Nicola Holden Designs

Nicola Holden Designs Creating joy-inducing spaces to boost health and wellbeing. www.nicolaholdendesigns.co.uk

Nicola Holden Designs is a boutique contemporary interior design company specialising in bringing outstanding contemporary design and decoration to all areas of residential interiors and outdoor living spaces across London and the South East.

What does happiness look like in a home?For me, it’s something we can design for — gently, intentionally, and joyfully ✨...
20/03/2026

What does happiness look like in a home?

For me, it’s something we can design for — gently, intentionally, and joyfully ✨

Happiness in interiors isn’t about perfection. It’s about how a space makes you feel.

In my work, I often return to a few simple ideas:

🌈 Colour — uplifting, grounding, energising. The right palette can completely shift our mood.

🔵 Shape — soft curves, circles and playful forms that bring ease and a sense of flow.

🌺 Pattern & abundance — layered textiles and prints that create richness, personality and a feeling of life.

🌿 Renewal — flowers, plants and natural elements that connect us to growth, seasonality and change.

When these elements come together, a home can feel joyful, nurturing and full of possibility.

Because happiness isn’t just something we experience — it’s something we can create around us, every day. ✨

International Women’s Day has made me reflect on the journey of building my businesses and it seems I have a habit of st...
07/03/2026

International Women’s Day has made me reflect on the journey of building my businesses and it seems I have a habit of starting businesses at the worst possible moments.
2008… the credit crisis. 2019… right before COVID.

I launched Nicola Holden Designs in 2008 and Nhaka Designs at the end of 2019 — two creative businesses born in moments of global uncertainty.

Neither moment was exactly perfect timing. But sometimes you begin something simply because you believe deeply in it.

Over the past 18 years, the journey hasn’t always been straightforward. Alongside building these businesses, there have been some challenging health chapters to navigate too. But resilience, grit and a deep love for creativity have kept me moving forward.

Through Nicola Holden Designs, I have the privilege of creating homes that nurture wellbeing, creativity and joy. Through Nhaka Designs, I’m able to celebrate Zimbabwean craftsmanship and honour the idea of nhaka — heritage passed from one generation to the next through creativity and skill.

On International Women’s Day, I’m reflecting on the courage it takes to build something meaningful.

To all the women quietly building something meaningful — I see you and I’m celebrating you today. ✨

Carrying on from yesterday’s post featuring the article in , I wanted to shine a light on the quiet hero of .chung ’s h...
03/03/2026

Carrying on from yesterday’s post featuring the article in , I wanted to shine a light on the quiet hero of .chung ’s home — the striped hallway carpet that holds the entire scheme together.

Running across three floors, Audrey in Sunset by creates a visual thread between spaces, allowing each room to have its own personality while still feeling connected. As the article so kindly put it, “The clever thing that Nicky did was the carpet in the hallway because it covers three floors and the colours tie everything together.”

With a palette that includes ’s Mambo, Light Gold, Light Bronze Green, French Grey and Flint, ’s Plaster IV, ’s Squirrel and Crag Grey, alongside ’s African Father wallpaper, cohesion was essential. The warmth and rhythm of the sunset stripes gently echo the tones used throughout the house, guiding you from room to room with ease.

From a wellbeing perspective, this sense of flow really matters. When colours relate to one another and spaces feel intentionally connected, the home feels calmer and easier to navigate. Our brains relax when there’s rhythm and continuity — even in bold, pattern-filled interiors. Cohesion doesn’t mean holding back; it means creating harmony.

Sometimes the element that supports your wellbeing most isn’t the one that shouts the loudest… it’s the one beneath your feet. ✨

02/03/2026

I’m absolutely thrilled to share that the beautiful home of my wonderful client, actress Chipo Chung, is featured in this month’s The Simple Things magazine — on shelves now ✨

Described as “a sanctuary that is as calming as it is vibrant”, this home is a celebration of colour, heritage and belonging. Inspired by Chipo’s Zimbabwean childhood, her travels and her love of bold pattern, it was such a joy to help her create a space that truly reflects who she is.

One of my favourite moments in the article is Chipo’s wonderful reflection:
“What I’ve discovered… is that if you have colour and pattern and add more, it makes it even better.”

That courage to embrace colour wholeheartedly is what made this project so special.

Do pick up a copy to read the full story — and see how we layered texture, print and personality to create a home full of heart 💛

Thanks to for capturing this project so beautifully!

A contemplative home working space, thoughtfully designed to nurture focus and creativity.The back wall is painted in a ...
23/02/2026

A contemplative home working space, thoughtfully designed to nurture focus and creativity.

