niko is a senior-led,
hands-on design practice.

Daria Nikolaeva is a senior, hands-on designer and art director working at the intersection of strategy, design, and business storytelling — asking the questions that reveal the shape of an idea, and making it tangible early through visual thinking.

She works across sectors, with people and organizations who know what they're building and are ready to find the form it needs: leading that process from question, to solution, to execution.

The outcome isn't just resolved work. It's impact that holds, and moves the business forward.

CLIENTS, COLLABORATORS, FORMER HOMES, AND WORK I ADMIRE

  • "From workflow charts to genetic network illustrations, the team took the time to understand my research, asked thoughtful questions, and transformed dense, complicated material into designs that were both scientifically accurate and visually beautiful."

    Former Customer, Ph.D, MD Anderson Cancer Center | Houston, TX

  • "Daria is a brilliant listener and incredibly generative in her work, which is always of the highest quality."

    Former Customer, Managing Partner in a Venture Fund | Salt Lake City, UT

  • "Designed and produced our studio publishing project, diving into all aspects of managing the production details between the author and the publisher Penguin Random House.”

    Former Collaborator + Senior Designer | Chicago, IL

  • "Visual design and creative direction by niko design studio for my concert 
‘How It Feels to Be Free’ surpassed all expectations. Their work was instrumental to two sold-out performances at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City."

    Former Customer, Drummer + Musicologist + Ph.D. Candidate at Brown University | Providence, RI

Interested in working together, or curious to see more?

Let’s talk.