Nicola Manning

I am a qualified interior designer with professional membership of the Designers Institute of New Zealand. Professional members are designers who have gained experience as a practising designer and attained a high level of professional competency in their design sector.

I am also a member of the National Kitchen and Bathroom Association of New Zealand (NKBA), striving to recognise and promote excellence and set industry standards in kitchen and bathroom design.

I have always loved design, working with colour, fabrics and layout. I also have a strong interest in the business world, so after leaving school, completed a commerce degree at Victoria University in Wellington. After eight years in the financial and banking sector I decided to return to my real love of design.

After studying interior design via correspondence with Rhodec International in the UK I completed the kitchen design course with the National Kitchen and Bathroom Association in New Zealand before launching Nicola Manning Design in 2002.

I feel so grateful to work with a range of wonderful clients on their homes, apartments, beach houses and commercial properties. After more than a decade in the interior design business, I know great design can not only lift the value of your home, but also enhance the quality and enjoyment of your life. Many people find it difficult to verbalise or explain exactly what they are visualising. My clients really appreciate that I can take their ideas and help them bring them to fruition.

I am very experienced working with architects, architectural designers, engineers and builders to ensure the best quality design is achieved. I have also built a strong network of suppliers and tradespeople to deliver my clients quality designs and products.

We believe that it is important to be up to date with the latest design trends, new products, materials and finishes.  To achieve this I attend international design exhibitions, such as Milan Design Week; attending monthly designer group meetings; attending NKBA annual conference; and regular new product launches.  While our designs don’t always strictly follow the latest trends, this enables us to present clients with a complete set of design solutions and to provide us with continual inspiration.

MEMBERSHIPS:

• Member of the NKBA (National Kitchen and Bathroom Association of New Zealand)
• Member of the NKBA Executive Board
• Chairperson of the Designers of NKBA
• Elite Designer – Designers of NKBA
• Professional Member of the Designers Institute of New Zealand (PDINZ)

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Associate Diploma of Interior Design and Decoration – Rhodec International
• NKBA Kitchen Specialist Course
• Bachelor of Commerce and Administration (Victoria University)

AWARDS:

• Winner of the NZ House and Garden Interior of the Year 2015 – Bathroom Category
• NKBA Winner Colour Excellence 2017, Winner First Time Entrant 2017, Winner Kitchen Distinction $24-$40K
• TIDA NZ (Trends International Design Awards) 2017, 2020 and 2021 – Highly Commended Designer Bathroom of the Year
• TIDA NZ (Trends International Design Awards) 2020 and 2021 – Highly Commended Designer Kitchen of the Year
• Winner of the Best of Houzz Service Award 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Winner of the Best of Houzz Design Award 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
• NKBA Winner Outstanding Renovation, Kitchen 2020
• Designers Institute of NZ, Best Awards Finalist 2020,Residential Spatial category
• Trends International Design Awards 2021, Runner-Up TIDA New Zealand Designer Bathroom Suite

From full house renovations to new builds to multi-level residential projects, our team specialises in creating spaces that bring form and function together.

Using a proven design process, relying on experience, expertise and impeccable integrity. NM Design is committed to providing design solutions tailored specifically for each client, where our primary objective is achieving both function and beauty throughout our projects.