NEST Interiors & Design

NEST Interiors & Design We design spaces with purpose, culture, and connection. From homes to commercial fitouts. Based in Waikato, working across Aotearoa.

A lovely little feature from the team at Good Form.I first connected with Good Form while sourcing a custom colour Oblur...
20/08/2026

A lovely little feature from the team at Good Form.

I first connected with Good Form while sourcing a custom colour Oblure Arch Pendant for our Derbyshire Whare project, and they recently invited me to take part in their 20 Questions journal series.

It turned into a really nice conversation about much more than interiors — how I listen to clients, why people sit at the centre of the way we design at NEST, creativity, sustainability, culture, trust and what I think makes a home genuinely feel like the people who live there.

There’s also some people watching, music on repeat and a fairly firm position on beige 😂

Thank you to the Good Form team for taking the time to share a little more about me and the thinking behind NEST.

Have a read here: https://www.goodform.co.nz/our-journal/20-questions-with-tonga-robertson-of-nest-interiors

Sometimes a design story finds its way into a project before you fully understand why.During the early design phase of R...
09/08/2026

Sometimes a design story finds its way into a project before you fully understand why.

During the early design phase of Riverside Renewal, Aoraki became an unexpected source of inspiration, emerging naturally as we were researching Aoraki/Mount Cook for an upcoming family trip. There was something about its landscape that stayed with us — the peaks and valleys, deep shadows, soft light, natural textures, and the way its forms could feel both dramatic and incredibly calm.

Those ideas slowly began finding their way into the interiors, where the mountain forms were translated through the sculptural shape of the kitchen island and pendant, while the angled bathroom mirrors subtly reference the shifting forms of the valleys. Even the parts of the existing architecture that had initially felt challenging began to look different in this light.

If Aoraki could be so beautiful in all her peaks and valleys, then perhaps the low ceilings, unusual angles, and changing rooflines at Riverside didn’t need to be disguised at all, but instead could become part of the beauty.

And then came one of those moments in design that you simply couldn’t have planned: Our client Mary already owned a bespoke artwork of Aoraki, and suddenly a design story we had been quietly developing found a direct connection to something already meaningful within her home.

We believe our homes should feel like an expression of the people who live in them, not a borrowed identity or a collection of whatever happens to be trending.

Our role as designers is simply to notice the stories that are already there, draw them forward, and give them somewhere beautiful to belong.

Designing for today matters but also designing for what may come next matters just as much.At Riverside Renewal, future-...
08/08/2026

Designing for today matters but also designing for what may come next matters just as much.

At Riverside Renewal, future-proofing was considered from the very beginning.

The home needed to support three people entering a new stage of life together, so accessibility was not treated as something to add later. It was built into the planning through accessible bathrooms, generous circulation, level-entry spaces and a residential lift connecting the different levels of the home.

The aim was always for those decisions to feel like part of the home, not features that announced themselves as “accessible design”.

Then, during the project, that thinking became unexpectedly real.

Our client underwent surgery, and the newly completed lift and accessible spaces meant he could return home and recover more comfortably in a house that was already able to support him.

That moment stayed with us.

Good future-focused design isn’t about predicting everything that might happen. It’s about making practical, flexible choices so that when life does change, the home can adapt and still work for you.

Some of the most interesting design opportunities begin with the spaces that seem the most difficult.The upper level at ...
07/08/2026

Some of the most interesting design opportunities begin with the spaces that seem the most difficult.

The upper level at Riverside Renewal gave us plenty to work with, low ceiling heights, sloping rooflines, short walls and only three walls reaching full height.

Rather than trying to disguise those constraints, we worked with them.

The bathrooms were carefully reconfigured to function comfortably within the low ceiling heights, while an otherwise wasted area became a compact kitchenette, hidden behind a pocket door so it could disappear completely when not in use.

The office also went through several design iterations because the room needed to work around how our client actually lived. A sliding screen allowed the space to shift from work mode to relaxation almost instantly, giving one room more than one purpose without making it feel compromised.

These may seem like small details, but they are exactly the kind of design decisions that can completely change how a space feels and functions.

