Success Story: Kelly Moorcroft

The road from law to interior design is not exactly a straight line, and no one knows this better than Kelly Moorcroft.

Like every other natural-born interior designer who has come before her, Kelly remembers being a young girl, constantly rearranging her bedroom furniture and scribbling in her sketchbooks. While she was always a creative-minded person, it was fashion design that first piqued her interest. But like many nervous parents who fear for their children’s future, Kelly’s mum and dad had other plans.

They wanted her to pursue something more reliable, a career that promises financial security and success, so Kelly took her big brain to law school. Creativity is an innate urge to express something through art, and when a person is born with that urge, it almost never leaves you. Kelly had a long and successful career as a chartered tax adviser, but she always had one eye on the furniture, wallpaper, and paint colours. While she watched the clock at work, she was counting the hours until her real calling came knocking. And as it happened, her day would come in a strange and unusual way. It was the Covid pandemic that became her calling card. When the whole world went into lockdown and found themselves inside their four walls, Kelly saw the signs.

From Law to Design: Embracing Creativity During Lockdown

Spending time at home with young children is a sure-fire test of the functionality and the ambiance of a home. Having rented for years, Kelly did what she could with her homes. Always frustrated with rentals, she hung art, moved furniture, and once bought a bookshelf rather than a kitchen table because she couldn’t escape the urge to get the aesthetic right. But it was when she bought her own home in Manchester that she could finally run free. This was her canvas, and she was going to make it work.

The first job in the new house was to build an extension, so Kelly took it upon herself to project manage the build. That project would prove to be a defining moment in Kelly’s path to interior design. She loved it and immediately reaped the benefits of this home improvement. Now her family spends time together in the same space—homework in one zone, cooking in another—all together sharing their lives.



Lockdowns were still rolling, and Kelly had two young children, so she opted for the Home Study mode in the National Academy of Creative Arts. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Kelly dived in and found herself re-learning to hand draw. It was a bit of a struggle at first, but soon she found it very therapeutic. CAD was a whole new challenge and, for Kelly, it was like learning a different language. Today, Kelly is delighted and amazed at the new world it has opened for her. Assignments were also something new, but she embraced it with such gusto that she has now not only launched her own career as an interior designer but also built her own website and manages her own content and social media accounts.

Building a Business: From Home Study to Professional Practice

Kelly’s priority is to improve how people live and their wellbeing. As well as aesthetics, she asks clients what they need and how their life can be made better. She has lived it and understands how, through tough times, a positive space can improve mental health and help make memories with family. People are busy—so she can do it for them.

She began the process of setting up her business while still studying. This was a bid to make the transition without any lag time. Due to her law background, she had a strong understanding of the legal side of setting up a business, but it was through projects for friends and family that she began learning in real time about project management and procurement.

Kelly is in the unique position to share the experience of the first year in business. It is generally the toughest year and can be difficult to stay focused, but she knows this is her calling and she will plough through.

It’s important to know that it takes more than one person to launch your own business, and Kelly has the wisdom to look around her. It was through “Enterprising You,” a scheme set up by Manchester Council, that she has been receiving advice on everything from marketing to networking and events.

Kelly’s primary goal is to build up a team of contractors and tradespeople she can trust, as well as making contact and forming relationships with local Manchester suppliers.

A Vision for Wellness and Sustainability in Design

In her own words, Kelly’s design style isn’t one style, “but it could be described as a blend of modern classic elements, similar to Studio McGee, but with an emphasis on sustainability and wellness.” She prioritises “organic materials, natural textures, and thoughtful, welcoming spaces that support family living and well-being.”



For now, Kelly is focused on building a solid residential interior design portfolio. But everyone has that one dream project, and Kelly’s sounds as balanced and wise as her personality. She “would love to design a sustainable, organic wellness retreat in Bali—somewhere deep in nature, near water, with lots of natural light. It would be a family-friendly space, where I could really show how thoughtful interior design can impact mood, well-being, and togetherness. Not too sure how I would balance serene yoga practice with rowdy toddlers—but I do love a challenge!”

Kelly is on her own path now, and the term “watch this space” has never been more accurate.