7th November 2025 | IN DESIGN ADVICE | BY SBID Share Tweet Pinterest LinkedIn The SBID UK Interior Design Icons were selected to recognise leading design practices throughout the UK who have consistently displayed exceptional standards within our esteemed industry network. This week’s instalment of the SBID Icon Insights series features Kris Turnbull Studios. The design studio specialises in bespoke residential projects ranging from traditional country estates to contemporary holiday homes. Kris Turnbull Studios Kris Turnbull Studios Can you share a project that best represents your design style? My style has evolved over time and is very much inspired by my travels. I have been fortunate to visit many countries and experience so many exciting cultures and ways of life. Since early 2024 I’m renovating a unique property in Holywood, County Down, a beautiful hidden gem dating back to 1838, it’s going to be stunning! Kris Turnbull Studios How does your team collaborate on major projects? Everyone gets involved! We’ve a dynamic team of 22 people, each role and every person on the team is vital to the overall success of a project completion. We have weekly planning meetings to prepare for the week ahead, we brainstorm and look at each project from all the various disciplines and directions. We set goals and objectives and I encourage the team to work together seamlessly with empathy and patience, leveraging their collective skills and knowledge to overcome challenges and achieve a successful result. Kris Turnbull Studios Kris Turnbull Studios What steps do you take to stay at the forefront of the design industry? Staying ahead in design isn’t about chasing every trend; it’s about staying aware and well informed whilst creating timeless designs that aligns with your clients. The creative team & I take trips throughout the year to visit our trusted suppliers, many of them who have become close friends. We always look forward to our visits to Chelsea Design Harbour, the annual design weeks in Paris and Milan and our supplier factory visits. I absolutely love visiting the extraordinary workshops of our manufacturers, it’s a privilege to be able to support and continue the centuries old craftsmanship of these ateliers and workshops. Kris Turnbull Studios What sets your work apart in the industry? We act as a creative partner to craft our client’s vison for their project, creating unique and thoughtful concepts, sensitive to the property, its location and heritage rather than a standard house style. The whole team is passionate about design and provides a truly personal service to each and every client. The creative team fully develop every aspect of each individual project: from spatial planning, lighting design, furniture layouts, bespoke joinery, kitchen and bathroom designs to specifying the finest furniture, luxury fabrics and so much more to achieve an end result that works. This is what good design is all about, creating a home that functions as well as it looks. Kris Turnbull Studios Kris Turnbull Studios What challenges did you face during your iconic projects, and how did you overcome them? On reflection probably the biggest learn from working on projects is to ensure that the interior design team are engaged early enough in the project, something that often is out of our control. The bones of the building works are quite often well underway when we are appointed, when the contractor starts to request further details in relation the design intent and some of the key features of the home. The challenge for our team is trying to stay in front of the contractors, working under pressure to ensure we were a step ahead, this can in turn put the client under pressure to make decisions quickly. Encouraging our clients to start the process earlier has helped improve the flow of projects and the wider project team success. Kris Turnbull Studios Are you involved in mentoring or education within the interior design industry? Over the past number of years, I have been a guest lecturer at the Art College extending this to sponsorship of various awards to encourage students and the designers of the future. Annually the students attend the studio to meet the team and the various disciplines participating in the daily life of working in the design industry. Kris Turnbull Studios How do you collaborate with other professionals, such as architects and engineers? Creative collaboration isn’t always easy. Mutual respect for each other’s professions, ideas and methods will go a long way to cultivating creative collaboration. We have developed a good strong network of trusted peers and this helps us all work as a successful project team. Each designer or architect will approach a project differently, that’s what makes our world so exciting; we respect this however always remember the client is the most important person in the process. About Kris Turnbull Studios Kris Turnbull Studios is an interior design studio specialising in bespoke residential projects ranging from traditional country estates to contemporary holiday homes. Set within a stunning, converted Grade B-listed church in Belfast, Kris Turnbull Studios is one of a kind. The impressive 5,000 sq. ft design studio with luxury boutique-style showroom, features a selection of lifestyle rooms with a fashionable blend of the finest furniture, most luxurious fabrics and exquisite home accessories from around the world. Dedicated to design through the eyes of each client; Kris and his multi-disciplinary team approach every commission in a tailored fashion, creating unique and thoughtful designs, from concept to completion. The accomplished team of interior architects & designers create the ultimate interior solutions designing from the inside out seamlessly integrating the component parts of each individual project. Creating beautiful homes is woven into our design heritage. Our extensive range of expertise ensures that we remain at the forefront of luxury design. With over 30 projects running concurrently, Kris’s true expertise lies in the connection with his clients and translating their personalities into the design of their homes. Visit Profile If you’d like to feature your news or stories on SBID.org, get in touch to find out more. If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.