Here's what our clients & builders have to say...
The initial design has exceeded expectations now that we are living in it
“Kate is awesome to work with, listens to what you need and is always happy to answer questions. We are so happy with the completion of our dream house, it is not often (we have high expectations) you can say that the initial design has exceeded expectations now that we are living in it!”
Michael and Lee Anne Collins, Meadowbank House 2023
Kate's ability to unlock the potential of the limited space we had to work with…was incredible
“We approached Kate after seeing the amazing transformation she completed on our friends' cottage in Eden Terrace. Working with her was the best decision we could have made- Kate's ability to unlock the potential of the limited space we had to work with, and design it around how we use the spaces, was incredible. The end result is well thought-out and tasteful- we love walking through the door of our 'new' house every time.”
Paul Carr and Daniel Malherbee, Avondale Renovation 2022
The final product is an amazing sunny modern house
“We engaged Kate initially to renovate our existing house. Kate helped set realistic expectations with us in what we can potentially achieve with the house. From there we decided to build instead. We decided to have Kate design our house. Kate outlined the process step by step and was very clear on what to expect next. We let her know what was important to us and left the rest to Kate. From the initial concept till the final design we only made 2 changes. Kate listened to what’s important to us and incorporated everything into the house. What we love about Kate is she challenged our thinking from time to time from a design and practicality perspective. We are very glad we listened to Kate.
Kate is also very knowledgeable and this made things run smoothly with the council and our builder. Kate answers email and addresses issues promptly. Kate prepares notes on what was discussed onsite then would email them to us and the builder so there is no confusion which is amazing given we have to be aligned across so many details.
The final product is an amazing sunny modern house, excellent utility and efficient use of space. We would definitely recommend Kate and if we are lucky enough to build another house, we will definitely engage Kate again.”
Sandy and Gareth Fletcher, Mount Albert House 2021
I have worked with dozens of great architects, but Kate and her team have really re-set the bar for me
“Over the last 18months we have had the pleasure of working right through the design to build process with Kate on an Architectural new home from concept to budget creation, working drawings & pricing through to consent and construction. Over the last 19 years I have worked with dozens of great architects, but Kate and her team have really re-set the bar for me. From day one she understood how important it was to engage a builder and use their experience to help design a home that could have features but not blow a budget! Each design meeting was constructive, organised and well planned for myself and the client to be able to view samples, sections and renders of the home & we were able to collectively tweak structural elements of the home & create a smooth build process. Communication has always been quick and clear with RFI’s sorted almost immediately! This is crucial during the build. Each site visit was followed up with tidy Consultant advice notes and clear design details. My site foreman and builders have all raved about how friendly, open and helpful she is when visiting site, and the clients clearly trust her design style and so they should! Kates architectural detailing and plans are exceptional I have reviewed & priced literally thousands of plans over the years from some of NZ’s most well known architects and I would consider hers to be right their with the countries best! We are so excited to be handing this project over with you Kate, and only hope this is the first of many collaborations with you & the team at Milieu! Fingers crossed the project gets the recognition it deserves.”
Troy Jury, Director / Project Manager - QBS Construction, Mount Albert House
A design that delivered everything!
“Kate from Milieu designed our 250sqm coastal family home on Aucklands North Shore. She came up with a design that delivered everything we were looking for within a fairly restricted site, with her clever and creative design. We have really enjoyed the whole process and found Kate easy to work with. She finds a good balance between challenging us as clients when we need it and listening to what we want. We have always found Kate to be respectful of our budget and timeline and good at communicating when our decisions affect the scope of the project.
We highly recommend working with Milieu Architecture + Design.”
Stuart & Davinia Goodes, Rothesay Bay House, Auckland 2018
The construction drawings are a pleasure to build from
We are currently the builders working with Kate on one of her New Build projects on the North Shore, which we are nearing completion early in the New Year. Kate's attention to detail in her designs/concepts clearly has a flow on effect into the construction drawings. They are extremely well detailed and are a pleasure to build from. One stand out item is Kate's response time, to us builders it’s imperative we get quick responses if we have any queries to keep the project running smoothly, Kate is super-efficient in her work and that meant we never had any delays onsite. Kate is very pragmatic and is always understanding of the buildability aspects onsite while staying true to her design and client’s needs. Nothing is ever a problem onsite and it’s a pleasure to work with an Architect which is so positive in overcoming challenges onsite, because let’s face it there are always challenges! Our entire site team has enjoyed working with Kate and would jump at every opportunity to work with her in future. We highly recommend working with Milieu Architecture + Design.
Melvin Riley, Director - DC Builders, Rothesay Bay House
Kate and team have been absolutely amazing
“Kate and team have been absolutely amazing throughout our renovation process. We loved the plans Kate designed for our house - they were unique and interesting, whilst being sympathetic to the existing structure. Kate has always been fast to respond to communications, offered practical advice and is always happy to take feedback and make changes. Her interior advice was an added bonus and we've taken on a lot of her suggestions relating to materials and layout. They have continued to support us throughout the build process, coming on site to consult with the builders. I'd definitely recommend Milieu to anyone looking for an architect for their new build or renovation project.”
