Kitchen, bathroom and joinery designer based in Hawke's Bay — one person, one process, no surprises.

Every service includes photo-real 3D renders, builder-ready documentation, and a fixed fee agreed before anything starts. You know what you're getting, what it costs, and what happens next — before you commit to a single thing.

Most renovation stress isn't about the build. It's about everything that wasn't decided before it started.

Trades making layout calls on site. Renders that bear no resemblance to the finished result. A quote that grows because the brief wasn't tight enough. These aren't bad luck — they're the result of skipping the design stage, or rushing through it.

FBD Interiors is the design stage done properly. Everything resolved before a single thing is ordered — so the build is the easy part.

Kitchen Design

Joinery-led, built around how your household actually moves — not how a showroom wants to sell it. From the first conversation to the builder-ready brief, every decision is made in the right order, at the right time, with you fully informed.

The result: a kitchen that works before it's built, looks exactly like the renders, and handles the 7am chaos without apology.

  • Joinery floor plans

    Optimised layout designed around your life — working triangle, appliance integration, bench flow.

    Storage zoning

    Every zone mapped before move-in. You know where everything belongs from day one.

    Layered lighting plan

    Task, ambient, and feature lighting designed in-house. No separate consultant needed.

    Electrical & plumbing coordination

    Power points, appliance requirements, and sink positioning resolved before trades start.

    Unlimited photo-real 3D renders

    See every surface, finish, and fitting before anything is ordered. Changes happen here — not on site.

    Interior design & finish spec

    Cabinetry, benchtops, splashbacks, hardware, flooring — selected together, so everything coheres.

    Builder-ready documentation

    Full joinery details, elevations, specifications, electrical and paint schedules. Your builder works from a brief that's already solved — no daily questions, no on-site improvising.

    • You're planning a kitchen renovation in the $35k–$100k+ range and want the result to match what you pictured

    • You want to see the finished space in detail before you give the go-ahead to your builder

    • You've spoken to a builder but haven't started — and you want proper documentation in place before you do

$3,200 – $4,500

$12,700 if sourced separately You save $8,200–$9,500

One fee. All-inclusive. Agreed before anything starts.

Bathroom Design

Bathrooms blow budgets when layout decisions happen too late — when the plumber is already on site and a wall needs moving. FBD's bathroom process resolves the layout, lighting, ventilation, and every finish before construction begins.

What you get: a bathroom that's beautiful and practical, with no "I didn't realise it would look like that" moments — because you saw it first, in photo-real detail.

  • Optimised floor plan

    Layout maximised for the space — vanity, shower, bath, and circulation all resolved early.

    Moisture & ventilation planning

    Extraction, airflow, and waterproofing coordination. Prevents the costly issues that show up years later.

    Layered lighting plan

    Task lighting at the vanity, ambient softness, dimmable scenes. No harsh overhead light over a mirror.

    Vanity storage strategy

    Designed around what you actually use. No cluttered bench, no scrambling for space.

    Unlimited photo-real 3D renders

    Tile scale, colour combinations, spatial feel — all visible before a single decision is locked in.

    Interior design, finish spec & builder-ready docs

    Tiles, tapware, mirrors, hardware, paint — selected cohesively. Full documentation so trades have everything they need before they arrive.

    • You're planning a bathroom renovation in the $15k–$50k+ range and want the result to feel right

    • You want to see tiles, fixtures, and joinery in a render before anything is ordered

    • Tile and fitting choices have felt overwhelming and you want a clear visual to decide from

$1,800 – $3,200

$10,100 if sourced separately You save $6,900–$8,300

One fee. All-inclusive. Agreed before anything starts.

Custom Joinery & Storage

Pantries, wardrobes, laundries, built-ins — designed so everything has a place, surfaces can stay clear, and resetting a room takes minutes instead of an hour.

This isn't a flat-pack fix.

It's joinery designed around what you own and how you actually live in it, with renders so you know exactly what you're approving before it's built.

  • Detailed joinery plans

    Wardrobes, laundries, living storage, built-in desks — every drawer and shelf designed around real use.

    Storage zoning strategy

    Daily access vs. long-term storage logic. Height planning for real users — kids included.

    Lighting & electrical integration

    Wardrobe lighting, under-shelf strips, hidden charging zones. No extension cords, no afterthoughts.

    Unlimited photo-real 3D renders

    See proportions, materials, and internal configurations before anything is ordered or built.

    Finish spec & builder-ready documentation

    Cabinet finishes, hardware, bench surfaces — selected together. Full joinery elevations and specs so your joiner builds exactly what was designed.

    • You're building new or renovating and want all joinery designed as one coordinated package

    • You've finished a kitchen or bathroom with FBD and want the rest to match

    • You're tired of storage that doesn't work and want spaces designed around how you live

$2,200 – $4,500

$9,700 if sourced separately You save $5,200–$7,500

One fee. All-inclusive. Agreed before anything starts.