At our Riverside Renewal, some of the most challenging parts of the existing home became some of its most interesting.

Beautiful spaces begin with solving the right problems.Riverside Renewal is one of the clearest examples of this for us,...
07/08/2026

Beautiful spaces begin with solving the right problems.

Riverside Renewal is one of the clearest examples of this for us, because before we ever considered finishes, colours, or how the completed interiors might look, there was a much bigger design challenge to resolve.

How could one existing Hamilton home support two independent households, while still allowing three close friends to share life together?

That single question shaped everything that followed, guiding not just the layout but the entire way we approached the home. We needed to carefully consider privacy and connection, how each person would move through the space, and how accessibility, circulation, and flexibility could work together so the home would continue to support them as their needs evolved over time.

And that is often the part of interior design that you don’t immediately see in the finished photographs.

Some of the most meaningful design decisions are the ones that quietly improve everyday life, whether that is creating a stronger connection between spaces, making a room work harder, providing a place to retreat, or ensuring a home can adapt as life changes.

The beautiful finishes always come later.

Riverside Renewal has since been recognised with a Regional Gold Award at the 2026 Master Builders House of the Year Awards, alongside our long-standing collaborators JCC Build.

We are incredibly proud of the Gold, and what we value just as much is knowing that behind the finished home are thoughtful solutions shaped entirely around the people who live there.

Beautiful is the outcome. Solving the right problems is where the design begins.

🏆 Gold. Well deserved.A huge congratulations to JCC Build on receiving a Gold Award at this year's Master Builders Hous...
29/07/2026

🏆 Gold. Well deserved.

A huge congratulations to JCC Build on receiving a Gold Award at this year's Master Builders House of the Year Awards for this incredible renovation.

We've had the privilege of working alongside the JCC team for many years, and one thing has remained constant, they genuinely care about delivering exceptional homes for their clients. That shared commitment to quality, craftsmanship and collaboration is what makes partnerships like this so rewarding.

It was a privilege to work alongside the homeowners and the JCC team throughout this renovation, and to see everyone's hard work recognised on such a respected stage.

Congratulations to everyone involved, and especially to the homeowners for trusting the process. Great homes aren't created by one person—they're the result of shared ideas, skilled hands, thoughtful design and a team all working towards the same vision.

Here's to celebrating great people, exceptional craftsmanship and homes that will be loved for generations to come.

Congratulations, JCC Build. We're incredibly grateful to have been part of the journey. 👏

30/06/2026

We are pretty proud to see this project enter the House of the Year awards.

Great clients along with a great build team always make for a successful outcome.

Great team work with the team at JCC Build on another beautiful home renovation.

We didn’t want The Eagles Nest to feel like a gym or a bowling alley with golf simulators thrown in.We wanted people to ...
13/05/2026

We didn’t want The Eagles Nest to feel like a gym or a bowling alley with golf simulators thrown in.

We wanted people to walk into an experience.

A space that oozed golf, banter and beers.
Where the competition felt serious but never too serious to have a laugh.

A place where people could live out their elite golfing dreams for a few hours.

That energy shaped every design decision we made.

Dark finishes, moody lighting and a high-energy atmosphere all came together to create a space that feels immersive, exciting and built for unforgettable moments.

Some dreams stay ideas.Others become places people never want to leave.The Eagles Nest was always meant to be bigger tha...
12/05/2026

Some dreams stay ideas.

Others become places people never want to leave.

The Eagles Nest was always meant to be bigger than golf.

Our clients — three founders and close friends came to us wanting more than a simulator venue. They wanted a space that reflected their energy, their competitive nature, and the kind of atmosphere people genuinely want to be part of.

So instead of designing around trends, we designed around identity.

A space shaped by competition, fuelled by energy, grounded in connection, and built for good banter and great moments.

A place where business, sport, hospitality and community naturally collide.

Projects like this are a reminder that good ideas matter but the right people around the table are what bring them to life.

Address

593 Te Rapa Road Level 1
Hamilton
3204

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Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm
Saturday 9am - 12pm

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