more about us:
trevor & DANIELLE BeatsoN
We are Trevor and Danielle Beatson, one of the two couples behind Direct Design. Home for us is Ahipara in the beautiful Far North of New Zealand, where the sea, sun, and community keep us grounded. We raised four children who are now grown and making their own way in the world, which means we are enjoying life as empty nesters and embracing new opportunities to share our love of travel and adventure.
Trevor’s background has always been in leadership, operations management, and people development. He has worked at a national level in operations, and prior to that 21 years of law enforcement experience and community service. Trevor thrived on leading teams in high pressure situations where trust, integrity, and sound decision making were essential. Over the years he has learned how to bring people together, build strong relationships, and deliver results that really matter. These experiences now guide the way Direct Design operates, giving our clients confidence that everything will be planned, managed, and delivered to the highest standard.
Danielle brings her own strengths to our work. Her career in education has been enhanced by her organisational skill, management support, and a natural ability to work with people. She is detail focused and highly organised, making sure nothing is overlooked and every client feels cared for. Danielle also has a creative side, with a love of design and presentation that helps bring polish and warmth to everything we do.
Together we balance each other. Trevor enjoys fishing and diving, while Danielle finds joy in creative projects and connecting with friends and family. What truly unites us is our shared passion for travel. We have spent time exploring Europe, Asia, and the Pacific, learning how meaningful it is to be supported and cared for while on the move. From planning the big details to smoothing out the small ones, we know first-hand the difference it makes.
Direct Design is our way of bringing all of this together. Our life experience, professional skills, and love of people mean we can offer something personal and trustworthy. We understand what it takes to create safe, smooth, and memorable travel, and our goal is to make sure every journey feels enjoyable and stress free from the moment it begins..
francis & megan fitzpatrick
We are Francis and Megan Fitzpatrick, part of the leadership team at Direct Design. Home for us is Nelson at the top of the South Island, where we enjoy the sunshine, the outdoors, and being close to our whānau. Family is at the centre of our lives with our three children and two grandchildren living nearby, which means there is always plenty of laughter and activity around us. We’re grateful for the balance Nelson offers - time with family, connection to community, and the chance to be involved in exciting new ventures like this one
Francis Fitzpatrick brings over 30 years of hands-on building experience as a New Zealand licenced building practitioner. Francis built and ran multi-million dollar home builds in Tauranga NZ, being part of a team that has won House of the Year Master Builders awards. Building homes for himself and homes for others, Francis is particular, has a keen eye is all about quality and using products and services that provide, warm, safe, dry and attractive homes that deliver craftmanship getting bang for buck.
Megan Fitzpatrick is a registered psychologist by trade who considers herself the project manager of the homes her husband builds them. Planning, designing, building and dressing homes has been something she enjoys doing with him. Thanks to the knowledge of her builder husband, her wish lists, stress and anxiety management skills combined with his ability to bring her dreams to life means a personalised and stunning home that they both want without the stresses or unnecessary costs so many others experience.
Together, Francis and Megan bring a unique balance of expertise and creativity to Direct Design. With Francis’s proven record in high-quality construction and Megan’s strengths in planning, design, and people-focused project management, they know what it takes to create homes that are not only well-built but also thoughtfully designed and deeply personal. Their combined experience ensures that every project is guided by craftsmanship, care, and a genuine understanding of what makes a house truly feel like home
OUR WHY
Going to China to explore options for our own future builds opened our eyes. We realised just how much we have been selling ourselves short when it comes to what is actually possible in the homes we create in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Like you, we live here. We understand the lifestyle, the climate, and the way New Zealanders live in and around their homes. If you are big on outdoor living, the windows and doors alone will absolutely blow your mind.
What really changes everything is choice. Choice is a luxury we simply do not have in New Zealand. In China, being able to access high quality and genuinely luxurious products at a fraction of New Zealand prices means we can create homes that are dry, warm, efficient and fully personalised to reflect who we are and how we live.
Travelling to China might feel a little extravagant at first. But when you step back and look at the savings, even after factoring in the trip, it clearly is not. The numbers speak for themselves.
Our goal is simple. We want anyone and everyone to be able to access more affordable, more upmarket products than most people ever thought possible, and that are currently completely out of reach in New Zealand.