Creating homes that respond to the unique landscape of South Canterbury, the duo behind Waitaki Interiors bring individuality to every project.
In a region better known for vast skies, limestone architecture and working landscapes than design showrooms, Waitaki Interiors has quietly carved out a reputation as one of South Canterbury’s most influential creative studios. Based in Oamaru, the practice is led by interior designers Sherry Howard and Tessa Simpson, whose contrasting backgrounds and complementary perspectives have created a distinctly local approach to design — one that balances beauty with practicality, personality with permanence.
From coastal Oamaru to the Mackenzie Basin, the pair design homes that respond not only to their owners, but also to the demands of life in the lower South Island. For founder Sherry, who started the business with her husband Matt, interior design began almost by accident. “I didn’t realise interior design existed as a career,” she says. “I was constantly rearranging furniture and repainting rooms, then someone suggested I could actually do this professionally.” After studying in Christchurch and graduating with an excellence award, she returned to Oamaru and, with Matt, transformed a small gift store into what would become Waitaki Interiors. More than a decade later, the business has grown into a full-service design studio specialising in interiors, colour consultation and bespoke window furnishings.
Sherry Howard and Tessa Simpson came to interior design via different avenues, but share a belief in crafting spaces that tell personal stories. The influence of the Arts and Crafts movement and celebrated English textile designer William Morris is evident in their work.
Tessa’s journey followed a less conventional path. A make-up artist by trade, with qualifications spanning art history, design and fashion, she entered the interior design industry after winning the Resene Colour Home Awards for a renovation project. The victory came with an unexpected challenge from friends: why not pursue interior design professionally?
She kept the promise, completed her diploma while raising two young children and joined Waitaki Interiors shortly afterwards. Despite their different routes into the profession, both designers share a belief that successful interiors begin with understanding how people actually live. “Form and function have to work together,” says Tessa. “Aesthetic decisions are important, but so are the practical realities of everyday life.”
That philosophy is particularly relevant in South Canterbury, where homes must contend with intense UV exposure, significant seasonal temperature swings and lifestyles closely connected to the outdoors.
In the inland towns of Kurow, Ōhau, Omarama and Twizel, thermal performance is often as important as visual appeal. Sunscreen blinds, layered window treatments and carefully specified materials help protect interiors from both summer heat and winter cold.
But functionality never comes at the expense of character. While many homeowners once gravitated towards safe, neutral palettes, both designers have noticed a growing willingness to embrace individuality. “There was definitely a period when everyone wanted grey interiors,” says Tessa. “Now people are becoming confident about using colour, pattern and pieces that reflect who they are.” It’s a shift that aligns naturally with Sherry’s long-standing admiration for the Arts and Crafts movement and the enduring influence of William Morris. Wallpaper, natural materials and handcrafted details feature regularly in her work, alongside a deep appreciation for homes that tell personal stories rather than follow trends. Neither designer is particularly interested in creating interiors that feel fashionable for a moment.
Instead, they favour spaces with longevity — homes layered with wool, timber, stone, leather and richly textured finishes that improve with age.
For Tessa, that often means introducing an unexpected element that elevates an entire scheme, whether it’s a bold wallpaper, a darker timber veneer or a carefully chosen piece of hardware. For Sherry, it can be as simple as encouraging a client to wait until they can afford the finish they truly love.
The result is a studio that feels refreshingly resistant to formula. Whether restoring a 19th-century villa, reimagining a historic hotel or creating a contemporary family home, Waitaki Interiors approaches every project with the same objective: creating spaces that feel deeply personal and inherently connected to place.
In a world increasingly dominated by algorithm-driven aesthetics, that commitment to authenticity may be the firm’s greatest luxury of all.
