Interior of a modern coffee shop with black walls, wooden tables, and stools. A woman with glasses and a striped shirt sits at a table. A man is seated near a large arched window, drinking coffee.

Interior design grounded in good judgement & built for the long term

Two women sitting at a wooden table in a cozy café with exposed brick walls, one reading a book and the other looking at her phone. There are a laptop, books, a cup, and condiments on the table. A yellow ladder with flowers is in the background, and hanging basket-style lamps provide warm lighting.

Built on knowing what works, with materials that last.

Contrast, used deliberately.

Every project starts the same way:

Clear planning, durable materials & decisions that age well.

From there, there’s room for the parts that give each space it’s own character.

Led by hands on experience in hospitality ownership and fit outs, with a practical understanding of how spaces are used, maintained & lived in.

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Based in Ōtepoti, working across Central Otago

I work with

Clients who value substance over surface.
People who are decisive, curious, and willing to invest in getting it right.

Residential

For people building or reworking their homes properly.
Materials, proportion and longevity come first.
No rushed decisions.

Commercial

Hospitality, accommodation and workplace interiors built to last.
Interior design is treated as part of the investment — not something added at the end.

It shapes how a space performs once it’s up and running.
Good design makes things easier — during the build, and long after.

Procurement

This is where things either come together, or quietly fall apart.

I source pieces that are well made, considered, and right for the space — custom, vintage, or built properly.

A mix of old and new, with a focus on longevity.

Quality, provenance and restraint matter.
Not everything needs to shout.

I work best when there’s time to think things through, a shared focus on good materials and detail, and a clear expectation that the results will last.

Interior of a coffee shop with hanging light fixtures, a barista working behind the counter, and shelves with cups and supplies.

Interior of a modern restaurant or cafe with hanging pendant lights, a staircase on the left, tables, and chairs near the entrance, with a large window and an illuminated exit sign.

A cozy restaurant interior with pendant lighting, a wooden table, a black tufted leather booth, a vase with pink flowers, and a blurred person sitting by large windows.

Riah McLean Design - Ōtepoti

Photography - Isabella Harrex