About Homes with Soul

Interior designer Nicci Tong in denim jacket adjusting ornate gold-framed mirror on wall, during a home decor process.

Interior design that starts with what you already have

Hi, I’m Nicci Tong - Interior Designer and Home Improvement Consultant. Together, let’s co-create a home you love. Full of quality pieces you love, and unique secondhand finds. A soulful home is not perfect. It’s authentic, personal and unmistakably you!

nicci Tong: My Story

Interior designer Nicci Tong, smiling with blonde hair and glasses holding her tabby cat indoors.

The Journey to Homes with Soul

I may be a qualified and experienced interior designer now, but several years ago things were very different.

In fact, I still remember the day my Dad asked me “Nicci, when are you going to stop living like you’re camping?”

This was the wake-up call I needed. I’d been filling my space with cheap quick-fixes, too afraid of making mistakes - so for years I existed in my space unsure of what I wanted or how to make progress (can you relate?).

Once I began to really understand what I loved — and how I wanted to live — things started to change. I transformed my home gradually from a mishmash of stuff into a place that finally felt like me, full of things I love.

It’s this exact process that I followed all those years ago that has informed the Homes with Soul approach— a decorating method I’ve used to help hundreds of women create homes they love, starting with what they already have.

You don’t need a huge budget or lots of new stuff to create a space that feels amazing. You just need a clear sense of your personal style, and someone to guide your decisions to ensure a beautiful and cohesive end result

That’s where I come in.

Let’s co-create a home that feels inspiring, personal — and as unique as you are.

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Support to transform your home into one you love

Whether you need to test your thinking, get my advice over the course of your project or have me work along side you to bring it all together, I’m here to help turn your house into a home — one step at a time.

Support That Fits Your Project

I offer a range of services that are flexible enough to fit your needs, your location and your budget. Whether you're refreshing a tired room or tackling a bigger, more transformative change - I'm here to help you make it happen.

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Local & Virtual

I offer support, both in-person and virtually, so no matter where you’re based, we can work together.

My project management services are for my interior design clients in Wellington - but I offer interior design consulting services across New Zealand.

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The Homes with Soul Approach

A beautiful home doesn't need to be brand new or Instagram-perfect

In fact, the shiny new homes can feel like they’re missing something.

Your home should tell your story, feel deeply personal, and work for your real life.

My approach to home improvement is built on three core principles:

1.Collaboration

Co-creating personal spaces that feel like home

Rather than imposing my own vision, we'll work together to clarify your personal style and create a home that reflects your personality, tastes, and lifestyle.

By blending your existing pieces with carefully chosen "new" additions that express your style, we'll create a home that not only looks beautiful but also feels deeply personal and inspiring.

We'll also consider practical changes that make your space easier and more enjoyable to live in every day.

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2.Sustainability

Decorating that starts with what you own and love

I begin the design process by making the most of what's already there – including colours, finishes, and furniture and home furnishings.

A well-designed home isn't about buying more stuff; it's about making smart decisions that create the foundation from which to design a personal and timeless home over time - instead of wasting time and money replacing things unnecessarily.

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3.Cost-effectiveness

Practical solutions that save you thousands

Instead of rushing into costly upgrades or impulse purchases, we'll assess what already works, what can be improved, and where your budget will have the most significant impact.

Every decision we make will be guided by function, style, and long-term value. Second-hand furniture is often the perfect option to achieve a realistic and affordable transformation and a home full of personality.

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Love Your Home Services

My project management services are for interior design clients in Wellington, but I offer home improvement and interior design consulting services across New Zealand.

  • Interior designer Nicci Tong with blonde hair wearing blue glasses and a green blazer over a colorful floral shirt, holding a clipboard and pen, standing near a doorway with plants in the background.

    Home Consultation

    Your starting point for clarity and inspiration.

    A one-off session to help you see your home’s potential, solve what’s not working, and explore fresh ways to refresh your space without a huge investment.

  • Interior designer Nicci Tong in a colorful floral blouse sitting at a desk, smiling while talking on a smartphone, with a computer monitor displaying a home interior in the background.

    Virtual Design Services

    Personalised guidance as you decorate, one step at a time.

    Send pics, ask questions, and get quick answers as you decorate so you stay on track as you work through your space at your own pace.

  • Interior designer Nicci Tong and female client reviewing fabric samples at a table, with notebooks and a lamp in the background.

    Designer By Your Side

    Wellington only.

    From layout, furniture sourcing and styling to coordinating trusted local trades — this is collaborative, hands-on support to help bring your vision to life.

Qualifications & Experience

  • Helping people love the homes they’re in since 2012

  • Winner of the Transform Your Space Interior Design Competition – Wellington Home & Garden Show (2023)

  • Diploma in Design & Decorating – Open Polytechnic (2017)

  • Renovation Project Manager (Residential) since 2018

  • Facilitator of seminars, workshops, and training courses on interior design for non-designers (since 2021)

  • 10+ years in central government (Building and Housing Sector)

Interior designer Nicci Tong arranging fabric and color swatches on a wall moodboard, featuring various patterns and textures.
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Case Studies

Real Client Space Transformations

  • Modern living room with wooden sideboard, decorative elements, bookshelf, and glass-paneled door.

    Khandallah Living Room

    This living room redesign brought together a couple’s contrasting tastes into one harmonious space that feels like home for them both.

    View case study >

  • Living room with a mounted TV, wooden cabinet, green armchair, decorative plant, and rug.

    Strathmore Living Room

    What once felt disjointed now feels calm and cohesive — thanks to small but intentional changes that made the most of what they already owned.

    View case study >

  • Cozy living room with bookshelves, blue floral curtains, white sofas with blue and red pillows, a large decorative lamp, and a framed painting on the wall.

    Brooklyn Home

    What was once a house full of bits and pieces now feels curated, calm, and unmistakably theirs.

    View case study >

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Ready to transform your home?

Let’s hop on a free no-obligation zoom call to clarify the support you need, and how we might work together to transform your home into one you’ll never want to leave.

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