About Nicola Liza Designs — Australian Retro-Modern Surface Pattern Designer
Hi there, I’m Nicky — the creative mind behind Nicola Liza Designs, an Australian surface pattern studio where I explore retro-modern wallpaper, textiles and interior artwork.
Creativity has always been part of my world. As a child I was rarely without a pencil, paintbrush or something to build, often spending weekends helping my dad restore and make things around our home. Those early experiences planted a love of thoughtful making that eventually led me to study Industrial Design, where I discovered the balance between beauty and function.
Textiles have also been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I began sewing my own clothes as a teenager and quickly fell in love with fashion fabrics — the colours, the textures and the endless possibilities they held. I’ve always been drawn to the colours, textures and motifs of bygone eras, reimagined in ways that feel fresh and modern. That early fascination with cloth and pattern stayed with me over the years, even as my path moved through web design and later fashion design and pattern making while living in California.
Eventually my work led me into the furniture industry, where I spent years surrounded by upholstery fabrics, in a company that not only manufactured new designs but carefully restored older designs giving them new life. Being so close to those materials deepened my appreciation for how colour, pattern and texture can shape the atmosphere of a space.
At home, creativity is part of everyday life — sewing clothing, restoring furniture, decorating rooms and filling our spaces with objects that hold memory and meaning. As a mum of two wonderful humans and one much-loved fur baby, making things has long been my way of creating warmth and connection within our home.
In 2022, after the quiet reflection of the lockdown years, I returned more intentionally to studying surface pattern design and began developing the collections that now live within Nicola Liza Designs.
These days I create simply because the act of making matters to me. Designing patterns, exploring colour and watching ideas slowly take shape brings a sense of focus, curiosity and joy. This studio is a place where I share that ongoing creative practice — work inspired by nostalgia, restoration and interiors with character.
If my work resonates with you, I’m always open to thoughtful collaborations and licensing opportunities.
Feel free to reach out — I’d love to hear from you.
Creativity has always been part of my world. As a child I was rarely without a pencil, paintbrush or something to build, often spending weekends helping my dad restore and make things around our home. Those early experiences planted a love of thoughtful making that eventually led me to study Industrial Design, where I discovered the balance between beauty and function.
Textiles have also been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I began sewing my own clothes as a teenager and quickly fell in love with fashion fabrics — the colours, the textures and the endless possibilities they held. I’ve always been drawn to the colours, textures and motifs of bygone eras, reimagined in ways that feel fresh and modern. That early fascination with cloth and pattern stayed with me over the years, even as my path moved through web design and later fashion design and pattern making while living in California.
Eventually my work led me into the furniture industry, where I spent years surrounded by upholstery fabrics, in a company that not only manufactured new designs but carefully restored older designs giving them new life. Being so close to those materials deepened my appreciation for how colour, pattern and texture can shape the atmosphere of a space.
At home, creativity is part of everyday life — sewing clothing, restoring furniture, decorating rooms and filling our spaces with objects that hold memory and meaning. As a mum of two wonderful humans and one much-loved fur baby, making things has long been my way of creating warmth and connection within our home.
In 2022, after the quiet reflection of the lockdown years, I returned more intentionally to studying surface pattern design and began developing the collections that now live within Nicola Liza Designs.
These days I create simply because the act of making matters to me. Designing patterns, exploring colour and watching ideas slowly take shape brings a sense of focus, curiosity and joy. This studio is a place where I share that ongoing creative practice — work inspired by nostalgia, restoration and interiors with character.
If my work resonates with you, I’m always open to thoughtful collaborations and licensing opportunities.
Feel free to reach out — I’d love to hear from you.
