Where craft meets commerce

Pictured above: Susannah Matheson.

From international advertising to architectural interiors, Susannah Matheson, Founder of Island Interiors, has built a name at the top end of New Zealand’s design scene. Here, she talks building a business, designing for helicopter pads and why there’s renewed optimism in the construction sector in 2026.

When Susannah Matheson left a successful international career in advertising, she wasn’t simply choosing a new profession. She was choosing a new way of life.
What followed was the creation of Island Interiors, a boutique studio specialising in full-service residential interior design, shaped by a desire to find balance between work and family.

Before launching the business, Susannah completed a study in interior design while also interning with a local designer in New Zealand. That practical and educational foundation helped solidify her transition into the industry and gave her the confidence to go out on her own.

“I’d always loved design and art, but I never saw it as a career path. What I did know was that I wanted to work for myself.”

In 2018, she launched Island Interiors on Waiheke Island, combining a long-standing personal passion with a practical business idea. At the time, the island had no established interior designers, despite an abundance of architecturally significant homes. Susannah saw both a lifestyle opportunity and a gap in the market, and moved quickly to fill it.

Island Interiors began as a self-funded venture, made possible by savings from her previous career. She also worked closely with BNZ to set up a business plan, establish clear goals, and secure funding to open her first showroom on Waiheke’s main street.

Luxury approach for Waiheke market

Waiheke’s property market is unlike anywhere else in the country. Many of Susannah’s clients are high-net-worth New Zealanders or international homeowners who use their Waiheke property seasonally, often one of several they own.

“It’s quite normal for a Waiheke home to have a private beach or helicopter landing pad,” she says.

A few clear trends have emerged across Waiheke interior design projects.

Many are designed for inter-generational living, family holidays over Christmas, and large-scale entertaining. Projects are often multi-year, multi-million-dollar builds, but the studio also works on more modest residences in Auckland and Queenstown.

“It’s not about scale. It’s about how the space feels, and what it means to the people who live there.”

In today’s world, having a dedicated interior design team to bring your Pinterest mood-board to life is considered a luxury. Susannah understands that and runs her business accordingly. Island Interiors charges by the hour, with no hidden costs or supplier mark-ups.

“Interior design has a reputation for pricing ambiguity, but I didn’t want that,” she explains.

That commitment to transparency has also helped the business stay resilient during recent economic shifts. When construction activity slowed, the interior design studio was able to scale back its operations. At one point, the team included seven staff but this has since contracted to four, a change driven by both economic factors and Susannah’s desire to stay hands-on in the design process.

She’s cautiously optimistic about what lies ahead. “Contractors who were saying, ‘This is our only job,’ are now telling me they’re fully booked for next year,” she says. “I work with tradespeople every day, and I’ve seen their teams reduce. So it’s good to see signs that the economy is picking up again.”

It takes a village

The team at Island Interiors has always been women-led, and Susannah is intentional about creating an environment where flexibility and family life are respected.

“You need to enjoy your work, but also enjoy your life,” she says.

Everyone works from home. Hours are flexible, as long as the work gets done and client needs are met. “If someone wants to start at 6am and finish at 2pm so they can do the school run, that’s fine. If they have a family or health commitment in the middle of the day, we work around it. As long as people are responsive and accountable, it works.”

As a mother of three, Susannah is the first to acknowledge the support systems that have enabled her to thrive. “I’ve had help at work and at home, nannies, after-school care, cleaners. Whatever it took.”

She encourages other business owners, particularly women, to seek the help they need and not fall into the trap of doing everything alone. “I’m not someone who believes women should do it all. That’s not sustainable. You need support inside your business and outside it if you want to go the distance.”

Susannah’s advice for those considering starting their own business is simple but blunt.

“You have to be fearless, let go of self-doubt and give it a go. There’s no way to know if it’ll work until you start. And if it doesn’t work, that’s okay. At least you tried. The worst that can happen is it fails. But if it succeeds, it could change your life.”

For her, the most rewarding part is designing a business that reflects her personal values and helping others do the same.

“Being able to have something that works around your life, and being there for your family, is not something I take for granted. And being able to employ other women to do the same, that’s something I’m really proud of.”

Island Interiors is about more than beautiful homes. It’s about creating a way of working and living that reflects what matters most.