- Architecture
- Decoration
- Flooring
- Interior Design
- Kitchens & Bathrooms
- Lighting
- Outdoor Living
‘It’s about giving people a sense of place. Achieving that peculiar alchemy that makes a house someone’s home.’ Nicola Harding
Nicola Harding is an interior designer with a clear mission to create places rich in soulfulness and atmosphere. She instinctively designs homes that work; combining a passion for found pieces and period architecture with a practical understanding of how people want to live.
Her desire to layer stories that reveal and accentuate the character of a building and create somewhere that feels as if it has effortlessly evolved out of the spirit of a place informs each and every project. Her work is human, intimate and playful. She designs public spaces where people quickly feel at home, and homes heady with an atmosphere that feels easy, comfortable and joyful.
Unravelling how people’s lives work and how they want their home to feel is key to Nicola creating places that nurture, inspire and hold them and their families. ‘I want to give people a sense of belonging. A home that fits not only who they are but who they want to be.’
Characterised by her eclectic, soulful combinations of colour, antiques, craftsmanship and attention to detail, Nicola’s work resonates with and reflects her clients’ deeper stories. She creates places that are authentically connected, homes that feel as if they could only have evolved out of the history of a place and the lives of the people who live there.
Nicola has masterminded a wide variety of projects in the UK and further afield, including complex work on historic buildings. She has transformed country homes, townhouses, private members clubs and hotels of all shapes and sizes. Clients include leading figures from the film and music industry, artists, politicians and royalty.
In Spring 2023 Nichola launched a complimentary product side of the business NiX by Nicola Harding, which offers exclusively designed pieces across all categories, from furniture to soft furnishings.
Interior Design
"My style is liveable. Nurturing, eclectic and authentic. Classic routes with a mischievous, colourful twist. characterised by a dynamic mix of antiques (from all periods)."
"Set on the river at the edge of London, this house needed to hit exactly the right note between town and country. Untouched for decades, it needed a complete renovation that thoughtfully restored its architectural heritage. We honoured the period of the building but reimagined its flow to effortlessly meet the needs of a young family’s weekend retreat.
We created an orangery-inspired extension to become a light-filled living room overlooking the garden and river. A desk sits elegantly behind the sofa to provide the best views from the house and a tranquil workspace, away from the bustle at the heart of the home. There were two awkward spaces linking the orangery and garden room, one was transformed into the library, and the other became a bar with an Art Deco drinks cabinet.
Glazed ceramic floor tiles reflect the light back into both rooms to magical effect. A rich, varied colour palette runs throughout the house to conjure an intoxicating, soulful and easy atmosphere evoking different moods in each room throughout the day and into the night.
We designed the garden to amplify its connection to the river and countryside beyond. A terraced lawn leads gently down to the water and a jetty for mooring boats and launching canoes. To accommodate the couple’s passion for cooking and entertaining throughout the summer months, we created a sociable outdoor kitchen with bar stools running along one side of a large timber island for guests to chat with the host who enjoys manning the barbecue.
There’s a handsome pergola for easy outdoor dining with ample soft seating and generous sofas to take in the views. The boathouse was converted into a cosy den that can be used as a retreat complete with a record player and treasured vinyl collection but also double up as the ultimate guest bedroom set away from the house."
