Hi community members! I’m sure everyone’s Instagram feeds are flooded with 2023 recaps and New Year’s resolutions. Sometimes I think it can be overwhelming seeing them all over, but I do think there’s something special about pausing to reflect on the good — big or small! — accomplishments that have happened. As designers, small business owners, and go-getters (you name it), it’s easy to forget to celebrate those wins at times. So let’s share some!
My 2023 Design Wins:
- My husband and I finished renovating the first floor of our cabin. There’s still lots of decorating and finish work to be done, but it’s such a big accomplishment for us!
- A recent client of mine re-hired me to paint a couple of murals in her space
- I was featured in an Architectural Digest article about home ownership alongside many talented designers (including @dianafarberov!!)
- My home is feeling more homey each and every day. We moved upstate from Brooklyn a year and a half ago, and the space is really starting to feel like us now
As far as 2024 goals, I’ve set a bunch of smaller, personal things I’ve wanted to tackle. But some design-related goals of mine:
- Paint more murals! If you are in upstate NY or have a friend here who is looking for more murals, send them my way (ahem: @katewhite come paint with me!!)
- Re-launch my website and update my portfolio
- Plan my upstairs bathroom design — that will be my next big reno
Okay, enough from me. I want to hear your wins + goals!
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Hello, hello! Thank you for the prompt:) I am new to the community and don’t recall if I made an introduction post yet, but this seems like the perfect exercise for me to jump in!
My 2023 wins:
- I left my job that gave me nothing but stress this year in June to follow my passion and to open my design business.
- I score my first design client this summer, a full house project that will take us into the spring!
- I started redesign my space which has been fun and centering project.
- A furniture designer reached out to me to collab on a new line
2024 design goals:
- decorate the NEUE HAUS studio office space. Just finded moodboarding the project and ready to see the rest of it through in the first half of the year.
- use more wallpaper! I am obsessed with it and there is so many fun and interesting patterns to use from. Excited to get create with using some of my faves.
- launch my podcast.
- add my portfolio to my website and continue to grow client-base.
- become more comfortable in making video content with featuring myself talking
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Hi Nicole! Love these wins and goals. Congrats on all the things!! Where can we follow along your design journey? YES to more wallpaper. What’s your podcast going to be about?
@danielaaraya you know I’m game for mural assistance ANY TIME!!
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Posting in here for accountability!
2023 Wins 
- Got my first paid Client!
- Redesigned my bedroom
- Took a summer Interior Design course at SAIC
- Decided to enroll in an Interior Design Certificate program which I am very much enjoying
- provided free consult or design support for 6 people
- Took a woodworking class!
2024 Goals 
- Build my portfolio
- Transform our office/ gym and office/guest room
- Photograph my apartment
- Have 2 new paid client projects
- Do well in my classes
- Register as an LLC
- Shadow a designer for a day
- rework my resume to be design specific
- Get an internship???
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I LOVE seeing all of this laid out. You got this!!
Hi Daniela!
Thank you! Sorry, it too a minute to get back to you - I had soon after broken rib due to a slippery run-in with my snowblower! It’s a long story.
My podcast will focus on design and more broadly, spaces, through the lens of the past, present, and future. I hope to launch in late-spring, it will (tentatively) called NEUE FORM. In the meantime I am writing on Substack at https://hausnotes.substack.com/.
And heck ya! 
to a fellow wallpaper enthusiast.