Should you find yourself at Meridian and Washington streets at 4 in the morning and look to the east, you'll often spot a single light shining from a sea of dark windows in the old King Cole high-rise. Nikki Sutton, interior designer, is wide awake, envisioning unique spaces for local businesses.

When I arrived a little before 2 p.m., three hours before Sutton typically starts her workday, light was steaming through the window, silhouetting the slender profile of the elegant, 36-year-old against the wall. Sipping a huge cup of hot coffee, she turned to say hello — and the first thing I noticed were her hip, oversized black-framed glasses and pristine work space.

The studio is a reflection of the footprint she leaves in the establishments she transforms, from distinct eateries like Rook to progressive companies like ExactTarget. Clean lines. Splashes of unexpected color. And a signature touch: A shape that intersects with a contrasting yet complementary shape, like the modern open wall shelving with vintage gym baskets for storage.

Matt Meinema, owner of PEARings Frozen Yogurt and Beyond, 6 W. Washington St., considers her one of the "rock stars" of local design. "It was her idea to put the yogurt machines behind a separating wall to allow patrons privacy," he said. "Totally creative."

Meinema said that of the three designers he interviewed, Sutton's rates were the highest. "But we gave her a budget, and she worked with us. She gave 110 percent to our project and was here many nights until 4 a.m."

Rook, 719 Virginia Ave., is one of the more unusual restaurants in town — stark, with a real telephone pole and lines seemingly falling into the small dining area. Chef/owner Ed Rudisell said he emailed Sutton the prospective menu, music and posters that he likes, and a rundown of the tone of the project.

"That's what she does; she takes pieces of an abstract puzzle and puts the pieces together into a functional space," he said. "She's got a talent for translating her client's personality and quirks into a physical space."

Sutton also has designed the Homespun boutique and Indy Reads on Massachusetts Avenue, Thunderbird in Fountain Square and Speak Easy in Broad Ripple. She was also on the ground level of the design of Pattern, a local fashion magazine, with Carmel-based photographer Polina Osherov.

"The smartest advice I give myself is to trust my gut," Sutton said. "If it's not in tune, I steer clear. If it feels good, I find a way to fit it in into my life."

Sutton, a self-described "old soul," has been a punk rocker, swing dancer and roller derby girl. She's traveled extensively. But the most significant experience that shaped her life was the time she spent at the local Girls Club, now known as Girls Inc.

"As a young girl, I wasn't growing up in the best neighborhoods," she said. "They brought it to my mother's attention about my artistic ability."

"Stop buying her coloring books, and buy her blank pieces of paper," they told Sutton's mom. "Let her draw her own lines."

Sutton can be reached at www.blacklinestudio.net.

Call Star photographer Frank Espich at (317) 444-6412. Follow him on Twitter: @FrankEspich.