The new owners of The Duchess by NM Designs, Nicole McFayden (left) and Kate Aukerman (right), celebrate their new venture, while The Duchess’s founder, Shelly Kim, supports the pair in the background.  As a customer who has shopped at The Duchess since its opening in 2016, McFayden is thrilled to usher in a new era for the store.

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The Duchess by NM Designs

One of Old Towne’s most well-loved shops is coming back.  The Duchess, the home and garden boutique that operated on Chapman Ave. for nearly a decade, has now reopened as The Duchess by NM Designs under new ownership.

The store was originally founded by Shelly Kim in 2016 and quickly became a local destination for curated home furnishings, seasonal décor and gifts.  Kim retired and closed the shop in April 2025, but longtime friends Nicole McFayden and Kate Aukerman have since purchased the brand and are preparing for a grand reopening in March.

“It’s really overwhelming to see how many people have been touched by this place and reached out to us after the reopening was announced,” says Aukerman.  “It’s such a magical location, and it’s clear Shelly did such an amazing job.”

McFayden and Aukerman have been friends since they were teenagers, and they later worked together through a construction industry association before each branching out on their own, with McFayden moving into interior design and Aukerman into construction operations.

McFayden launched her interior design company, NM Designs, in 2020, and shopped at The Duchess for her clients for years.  Over the years, McFayden and Kim built a friendship, and after Kim retired, McFayden and Aukerman saw an opportunity to partner to give the store another chapter in Old Towne.

“We want people to be able to come in and experience the legacy and nostalgia of what The Duchess has been to them, while also being able to showcase the new experiences that we’ll offer,” says McFayden.

The refreshed store will continue to run as a fully shoppable home, with rooms styled and stocked to reflect different areas of the house.  Shoppers can expect furniture, rugs, candles, coffee table books, floral arrangements, dishware, gift sets and more, all available for purchase.

Kim remains involved in the transition, helping the new owners learn inventory and navigate the business she built.

“It could have just been a lease, but I felt strongly that Nicole and Kate deserved a chance to have The Duchess brand because they’re so talented,” says Kim.  “I know the community is excited to have them back, and I’m so excited for them.”

McFayden and Aukerman also want customers to know that although NM Designs is a full- service interior design firm, the store will remain a retail shop, true to what longtime customers remember.

Looking ahead, the duo plans to host community events, private gatherings and seasonal DIY workshops.

The Duchess by NM Designs
910 East Chapman Ave., Old Towne Orange, CA 92866  /  714-602-9457