The Design Co

The Design Co is a residential interior design practice led by Ali Brown and Pip Stephen, operating from studios in Wellington and Arrowtown and accepting commissions across Wellington, Wairarapa, Kāpiti Coast, Queenstown Lakes District and throughout Aotearoa. Their offering ranges from small refreshes to full-scale builds, delivered through a personalised, in‑home consultancy model intended to translate clients’ aspirations into functional, enduring and individually tailored interior environments. Practice and process: The studio emphasises a client-centred, collaborative process that begins with on-site consultation to understand how clients live and what inspires them. From that foundation they produce refined concept and design work—mood boards, curated samples and comprehensive design plans—to ensure coherence across spatial planning, materials, colour and finishes. The team positions itself as a single point of clarity for clients, coordinating trusted suppliers, manufacturers and tradespeople locally and internationally, and providing guidance intended to reduce stress and remove guesswork from the delivery process. A Schedule of Services and Fees and Terms of Trade are offered as part of the engagement materials. Service scope: Core services include consultancy and full concept & design, bespoke colour schemes, interior decorating and furniture sourcing/specification, and detailed joinery and fit-out specification. Specialist offerings cover bathroom and kitchen design (the latter in partnership with Wellington kitchen specialists), lighting strategy (interior and exterior), window treatments (curtains, roman blinds, sunscreens, shutters and awnings), bespoke and off‑the‑shelf cushions and accessories, rugs and luxury wool carpets, and custom cabinetry. The studio highlights access to national manufacturers and artisan makers to achieve tailored furnishing and finishing selections. Team strengths: Ali is presented as a spatial and colour-led designer, adept at furniture planning, palette curation and sourcing distinctive pieces from local and international suppliers. Pip’s profile emphasises a bold approach to colour, pattern and texture, with a background in professional home staging and a focus on composition, detail and magazine-ready presentation. Together they position their combined skill set as delivering layered, considered interiors that balance comfort, functionality and aesthetic longevity. Representative projects: Project highlights include a Kelvin Heights (Queenstown) residence furnished with New Zealand makers and artisans to create a “luxury hotel” atmosphere across multiple indoor and outdoor living zones, and a Masterton mid‑century renovation that pairs a modern black-cedar second floor with the original ground floor to create a seamless old‑meets‑new intervention. Contact: The Design Co provides direct contact details for enquiries and indicates openness to initial, no‑obligation discussions about potential projects.