterred, Cat and Oliver Barker persuaded her to visit their site, a glorious spot on the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Estate, near Bolton Abbey.

“I went up to have a look and that was it, I was hooked,” says Jo. “Ideas were whizzing round in my head and I knew I could do something with the caravans. I couldn’t resist the challenge and found myself doing a complete about turn and saying, ‘I would love to help you’.”

The result has been declared a huge success and not just by Cat, Oliver and their guests but by the British Institute of Interior Design, which recently presented Jo with a prestigious BIID Award for the North and North West Region.

This saw her beat off stiff competition from some of the UK’s top hotels.

The reason for the win wasn’t just the clever and adventurous mix of colour and pattern, but for the remarkable transformation, the great use of space and a host of inspired ideas that have turned the statics into highly desirable holiday lodges.

Working around caring for her new baby and her toddler son, Ilkley based Jo, spent 10 months upgrading the four dated properties.

Cat and Oliver had already come up with a plan to clad the exterior with timber and her brief was to ensure the interiors were colourful and comfortable with wow factor and she fulfilled it, not least because she was given free rein.

One of her first bright ideas was to clad the ceilings in strips of timber..

“They were wallpapered before and that did not look good. Adding the wood gave us a country look. They also make the place feel more substantial,” says Jo.

The properties have a similar layout with an open plan living/kitchen/dining area plus a shower room, a main bedroom and a twin bedroom.

They are all decorated differently so guests can ring the changes if they return to holiday at Howgill Lodge again.

She also used wood to great effect again by adding fashionable Edwardian style panelling on the bedroom walls and added oversized, bespoke headboards.

“The panelling was simple to do, it’s just strips of mdf topped off with beading, which was painted and adds character.

“The headboards aren’t a standard shape so they are fun and they add height and a bit of grandeur,” says Jo, who adds that the lodges would make perfect bridal suites for those marrying at nearby Bolton Abbey.

Conscious of space saving, the bedside lights, sourced mainly from Pooky and Wayfair, are wall mounted and tiny bedside tables were sourced.

Jo’s love of beautiful textiles is evident as is her design prowess in matching the myriad of patterns and colours so they look exciting but not overwhelming.

Art was also a must and she sourced some from local artists and also painted some herself, which has led to more commissions.

“I enjoy painting and it really helps being able to do something myself when I can’t find any artwork to match the interiors.

“My mum’s an artist and loves interiors. I remember when I was about nine, she painted a Monet style mural against dark navy walls after visiting a Monet exhibition in London.

“My nan was interiors obsessed too so I think it runs in the family,” she says.

Along with buys from trade suppliers, Jo also sources pieces from favourite retailers including HomeSense, Pooky, La Redoute, Dunelm and John Lewis.

Vintage items also feature in the lodges and she hunts them down in charity shops and in West Park Antiques in Harrogate.

Some of the sofas were reupholstered and others are from Willow and Hall and the short curtains were swapped for fabric blinds.

“The curtains had to go as they were one of the things that made the interiors look really dated,” she says.

Another must have on her list were wood-burning stoves to replace the old electric fires.

There are countless creative touches, thanks to Jo, including an opulent gold leaf finish in The Shepherd lodge.

Cat and Oliver, who have added hot tubs outside each lodge, are delighted with the interiors and the lodges have been a big hit with guests

“They were great clients,” says Jo. “They looked terrified when I showed them samples of the fabric I was going to use but they were brave enough to say ‘just go for it’ and it has paid off.”

Useful Contacts:

Design by Jo Bee, www.designbyjobee.co.uk

*Howgill Lodge is a camping, glamping and holiday lodge site in Barden, Wharfedale. Visit www.howgill-lodge.co.uk

* How Jo made it: Jo studied Fashion design at The London College of Fashion before studying Interior Architecture in Newcastle.

She worked for a company furnishing hotels before moving back to Ilkley to work at The Secret Drawer kitchen and cabinet makers.

“I learned such a lot from both those jobs,” she says. They gave her the confidence to set up her interior design business, Design by Jo Bee, in 2016.