Kevin Roberts
CEO Worldwide of Saatchi & Saatchi
Press & Testimonials
"Five years ago a childhood dream came true. I finally bought my own Lakeland hideaway. Having grown up in Lancaster, the Lakes have always been my Dream Space. I wanted something indigenous to the region and symbolic of the period I spent here, the 60’s. I wanted something local, something true, something creative, something inspirational and something I could slip into like an old pair of Levi’s on my frequent escapes from the hurly burly of New York Advertising. Enter James Mackie. Old Lancastrian, keyboard player, tastemaker, artist, designer and quality freak….. with an eye to die for.
A one stop shop. From concept to execution. From fabric to texture. From frame to picture. From floor to ceiling…….
James, You’re the Man!!!!!!!"
Kevin Roberts
Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide CEO
"Master of the art"
Country Life Magazine
"Mackies have transformed our lovely house into an amazing home. James has exquisite taste and trusting his professional judgement has paid off every time. The team at Mackies provide excellent support and service, and the workmanship is of a very high standard. If you use them we don't think you'll be disappointed!"
Sandra Wearden
“I am pleased to have worked with James Mackie on several hotel contracts. His designs have been stylish and original. His commissions have been carried out with consummate skill. And most importantly in a commercial context, the work has been completed on time and within budget”
Jonathan Denby
Managing Director, South Lakes Hotels
"...delectable luxury, contemporary luxe with contrasting purity. There is often an audible gasp from people when they walk into the bedrooms."
Pure Taste Magazine.
"Our house has Mackies curtains and blinds throughout. Beautifully made in gorgeous fabrics and colours. James, Christine and Sarah are so helpful and always go the extra mile!"
Rona Forsyth
"His attention to detail is phenomenal. Everything has to be just right."
Lancashire Evening Post
"Throughout the ten years that Mackies have been trading, we have had many rooms refurbished with Mackies help and expertise.
James, the owner of Mackies has been able to take our tired Victorian house and modernise and rejuvenate it, whilst still retaining its hidden charm and character.
This has been done through with meticulous planning, attention to detail and hard work.
We love what he has done and are indebted to him."
Graham and Sandra Fenwick
"A passion for design and a startling attention to detail."
Westmorland Gazette
"We had the daunting task of decorating our new build, six bedroom house and, fortunately, James Mackie was recommended to us by our architect. James took our initial ideas and designed schemes for each room that worked together through the whole house. The paint colours, wallpapers and fabrics he suggested were just to our taste and really complemented and enhanced the oak frame of the house. Mackies worked with our decorators to supply all of our paints and papers in a very efficient manner. We would recommend James and his team whether your plans are large or small. James has been a pleasure to work with, his knowledge of the materials available is extensive, he's a great listener and very flexible in his approach."
Darrin and Toni Robinson
"In the summer 2010 Mackies took on the interior design of our apartment in Samuels’s Court Lancaster.
The apartment is now remarkably transformed after very professional assessment and advice from James and his staff at Mackies. The three piece suite is a wonderful example of this.
The tradesmen recommended by Mackies are also very professional and the left the place immaculate.
Many thanks to all and we would not hesitate to continue to recommend Mackies to anyone considering interior design."
Pat & Alex Roberts
"We warmly welcome this opportunity to celebrate the quality of personal service that Mackies of Lancaster offers to their clients.
Mackies understands your house as well as your tastes. It brings these together sympathetically and in ways that will surprise and delight you. Such has been our experience. Mackies opened our eyes to novel colour, fabric and furnishing ideas.
Mackies offers a unique service.
Mackies does not forget you. Forgotten the paint or fabric you chose? Mackies will know it and match it again for repair and renovation.
Mackies is a long term partner in the decoration and refurbishment of your home."
Professor and Mrs Dillon
"James is passionate about how interiors affect peoples lives, their spirit and their moods"
Westmorland Gazette
"Mike and I wanted to write and thank you for all the help and advice you have given over the last six months.
Your work has transformed the ground floor of our home from staid traditional to contemporary chic, achieving more than we could have hoped for.
We particularly liked the way that you focused in our most cherished possessions, and brought them to the fore, so that we can really enjoy them.
Your suggestions and guidance on colour, materials and design were so appealing that we fell in love with your ideas from the first.
Re-designing a home is always stressful however your calm influence and professionalism were invaluable and helped us to achieve a home to be proud of.
Thank you again for all your help."
Elaine Sweetland.
"A contemporary vision ... exquisite fabrics, delicate and sensual textures... crisp and immaculate."
Limited Edition Magazine
"We are very pleased we chose Mackies to carry out Interior Design Work for our house refurbishment project. They are a great team Sara and Christine in the showroom and James the creative and artistic director.
James has a very practical and realistic approach. What he promises he delivers on time and within budget! We were so thrilled with what James and his team delivered that when we bought a property in the South of France we did not hesitate in engaging the services of Mackies Team again. Inevitably we had hiccups with other suppliers along the way but the Mackies team dealt with it all in their stride.
