Every project starts the same way, with a conversation.

I want to hear about your life.
Your space.
How you want to feel in it.

I’m Nic Ross — founder of Nicola Ross Design.

I work across interior design, spatial planning, architectural review, and custom joinery design, guiding projects from early concept through to the final built detail.

My path into the industry began in large-scale manufacturing joinery. That experience continues to shape the way I work today. I understand how spaces are constructed, how materials behave, and how decisions made during planning affect fabrication, cost, usability, and long-term living.

I don’t separate aesthetics from function. The best spaces resolve both simultaneously.

My work is grounded in spatial thinking, understanding how people move through a home, where light lands, how rooms connect, and how a space supports daily life over time. Often the most important decisions are the ones people never consciously notice: proportions that feel calm, circulation that feels effortless, storage that simply works.

I design for people, not perfection.

I naturally work in a highly detailed and pattern-oriented way, allowing me to identify the subtle shifts that elevate a project from visually appealing to deeply resolved. That level of attention carries through every stage of a project, from planning and material selection through to joinery detailing and furniture placement.

Across nearly two decades and more than 1,000 projects, the goal has remained consistent: creating spaces that feel considered, personal, and genuinely good to live in.

The studio has received recognition through multiple national and international design programmes, including TIDA, NKBA, and NAWIC Excellence awards. I’m a professional member of the Design Institute of New Zealand (PDINZ) and previously served as NKBA Chapter Chair for the Wellington and Central Districts region.

Based in Te Awahou - Foxton. Working nationwide.

Nic Ross