The Studio

We design
spaces that work.

A Vancouver interior design studio creating spaces where people do their best work, feel most at home, and come back to again and again.

The Mak Story
15+
Years of practice

Built on the belief that design changes how people feel.

Māk was founded by Amber Kingsnorth in 2012. The name is her initials, slightly reordered — and the macron over the ā? That's to tell you it sounds like "make." Most people get it wrong the first time. We've never once held it against them.

Colin came from marketing and branding. Amber's clients needed brand strategy. Colin's clients needed spaces. The overlap was obvious, the partnership inevitable. By 2013 they'd combined forces — and eventually everything else too, like getting married. Which means your project gets discussed at breakfast, over dinner, and most weekends. Clients find this both alarming and extremely useful.

Māk is now eight people strong. The same instincts, a lot more hands. We work with workplace and hospitality brands, creative studios, and owner-operators who understand that their space says something about who they are. Local studio. Global clients.

Nintendo
Intact Insurance
Electronic Arts
Bardel Animation
Newmont Mining
Arc'teryx
Nicola Wealth
Eldorado Gold
Cinesite
Orbis
Blackbird Interactive
Hall Constructors
Oxford Properties
CBRE
Nintendo
Intact Insurance
Electronic Arts
Bardel Animation
Newmont Mining
Arc'teryx
Nicola Wealth
Eldorado Gold
Cinesite
Orbis
Blackbird Interactive
Hall Constructors
Oxford Properties
CBRE

We think of ourselves as being in the hospitality business.

Everyone at Māk has worked in hospitality at some point — restaurants, retail, front of house. It’s not a coincidence. You learn a lot about someone from how they treat people when it’s busy. That instinct, making people feel genuinely welcome, is the baseline we design and operate from.

The function of a space matters enormously. But the feeling of it matters more. Strip away every finish, every fixture, every carefully specified material, and the floorplan itself should still make people feel good.

The clients we’ve connected with most tend to share something regardless of what they do — high standards, genuine curiosity, and a preference for straight talk over formality. Real people who want to work with other real people. That’s who we built Māk for.

The people
behind the work.

Curious, creative, insanely talented — one of the best teams in the business.

Ashley Mortensen, RID

Ashley’s fresh approach to interiors and keen eye for detail lead to thoughtful spaces for Clients in commercial and residential spaces. Ashley enjoys working through the various stages of the design process and her enthusiasm is endless. Her strength is not only her ability to create innovative concepts and detailed designs but in engaging with team members, clients, and collaborators in meaningful ways, creating a smooth project experience for all.

Ashley Mortensen, RID
Interior Designer
Eugenie Tam, RID

With extensive knowledge of construction and building techniques in high traffic commercial settings, Eugenie effortlessly combines practical design choices with forward thinking aesthetics. Her experience includes a variety of retail, office, restaurants and residential projects. Her pragmatic approach to design and project coordination is invaluable. A team player through & through, Eugenie is always willing problem solve with her team mates and improve upon existing systems.

Eugenie Tam, RID
Interior Designer
Aaron Maclean, BID

With over 15 years of experience as a Senior Designer, Aaron brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Mãk team. Coming from a variety of commercial design projects, including large institutional and workplace, Aaron brings a calm enthusiasm to any project. He is service and group focused, believing any type of design project is an opportunity to create a meaningful experience. He loves construction details and an artist by nature, welcomes technical and creative challenges.

Aaron Maclean, BID
Interior Designer
Kristina Palazzi, DID

Relocating to Vancouver in search of a change in scenery and elevated design inspiration, Kristina is always reminding us of the beauty we often take for granted. She sees things with fresh eyes and reflects that in her designs in an effortless way. Her unique background in both fine arts and her family’s tile & stone business gives her a passion for specifying interior finishes while developing creative concepts. She also happens to be dynamite with a spreadsheet!

Kristina Palazzi, DID
Interior Designer
Megan Wu, RID

Six years in, Megan's curiosity has grown into serious craft. Introduced to the relationship between creativity and function by her father — a carpenter — she brought that instinct to Māk and hasn't looked back. She's one of the studio's strongest 3D modelers, with a talent for translating design intent into renders that clients can actually feel. Her empathy for how people work and move through a space shows up in every project, as does her calm, collaborative presence in the studio. Thanks Dad!

Megan Wu, RID
Interior Designer
Amber Kingsnorth, RID LEED AP

Amber is a Registered Interior Designer and LEED Accredited Professional. She founded Māk Interiors in early 2012 based on the idea of providing thoughtful design and approachable, engaging service. In her nearly 16 years of experience in interiors, she has designed everything from corporate offices to hotels, retail stores to private homes. As studio Principal, Amber oversees project goals and milestones, empowering and supporting the team to do their best work. A passionately curious person, a risk taker, and self-described business nerd, Amber’s favorite part of her job is connecting with clients and learning about their brands and cultures.

Amber Kingsnorth, RID LEED AP
Principal, Founder
Colin Billinghurst

Colin wears many hats at Māk focused on business development, client management and operations, ensuring that the business of design runs smoothly. His easy yet direct communication style ensures that all parties are informed at every turn, issues are addressed clearly, and expectations are met. With nearly 20 years of experience in branding and marketing, Colin also leads the graphics team at the studio. Colin provides brand direction, environmental graphics, and wayfinding elements that are fully integrated into each space.

Colin Billinghurst
Principal
Goose, DOG

Chief morale officer and self-appointed mayor of Gastown. Goose runs a tight ship — or at least follows the sun around the studio and neighbouring offices while the team does. Beloved by neighbours, unbothered by deadlines, and asleep for most of the working day. An inspiration to us all..

Goose, DOG
Chief Morale Officer

How we work
reflects who we are.

🎨
Specifying with intention

We have a stable of trusted local artists, makers and craftspeople we've built relationships with over years. When the brief calls for something beyond the ordinary — a custom mural, a bespoke light fixture, a piece made specifically for the space — we know exactly who to call.

Designed to last

Trends are expensive. They date quickly, cost money to fix, and rarely serve the people using the space. We design for the next decade, not the next season. The result is interiors that age well — and clients who don't have to redo them. (Well, until the lease is up.)

🤝
Part of the community

Amber has been bringing Vancouver's design community together for over ten years through Designer Happy Hour — a regular gathering of designers, A&D reps, and industry professionals. We don't just work in this community. We show up for it.

Ready to make
something great?

Most projects start with a conversation. Tell us what you're thinking — we'll tell you if we're the right fit.