Sonya Cotter and the Studio
Design shaped by experience, instinct and clarity.
I am an award-winning interior designer with more than two decades of experience creating residential interiors in New Zealand and internationally. Proportion, detail, material and craftsmanship have always held my attention, whether found in an interior, a beautifully made piece of furniture or a great pair of shoes. I can happily disappear down a rabbit hole researching an object or discovering how a particular finish was achieved.
What interests me is the thinking behind a design: why a decision was made, how it was resolved and what gives it meaning beyond how it looks. I am drawn to difficult questions without an obvious answer, working through the possibilities until an idea feels completely resolved. When decisions have a clear reason behind them, a home is less dependent on what is fashionable and more likely to endure. I often say we have to create the new world antiques: work made today with enough integrity, craftsmanship and meaning to be valued for generations.
We are a small, experienced design studio built around a collaborative way of working. I personally lead the creative direction of every project, with the team working alongside me to carry that vision through to completion. We work closely together, drawing on different strengths while always keeping sight of the whole.
Over the years, we have built strong relationships with architects, builders, craftspeople, suppliers and specialists whose work we know and trust. Much of the best work comes through collaboration, bringing the right people together, sharing ideas and drawing on each other's expertise to find the best solution.
Proportion, material, detail and unexpected layering are signatures of our work. They bring depth, warmth and moments of surprise, while allowing each home to develop its own character. The result should feel entirely individual, but always with a sense of clarity and resolution.