Ben & Olivia Winterbourne, Eden Terrace, Auckland, 2018
Great to work with!
“Kate has been great to work with over the past 18 months, from the initial discussion of services she might offer, through all the stages of design, discussions with builder, and the consent process. From the outset, Kate provided clear and accurate information about her services and the costs involved. Kate listened closely in order to get a complete understanding of what I wanted, and to help me clarify my own ideas when needed.”
Andrea Dawe, Sandringham, Auckland, 2018
Her design work, professionalism and communication are excellent
“Kate has been fantastic. She has taken our full house reconfiguration from concept to building consent with some cabinetry design as well. Her design work, professionalism and communication are excellent. Highly recommend.”
Fletcher & Kelly Thomas, Saint Heliers, Auckland 2018
she opened up spaces in ways that we couldn't imagine
"Kate Is an amazingly talented architect and all round great person. She takes time to understand your needs and delivers creative designs to match both your brief and budget. She is a fantastic communicator and has great knowledge of building practices and codes. She follows a proven process from concept to finished drawings and keeps you well informed and on top of timings. We loved the way Kate interpreted our ideas and came back with fresh thinking that opened up spaces in ways that we couldn't imagine. She managed all the details in terms of finishes and took all that hassle away. We have and would continue to recommend Kate to anyone."
Craig & Rachel Griffin, Bucklands Beach, Auckland, 2017
highly recommended
"We hired Kate to design a summer house for our plot in the Stockholm archipelago (Sweden) and she did not disappoint! She was able to conceptualise our vision and create a functional, yet beautiful space that is full of personality. All deadlines were met and her professionalism and knowledge certainly helped the project along, despite encountering foreign planning laws and restrictions. Highly recommended!"
Linda & Guy Parry, Stockholm, 2016
Professional, organized, punctual and detailed.
"Kate organized our renovation. This included drawing the plans, submitting plans to council for consent, doing our lighting plan and built in furniture. She was a pleasure to work with. Professional, organized, punctual and detailed. I recommend her as an excellent architect"
Diana Warring, Mt Victorian Wellington, 2017
her communication skills are impeccable
"Kate is an indispensable resource to have for any building project. Given the current climate of the building industry, it is difficult to decipher some of the services different companies provide and what is chargeable or not. Kate at Milieu is not only open and honest, her communication skills are impeccable. She provides a clear plan on what the project will require and guides you through so you understand enough to make an informed decision. Kate took care of our building consent for our coffee shop and helped answer questions we didn't even know were required. She took a difficult space and designed an amazing layout that will allow for the workflow we will need. Flexible and quick to respond to questions, she made sure our consent was on track and we were able to get it submitted on a very tight deadline. I would absolutely use her services again and will keep her mind when we expand to a second location or a personal residential renovation."
Trinity Tran, Cafe Fitout, Auckland, 2016
Kate was amazing to work with
"Kate was amazing to work with. She took our brief, vague descriptions and ideas and turned them into our dream home. We had no experience with this and really needed our hand held - she was fantastic in breaking it all down with what needed to be done, seeking out/recommending other professionals for us, and explaining and navigating the proposed Auckland unitary plan. Unfortunately, our house renovation/rebuild did not go ahead due to budget constraints - however this was nothing to do with Kate and was simply the market conditions at the time of our project. If our circumstances change or something else comes up we will be going to Kate in the first instance, and will be recommending her to anyone who is wanting to renovate or build."
Terri & Joel Coleman, Milford, Auckland, 2016
She has gone over and above
"Kate is a fantastic architect to work with as she is dedicated to her clients. She has gone over and above in researching different design and construction options for her clients so that they can make informed choices and get value for money in their construction choices. Fastidious in the service she provides to her clients, Kate is also a talented designer and is always able to find solutions that balance practicality with delight."
Kitty Fan & Minka Ip, Eden Terrace, Auckland, 2016
we are very happy with what she provided us
"Kate was highly recommended to us by some friends so we contacted her to redesign the interior / exterior of our house. We had a specific design brief and asked Kate to bring her ideas to design our dream home. Kate was very friendly and helpful and we are very happy with what she provided us. We can't wait to put it in place now :)"
Olivier Lawer and Hayley Wolf, Glen Eden, Auckland, 2016
The Concept design plan was innovative & beautiful
"Kate's used her professional's knowledge and experience in renovating small spaces to create a kitchen plan that makes the best use of space, is functional and looks great. The Concept design plan was innovative, beautiful and created elements that I hadn't previously considered. I'm looking forward to working with Kate to compete the renovation."
Laura Jury, Onehunga, Auckland, 2016