that speaks to you
My job is to set the stage for a life that feels like YOU.
Each of my projects reflects its unique surroundings and its owners’ unique desires. I am passionate about finding the perfect elements for each design: custom cabinets, metalwork, glass and steel, windows, doors, tile, custom inserts, bespoke elements, and more.
In addition to creating the perfect feeling for your home, I apply two decades’ worth of technical knowledge to my designs to create efficient workflows and layouts.
My design process begins by listening to my clients’ likes, desires, frustrations, hopes, and goals. Together, we transform those ideas into layouts, materials, colors, and special details for your space. I view design as a collaborative process, helping my clients create the perfect space for their life and home.
In 2001, Nicole left the world of finance to pursue a career in design. While learning the ins and outs of the industry, she studied interior design at FIT at night while working in appliance, tile, and plumbing showrooms in New York to quickly learn the technical aspects of the trade. In 2003, Nicole was hired as a senior designer at New York City’s Homeworks WoodMode showroom (now closed), under the mentorship of the late Reeva Locker. During her four years at Homeworks, Nicole designed and managed kitchen and bathroom projects throughout New York City, becoming an expert in design, specification, and hands-on renovation project management.
In 2005, Nicole was named one of the “Top Designers to Watch Under 40” by New York Spaces Magazine and was elected President of the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s Manhattan Chapter (after first serving a year as Vice President of Education). In this role, she produced kitchen and bath mini-conventions in New York City for consumers to learn about the latest K&B products, and hosted monthly educational events for trade members in design showrooms across the city.
After returning to her hometown in New Jersey, Nicole launched Nicole Hough Designs, continuing her work with clients throughout the northeast. In April 2012, Nicole’s own kitchen was featured as House Beautiful‘s “Kitchen of the Month.”
Nicole holds a BA in Economics and International Relations from Bucknell University and an MBA with concentrations in Corporate Strategy, Economics, and Entrepreneurship from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. In her other roles, Nicole is also a recovery advocate and sober influencer and the founder of AFTER Alcohol-Free Magazine and NAvigator, an alcohol-free search engine