The back wall is painted in a deep, inky blue — a colour known to stimulate the mind — creating a cocooning backdrop for ideas to unfold. An African wax print desk lamp introduces pattern and personality, while a chair painted in joyful yellow brings warmth and optimism to the scheme.

The carved mango wood worktop adds beautiful texture and tactility, grounding the space with natural richness. And a serene landscape of the Drakensberg mountains offers a visual connection to nature — something proven to enhance creativity and mental clarity.

A workspace designed not just for productivity, but for inspiration ✨

One of the joys of design is knowing when to gently break the “rules.”When playing with pattern and scale, we’re often g...
18/02/2026

One of the joys of design is knowing when to gently break the “rules.”

When playing with pattern and scale, we’re often guided by instinct: smaller objects carry smaller prints, larger surfaces take the bigger pattern. It feels safe. Predictable. Balanced.

But sometimes, turning that thinking on its head is where the magic happens.

In this vignette, the lampshade carries the larger-scale pattern, while the wallpaper behind it features the more delicate, smaller motif. The unexpected pairing creates a subtle tension — a moment of playfulness and surprise that draws the eye and keeps the space feeling alive.

It’s these small design decisions that add depth and personality. By shifting scale in unexpected ways, we create interiors that feel curated rather than formulaic — spaces with rhythm, character and joy.

Because great design isn’t just about harmony. It’s about intrigue.

📷

Some of the most meaningful pieces in a home aren’t the ones ordered from a catalogue — they’re the ones gathered along ...
12/02/2026

Some of the most meaningful pieces in a home aren’t the ones ordered from a catalogue — they’re the ones gathered along the way ✨

I always encourage clients to collect memories on their travels. A tile picked up in a bustling market, a small object that carries the warmth of a particular place, a story woven into its surface. These pieces hold something far deeper than decoration — they hold experience.

In this vignette, we inlaid beautiful Turkish tiles into a simple existing chest of drawers, transforming it into something entirely unique. Styled with a bangle bought in The Gambia, the composition becomes more than a collection of objects — it becomes a story.

Moments like this add layers of joy and narrative to a home. They root a space in memory, personality and meaning, ensuring it reflects the life and travels of the person who lives there.

Because the most beautiful interiors aren’t just designed — they’re lived.

I love this little vignette from my client’s Hampstead home 🩷A beautifully embellished antique bench from , rich with s...
10/02/2026

I love this little vignette from my client’s Hampstead home 🩷

A beautifully embellished antique bench from , rich with stories and history, layered with a bespoke linen cushion—where ancient techniques meet contemporary design, made with care, sustainability and joy in mind. Beneath it all sits a gorgeous rug: fair trade, handcrafted, made from natural materials and GoodWeave certified, ensuring no child labour.

Together, these pieces create a quiet moment of colour, pattern and texture—a layered story of craftsmanship, ethics and joy. Proof that thoughtful interiors can be both beautiful and meaningful, with every element contributing to a bigger narrative of sustainability and wellbeing.

✨ Last day today! ✨It’s the final day of at Alexandra Palace and we’ve had so much lovely interest in our artists 💛Ther...
01/02/2026

✨ Last day today! ✨

It’s the final day of at Alexandra Palace and we’ve had so much lovely interest in our artists 💛

There are only a handful of FREE tickets left – grab yours via the link in our bio and come say hello.

We’ll be here until 5pm today, so there’s still time to discover beautiful, soulful work and meet us in person.

See you at Ally P! 🎨✨

Sometimes we simply design for the joy of it — playing with colour, layering pattern, exploring texture, and letting ima...
23/01/2026

Sometimes we simply design for the joy of it — playing with colour, layering pattern, exploring texture, and letting imagination take the lead 🎨✨

These concepts may never become finished rooms, but they give us the freedom to experiment, to stretch creatively, and to discover fresh ideas along the way.

Would you give this scheme a thumbs up? 👍

A second view of this beautiful home office, now looking back towards the hallway — a reminder that great design is neve...
21/01/2026

A second view of this beautiful home office, now looking back towards the hallway — a reminder that great design is never just about one room, but about how spaces flow together as a cohesive, considered whole.

The styling on the side table is deeply personal, celebrating my client’s Chinese–Zimbabwean heritage alongside meaningful pieces connected to her life as an actor. Those layered details are what transform a well-designed room into a space that truly belongs to the person who inhabits it.

Authentic, expressive, and entirely hers!

If you’d love a home that reflects your story and supports the way you live, I’d be delighted to help. Send me a DM to explore how we could work together.

📷

Address

13 Edgington Road
London
SW165

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

+447703568004

Website

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