Interior designer Michelle Lamb says she doesn’t have a trademark style, but is an admirer of Australian designer David Flack and draws inspiration from the world of film — her first love.

For Christchurch interior designer Michelle Lamb, whose studio has become one of Canterbury’s most sought-after design practices, great interiors are not about perfection. They’re about atmosphere, memory and spaces that feel deeply lived in. The daughter of an artist and an engineer, Michelle grew up somewhere between creativity and practicality, eventually discovering that interior design offered the perfect intersection of the two.

Originally fascinated by film and set design, she was drawn to the idea of creating immersive worlds and shaping how people experience space. That interest found a different outlet in the aftermath of the Ōtautahi Christchurch earthquakes, when she enrolled to study interior design during what was one of the city’s most transformative periods. “It was a fascinating time to be studying design, just as the city was redefining itself.”

After graduating, Michelle joined Christchurch design firm Lume Design, where she spent six years honing her craft before stepping away in 2021 following the birth of her first daughter. What began as a handful of contract projects soon evolved into a thriving full-time business. Today, her studio’s portfolio spans contemporary family homes through to busy hospitality venues and buildings calling for heritage-inspired interiors. Rather than a signature aesthetic, her work is united by a strong sense of narrative. “I don’t feel like I have a trademark style,” she says. “What interests me is designing around the people who will live there.”

That client-centred approach marks a significant shift from her early years in the industry. Once drawn to the clean perfection of minimalism, she now gravitates towards interiors with greater warmth, texture and longevity. “There’s so much beauty in imperfection,” she says. “Natural materials tell stories. They age, they patina and they become part of a home’s character.”

The influence of her design heroes is evident. Australian designer David Flack sits firmly at the top of the list, admired for creating interiors that feel cinematic rather than merely beautiful. She also points to Australian talents Phoebe Nicol, Fiona Lynch, Miriam Fanning and Decus Interiors, alongside New Zealand favourites Gezellig Interiors, Annika Rowson and Natalie Bradburn.

Michelle favours grained timbers, veined marbles and quartzites as part of a palette that will get better with time, as beautifully demonstrated in this Kennedys Bush kitchen.

Yet some of her strongest influences come from beyond the design world. Film remains a constant source of inspiration. One memorable client, she says, arrived with a USB drive filled with images, artworks, patterns and even the film Nightmare Alley. It wasn’t the sets she wanted replicated, but the mood they evoked. “The atmosphere, the emotion, the feeling of the spaces — it all helps tell the story,” says Michelle.

That sense of storytelling is evident in projects such as Deco Moderne, a residence designed alongside architect Barry Connor that allowed Michelle to immerse herself in the glamour and drama of Art Deco detailing. More recently, she has turned her attention to hospitality, with Christchurch restaurant Marlowe currently under construction and set to bring her residential sensibility into a public setting.

Her dream commission? A boutique hotel housed within a heritage building. “It would have everything I love — history, atmosphere, hospitality and layers of storytelling.” Sophisticated materials play a central role in that vision. Mixed timbers, richly veined marble, coloured quartzites, textured finishes, wool carpets and soft linens feature heavily in her palette. These are materials chosen not for perfection, but for the way they evolve over time.

Colour and crafted detail cleverly combine in this Art Deco inspired rebuild.

This appreciation for authenticity mirrors a broader shift she sees occurring across Canterbury. Homeowners are increasingly moving away from interiors that feel staged or trend-driven and embracing spaces that feel more personal and collected. “People want homes that reflect them,” she says. “They’re mixing antiques with contemporary pieces, embracing texture and taking more risks.” It’s exciting to see, she enthuses, as traditionally people tend to be conservative in their design tastes. “Today’s clients are placing greater value on wellness, flexibility and emotional connection, creating homes designed for how they want to live rather than how they think they should live.”

For Michelle, the balance between creativity and practicality remains at the heart of every project. As the mother of two young children, she understands the realities of family life as much as she understands beautiful design.

“Creativity works best when it respects how people actually live,” she says.

In an industry often obsessed with image, it feels refreshingly grounded. The most successful interiors are rarely the ones that look perfect. They're the ones that become the backdrop to a life well lived.

ON MY RADAR...

The tan leather Togo chair Classic, cosy, sculptural, iconic… This chair suits any environment and leather is one of those materials that gets better with age.

Auction house finds The last thing we bought was a classic print of a ship in a gilded frame. My brother-in-law has many talents, one of which is buying art and furniture at auction houses. He came home one day with seven of them and we snapped one up.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan I will never forget stepping into this building for the first time, it was a very cool experience. The architecture speaks for itself — the symmetry, arches, classic detailing — but it also just has the most amazing energy.

Create a beautiful life and help others do the same This is my mantra; it captures my business sense but also who I am. I am not driven by scale and growth. I look for creative fulfilment through meaningful projects with great people, but I also want time with my children as I know how precious these years are. We lost both my dad and my father-in-law a few years ago, and it has really driven home how nothing is as important as family. So how lucky am I that I get to help families create their homes that will house so many special memories? michellelamb.co.nz