about me

People dining in a restaurant with a man working on a tablet at a high table, and a waitress walking past. Decor includes paintings and mounted antlered animal heads on the wall.

I design interiors that work hard, age well and deliver lasting value.

Spaces that continue to feel right years down the line.

Although I’m best known as a business owner, my work has always centred on creating enduring interiors with clarity and purpose.

My background in hospitality ownership and café fit-outs has shaped a practical, outcomes-focused approach to design, grounded in how spaces are actually used, maintained & lived in over time.

My practice is shaped by hands on experience delivering my own commercial & residential spaces, alongside years of working with builders, trades & other business owners.

This means thoughtful spatial planning, confident material choices and a strong point of view, based on real world knowledge of how spaces perform.

I care about how my work shapes the way people feel in their space.

I take the time to properly understand my clients & how they live- from there, I create their bravest and most beautiful interior. This process is collaborative, but I hold the overall direction.

Based on sound, practical design, enduring materials, and the occasional bold decision.

These are the elements that truly matter.

And really last.



let’s talk.

share a few details & I’ll be in touch.

Riah McLean Design - Ōtepoti

Photography - Isabella Harrex