diff --git a/src/nested_pandas/nestedframe/core.py b/src/nested_pandas/nestedframe/core.py
index a7ec7dc..768fbeb 100644
--- a/src/nested_pandas/nestedframe/core.py
+++ b/src/nested_pandas/nestedframe/core.py
@@ -214,6 +214,69 @@ def from_flat(cls, df, base_columns, nested_columns=None, index=None, name="nest
         nested_columns = [col for col in df.columns if col not in base_columns]
         return out_df.add_nested(df[nested_columns], name=name)
 
+    @classmethod
+    def from_lists(cls, df, base_columns=None, list_columns=None, name="nested"):
+        """Creates a NestedFrame with base and nested columns from a flat
+        dataframe.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        df: pd.DataFrame or NestedFrame
+            A dataframe with list columns.
+        base_columns: list-like, or None
+            Any columns that have non-list values in the input df. These will
+            simply be kept as identical columns in the result
+        list_columns: list-like, or None
+            The list-value columns that should be packed into a nested column.
+            All columns in the list will attempt to be packed into a single
+            nested column with the name provided in `nested_name`. If None, is
+            defined as all columns not in `base_columns`.
+        name:
+            The name of the output column the `nested_columns` are packed into.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        NestedFrame
+            A NestedFrame with the specified nesting structure.
+
+         Examples
+        --------
+
+        >>> nf = NestedFrame({"c":[1,2,3], "d":[2,4,6],
+        ...                   "e":[[1,2,3], [4,5,6], [7,8,9]]},
+        ...                  index=[0,1,2])
+
+
+        >>> NestedFrame.from_lists(nf, base_columns=["c","d"])
+        """
+
+        # Resolve base and list columns
+        if base_columns is None:
+            if list_columns is None:
+                # with no inputs, assume all columns are list-valued
+                list_columns = df.columns
+            else:
+                # if list_columns are defined, assume everything else is base
+                base_columns = [col for col in df.columns if col not in list_columns]
+        else:
+            if list_columns is None:
+                # with defined base_columns, assume everything else is list
+                list_columns = [col for col in df.columns if col not in base_columns]
+
+        if len(list_columns) == 0:
+            raise ValueError("No columns were assigned as list columns.")
+
+        # Pack list columns into a nested column
+        packed_df = packer.pack_lists(df[list_columns])
+        packed_df.name = name
+
+        # join the nested column to the base_column df
+        if base_columns is not None:
+            return df[base_columns].join(packed_df)
+        # or just return the packed_df as a nestedframe if no base cols
+        else:
+            return packed_df.to_frame()
+
     def _split_query(self, expr) -> dict:
         """Splits a pandas query into multiple subqueries for nested and base layers"""
         # Ensure query has needed spacing for upcoming split
diff --git a/tests/nested_pandas/nestedframe/test_nestedframe.py b/tests/nested_pandas/nestedframe/test_nestedframe.py
index 3dbf34b..ef40179 100644
--- a/tests/nested_pandas/nestedframe/test_nestedframe.py
+++ b/tests/nested_pandas/nestedframe/test_nestedframe.py
@@ -320,6 +320,39 @@ def test_recover_from_flat():
     assert nf2.equals(nf)
 
 
+def test_from_lists():
+    """Test NestedFrame.from_lists behavior"""
+    nf = NestedFrame(
+        {"c": [1, 2, 3], "d": [2, 4, 6], "e": [[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6], [7, 8, 9]]}, index=[0, 1, 2]
+    )
+
+    # Test a few combinations
+    res = NestedFrame.from_lists(nf, base_columns=["c", "d"], name="nested_e")
+    assert list(res.columns) == ["c", "d", "nested_e"]
+    assert list(res.nested_columns) == ["nested_e"]
+
+    res = NestedFrame.from_lists(nf, base_columns=["c", "d"], list_columns=["e"])
+    assert list(res.columns) == ["c", "d", "nested"]
+    assert list(res.nested_columns) == ["nested"]
+
+    res = NestedFrame.from_lists(nf, list_columns=["e"])
+    assert list(res.columns) == ["c", "d", "nested"]
+    assert list(res.nested_columns) == ["nested"]
+
+    # Check for the no list columns error
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        res = NestedFrame.from_lists(nf, base_columns=["c", "d", "e"])
+
+    # Check for subsetting
+    res = NestedFrame.from_lists(nf, base_columns=["c"], list_columns=["e"])
+    assert list(res.columns) == ["c", "nested"]
+    assert list(res.nested_columns) == ["nested"]
+
+    res = NestedFrame.from_lists(nf, base_columns=[], list_columns=["e"])
+    assert list(res.columns) == ["nested"]
+    assert list(res.nested_columns) == ["nested"]
+
+
 def test_query():
     """Test that NestedFrame.query handles nested queries correctly"""