We have also recomended Mackies to friends who are carrying out renovation projects and they too are thrilled with what James proposed and delivered."
Andrew and Christine Dootson
"Most mornings whilst stuck in traffic I’d admired the displays in Mackies windows; always simple, always striking, and always making a mental note to call in one day.
When I finally got around to making my first visit, I wished I done it sooner. I walked wanting to update my flat, but in truth hadn’t really developed the idea much further. I thought I’d leaf through a couple of sample books, order some trendy rolls of paper, with matching fabric add a splash of paint that the new look I was searching for would just create itself ... what I found instead that morning wasn’t the cash register approach, wanting to get a quick sale of stock. With such a colossal choice giving countless combinations, it would have been easy just to walk out laden with an eclectic mixture of everything I loved. Mackies are a supportive team, one that listened and took time out to work with me patiently through a process of elimination to carefully establish my tastes and individual style. They recognise that no two personalities are the same. That first visit is where the fun really started as I knew I was in safe hands.
Several months later, the project was completed bang on schedule and James hadn’t just updated my flat he totally transformed it. Everyone without exception now walks in and says “Wow! This is certainly far more you.” Yes it is and no I could not have done it on my own, with just buying the paints and fabrics in isolation. The soft, stylish finish may just look like it just happened and was casually thrown together. But as we all know it takes a real skill, an expert eye to create something that doesn’t look forced, it actually took hours of meticulous hard work to create. (More on James’s part than mine, to be fair). To describe James as a passionate perfectionist is an understatement. He really thinks, cares and it matters to him that it is right for you. Allow me to share just a couple of the features other than the fabulous fabrics and colour choices that always get admiration.
James made a clever use of space, simply by converting a bay window into a window seat. Everyone now spend hours curled up here reflecting, putting the world to rights, or just catching up whilst looking out over the bay and onto the Lakeland fells. It’s a stunning view and with James’s help we all get to stop, sit and soak it in. Visitors don’t want to leave.
Then there’s ‘Gabby’ my four foot Angel, with, it has to be said, the most heavenly body. James sourced the local artist, and made sure that the surrounding wall was painted to look like sky in exactly the right tones to work with everywhere else ... amazing, I’d never in a million years have thought of such a finishing touch like this.
In time honoured fashion I left the best until last. They say a picture paints a thousand words. My original spark of an idea was to have the view of Lakeland hills as seen from the window painted in silhouette with their heights onto my kitchen wall tiles. James subtly said, and I now agree, that this would look very much like a sales chart (and I see enough of these at work!). In the end, James sat on my Kitchen worktop for days and re-created several large drawings by Wainwright. The end result is an inspired creation.
How life has moved on – now every morning whilst putting on the kettle I get enormous pleasure for each one of the very personal Lakeland scenes, my own striking Mackie display.
Thank you James and the team behind you that never fail to smile and go that extra mile."
Helen Child
"We have recently completed a far reaching programme of renovation and redecoration.
We want you to know how delighted we are with the results and how grateful for your guidance and advice that gave us this."
Peter and Jan Whalley
"The complete restoration of the interior of the Chinese Summerhouse was carried out by Mackies of Lancaster to an exquisite standard and dream like quality. The originality of the painted panels echoes the distant vision of Cathay which was so popular in Europe during the Rococo period of the 18th Century."
Peter and Sally Sharp
"The most exciting element, however, is inside. Lancaster-based specialist painter and muralist James Mackie created blue-and-white landscapes in rococo frames and a geometric painted floor ...the perfect place to sip bohea - or perhaps something stronger."
The Chinese Summer House, Linden Hall. House and Garden Magazine
"Thank you James and team for such a wonderful service; your team are a credit to you!"
Sam Wilson
"No matter how busy James and his team were with other projects they always found time to discuss and plan in detail all my projects whether it was just a pair of curtains or blind for my rental property, or the paint scheme, wallpapers and soft furnishings for my whole house."
Beverley and Jim Bell
"Stepping into Mackies means escaping the shrill outside world and entering into one of sheer sensuality - sumptuous fabrics; jewel-like cushions; the softest throws; immaculate leather console tables; lovingly-built furniture; superb art; tempting paint colours that soothe and uplift - and immaculate service. At Mackies you'll never be sold anything you don't need or love. When I'm puzzled over a paint choice, James always picks out the right one - usually one I hadn't considered. In fact, all the staff share their knowledge and expertise generously."
Judith Coyle, freelance journalist
"Well worth a visit."
Country Life Magazine
"James Mackie and his team at Mackies of Lancaster carried out extensive refurbishment of our Head Office; a Grade II listed Georgian Town House on Castle Hill Lancaster.
We chose Mackies because of their experience with listed buildings and expert knowledge of period properties.
With their pragmatic approach to the project and sympathetic understanding of period properties the project was completed to the highest possible standards and the results are exceptional.
We unreservedly recommend his work."
Alison and Trevor Bargh
"Mackies of Lancaster prove a constantly good service. Their knowledge, taste and quality of their materials make them the leading firm of interior designers in the region"
Harold Elletson, Parrox Hall
