Meet the Founder
Hi, I’m Claudia Berkefeld, your personal guide through the jungle of design decisions.
I run northsix, an interior design and interior architecture studio and I am on a mission to help people define and realise their design vision for their home. I believe that good design should be accessible to everyone so whether you need help for one room or a much bigger project, I am here to help. I would love the opportunity to assist you in creating a bespoke authentic space, that will make your life just that bit easier, better and more fun.
A bit of background
I’m originally from Germany – which might explain my love of straight-talking – but I’ve spent my whole adult life moving back and forth between Zurich and London. I finally settled in Highgate, North London, 11 years ago - something I’d been planning ever since I took my first ramble across Hampstead Heath on a school trip at the age of 17 and decided this was where I wanted to live – so here I am.
My academic background is in Architecture. I studied and graduated at ETH Zurich, with additional stints at EPFL in Lausanne and TU Delft in the Netherlands.
I realised early on in my career that it was the architecture of interiors – especially the potential of a space and how it can change people’s everyday lives – that I was most passionate about.
But life then took me in a slightly different direction: for the past 18 years I’ve been working on prestigious, award-winning and highly innovative workplace design schemes for large global clients across most of Europe. Even in commercial projects, what kept driving me was the desire to create environments that make life for their users easier, better and just a bit more fun.
Over the past year I realised that, to follow that mission, I wanted to return to my first love of residential design, where I can work much more closely with the people directly impacted by the spaces I design and this is how northsix was born.
Why I do this work
In all my years in design, I kept meeting people who wanted a personal expert to help with their homes but didn’t feel a big, formal “full-service” set-up was right for them - at least not at first.
They wanted someone honest and experienced they could trust and talk things through with, who could explain things clearly, make suggestions and narrow options, give them confidence in their choices and a plan that felt realistic, not overwhelming.
I started northsix to be that person: the calm human design expert, guiding you through all the questions and decisions that come with changing a home. Like a trusted, design‑literate friend who just also happens to be an architect. My mission is to always provide clear, actionable design advice, whether it is purely for design inspiration or full interior design services.
How I like to work together
I embrace the opportunity to actively engage clients in the design and planning process, resulting in a creative collaborative process that achieves unique design solutions, personal to every project.
I’m not interested in imposing a single “look” on every project. I’m more interested in how you live, what you’re drawn to, what you already own and what would make everyday life feel easier.
That means listening first, asking a lot of questions and being honest about what’s worth doing now and what can wait.
The result should feel warm, functional and quietly considered - something you enjoy living in every day, not just something that photographs well.
What matters most to me
There are a few principles I come back to again and again in my work.
Accessibility
In today’s climate, economic considerations are more important than ever. At the same time, Interior Design has seen a huge increase in popularity, due to an ever-growing fascination with it on social media. I have always believed that good design should be accessible to everyone, not just the few with deep pockets.
“Considered, high-quality design ideas from a trained expert, that do not break the bank.”
Authenticity
I am a strong supporter of individuality and diversity, it makes life in general, everything and everyone, so much more interesting. As a consequence, I firmly believe that this uniqueness and personality should be reflected in each design that I craft for my clients. Your home should be authentic to your style, not mine.
“A well-designed home should feel authentic and personal, not showy or follow trends.”
Potential
I love potential, in whichever shape or form. Anything can be improved if you have the vision of what’s not there but could be. It can be small tweaks to a room layout or a complete re-structuring of a house to improve functionality and flow. Seeing potential, helping my clients to fulfil theirs in their homes and seeing the change is one of the key parts of my work that I am most passionate about.
“No question is too small if it’s keeping you stuck.”
Good guidance can make a big difference, even on a small project.
And last but not least -
Great design is always functional as well as beautiful!
Other things that matter to me
Even as a child I loved doing puzzles. Today, first thing every morning I do the New York Times puzzle and games section to get my brain into gear. And I do love a good gripping yarn of an old fashioned murder mystery, Agatha Christie still rules!
The other thing that gets me going and out of the house in the mornings are my two lovely black labrador girls, who want feeding (the gannets!) and walking but are always an endless source of entertainment and joy.
Like most people, I love to travel, especially exploring and getting lost in cities. It’s so inspiring to see different cultures – with all different architecture, sounds and smells everywhere, plus all the delicious new food!
A few years back, a friend got me into perfumery as a hobby, sniffing my way around Parisian perfumeries or trying my hand at perfume creation. It fascinates me, as is a different type of design, olfactory instead of visual but it still involves a brief and the creation of something that will try to fit this brief as closely as possible.
In the evenings, when I am in town, I like to take advantage of the many theatre productions London has on offer, the Almeida in Islington has to be my favourite theatre in London. How lucky we are to be living in London and to have such a world class stage!
If you feel a bit lost with your home, I’d love to help.
You don’t need to arrive with the perfect brief or all the right language.
Just tell me what’s bothering you about your space and what you’d like life at home to feel like instead and we’ll take it from there.