One person.
One process.

Everything in one place, with one person who knows the full picture.

Still have questions? These come up most.

  • What if I invest in design and still don’t love the result?
    That’s exactly what the process is built to avoid. You’ll see layouts, finishes and photo‑real visuals before anything is ordered, and we only move forward once you’re genuinely happy with what you’re seeing.

  • No. Most homes I work in are mid‑project, messy, or just not working yet — that’s why I’m there. I’m interested in how you live and what’s hard, not in how “Instagram‑ready” things are.


  • The Scope Fit Call is partly to check that. If your project or timing isn’t the right fit, I’ll say so clearly and, where I can, suggest better‑matched next steps rather than pushing you into something that doesn’t suit.


  • My job is to narrow your options, not expand them. At each decision point you’ll get a clear recommendation and a couple of well‑considered alternatives, with pros and cons laid out in plain language.

  • That’s normal. Part of the brief stage is getting both of you heard, then designing around the shared priorities you agree on. Having a neutral third party often makes those conversations easier, not harder.

  • Renovations always involve unknowns, but clear drawings and documentation make it much easier to spot and price changes early. When something unexpected does come up, you’ll get options and cost implications so you can choose, not be surprised.

What Our Clients Are Saying

  • I'd looked at plenty of kitchen photos online but I still couldn't picture what ours would actually look like. The renders Nichole produced changed everything. I could see exactly how the light would hit the benchtop and whether the island was the right size. By the time we signed off on the build, there was nothing left to guess.

    Rachel, Havelock North

  • Our builder told us afterward that it was the most complete documentation package he'd worked from. There were no on-site decisions, no unexpected costs, no calls asking what we wanted done. Everything was already in the drawings. We came in on budget.

    Mark and Jo, Napier

Our Unique Process

  • The Fit Call

    Free, 20 minutes. You'll leave knowing your options, what's realistic for your budget, and whether it's a good fit. No obligation either way.

  • Proposal and Scope

    Sent to you within a week. Everything is written down — what's included, what it costs, what happens next. You decide with full information.

  • Design and Renders

    Photo-real 3D renders of your finished space. You see every surface, every fitting, every detail before a single thing is ordered or quoted.

  • Build Documentation

    Complete specifications for every trade. No sorting it out on site. Your builder works from a clear brief, keeping your project on time and on budget.

Why joinery-first?

Most kitchen design starts with how the space looks: the tiles, the benchtop, the handles. Joinery — the cabinetry, the storage, the structural layout of the kitchen — gets decided later, often under time pressure, often by the builder.

The problem is that joinery is the skeleton. Once it's built, everything else has to fit around it.

Starting with joinery means every decision about storage, bench space, and workflow is made deliberately — before the aesthetic decisions layer on top. The result is a kitchen that works exactly as designed, because the design started in the right place.

Everything included (in detail)

 

Competitive Quoting Support

 

Accurate quotes from trusted trades, not guesses. Your documentation goes to multiple trades at once so you can compare pricing apples‑for‑apples and protect your budget from the start.

 

Detailed Joinery Floor Plans

 

Layout is where ease or frustration gets locked in.
Included (valued at $3,500): a precise floor plan shaped around how you actually move through your kitchen, not just what photographs well.

 

Storage Zoning & Organisation Strategy

 

Storage is where ease or clutter gets locked in.
Included (valued at $1,800): every zone is planned around your real habits before move‑in day, so the kitchen works from day one.

Layered Lighting Plan

 

Lighting is where “this feels incredible” or “something’s off” gets locked in. Included (valued at $2,400): task, ambient and feature lighting fully mapped before a single switch position is finalised.

 

Electrical & Power Planning

 

Power is where everyday ease or constant annoyance gets locked in. Included (valued at $1,800): every power point, charging zone and appliance connection is designed into the kitchen layout from day one — so you’re not unplugging one thing to use another or living with cords snaking across the bench.

 

Photo‑Real 3D Renders

 

Renders are where confidence or doubt gets locked in. Included (valued at $250 per image, unlimited): photo‑real views that show materials, light and proportions clearly, so you can say yes knowing exactly what you’ll get — not just guessing from a flat plan.

Interior Design & Finish Specification

 

Finishes are where “this feels cohesive” or “this doesn’t quite work” gets locked in. Included (valued at $2,200): every finish, material and fitting is selected as a complete picture — cabinetry, benchtops, splashbacks, flooring, hardware, lighting and soft elements considered together, then documented in one clear schedule for your trades and suppliers.

 

Builder‑Ready Documentation Package

 

Documentation is where clarity or costly guesses get locked in. Included: a complete set of drawings, schedules and specifications for your builder, joiner, electrician and plumber — in one tidy package.