About Katharine Ellen Designs

Our Story

Over 20 years ago Katharine discovered a passion for creating beautiful soft furnishings and upholstery. Bespoke design and manufacture of hand crafted curtains, blinds and cushions, projects flourish under the hands of Katharine and her team, but Katharine’s creativity started much sooner…

katharine-ellen-design grey and teal soft furnishings
katharine-ellen-design cushion designs
katharine-ellen-design teals and greens sofa and panel wall
katharine-ellen-design contemporary orange velour sofa

By Katharine Ellen

My full name is Katharine Ellen Arnkels-Webb however I trade, and am mostly known, as Katharine Ellen as this is far easier on the tongue! I have a true creative/arts/crafts heritage; my mother spent most of her studying years as an artist, however she was also a potter and a sculptor, my father is a photographer and my brother is an architect, but the creative side of my family line can be dated much later as I have family which can be traced back to Cumbria as stonemasons.

The badge in my logo is the Skelton badge from my Mother’s family. My Mother has always been my biggest cheerleader. She introduced me to sewing from a very early age and I was making clothes for my dolls during my early primary school years, I have items I made during my Brownie days even now!

I went on to study fashion design when I finished school, my first business was Katharine Ellen Bridal Designs however my love of design soon extended in to home interiors and Katharine Ellen Designs (incorporating Cloth Works) was formed in 2000. My foundations were certain; quality, trust and customer service and I hold firm to these to this day.

My mother was my driving force in encouraging my creativity, it is owing to this why carrying the badge of her family name is so important to me, it is a lovely reminder of how my mother supported me during my early years enabling me to get to where I am now.

I hope this same gratitude is felt by my customers as I genuinely appreciate each and every one, knowing without them I could not put my creativity to such good use, or make new friends along the way.

What makes our story a happy one?

We love working with people like you, often working on projects together, sometimes you leave us with the hope we will surprise you with the finished wow-factor. We love these requests also. By working with fabulous fabrics and wallcoverings and to the same ethos I adopted over 20 years ago which is offering exceptionally high levels of customer service, using traditional techniques, and working to traditional values of honesty and customer care we aim to over-deliver with each and every project.

I continue to work to these values and only employ people who share these, I am grateful that much of our business arrives from recommendation which is something I never take for granted. Working in this way I hope will mean a happy ending is something we can leave to the story books while my team and I carry on doing what we love.

Katharine Ellen Designs serves as testament to the hard work of dedicated local businesses who put their name behind their product.