The Designers Corner

With over 60 years of combined design experience, The Custom Space Design team is a powerhouse of creativity and knowledge. 

Together, we'll create designs that exceed your expectations, delivering beautifully crafted, functional spaces tailored just for you.

A woman with light skin, wearing a patterned dress, earrings, and necklaces, smiling and sitting with her arms crossed in front of a wall with decorative items, including a striped surface and a framed quote that partially reads "Today".

Courtney Bailey

The Custom Space’s Head of Design. Advanced Diploma in Fashion Design, studying Architectural Technology and over fifteen years’ Design experience across Australia & New Zealand. Courtney approaches each design with a deep understanding of space, structure and client needs.

“I love uncovering the beauty in design with a heavy emphasis on functionality, transforming spaces into inviting places to be lived in. By getting to know my clients, I create environments that reflect their unique personalities and resonate with their lifestyles”.

Black and white headshot of a man with short hair, glasses, and a beard, wearing a collared shirt.

Gunnar Friese

With a Bachelors Degree and over twenty years of Design experience across Europe and NZ, Gunnar has a wealth of knowledge. His design experience spans cruise ships, luxury yachts and residential house fit-outs to suit every budget. A multi-award winning Designer with a passion for quality.

“My design process always begins with crafting a functional layout. I prioritize simplicity and clean lines, seamlessly integrating architectural details into the cabinetry. Each design element is carefully balanced and proportioned, ensuring a cohesive flow throughout the space, often achieving perfect symmetry”.

A woman with long wavy hair, wearing a black dress, sitting on stairs against a brick wall, smiling at the camera.

Emma Gourdie

Emma is an interior designer with a refined eye for detail, 1 am passionate about all aspects of interior design. Effortless, timeless design is at the core of my design ethos. I value the relationships formed throughout the creative process and enjoy working collaboratively with each client to create beautiful yet highly functional spaces that reflect their lifestyle and vision.

Black and white photo of a woman smiling and looking to her left, wearing a patterned dress with a V-neck, and a heart-shaped necklace, with a plain light background.

Iona Priest

Iona is several years into her Design journey, nearing completion of her formal studies (NKBA) and having studied Interior Design in London, she is rapidly establishing herself as a Designer of choice in Nelson with an impressive portfolio to boot.

 

“There are so many elements to designing that I love, so to pick a few…Bouncing ideas back and forth with a client, to create innovative details within their space, that then impacts their everyday life in a more functional and ergonomic way. The best part is when install is complete, and you have a happy client who is really fizzed about their new space! “