design diaries 1.1

Practicing sustainable growth design, design musings in NYC, and slow-living observations.

Hey, I’m Val! Welcome to design diaries, my first ever newsletter (yay!). I’m a full-stack product designer based in NYC and I love getting my friends excited about delightful, sustainable design. I’m seeking to create community and yap with others who also love or are interested in designing a life they love. I hope you enjoy and join me on this journey!

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practicing sustainable growth design

I recently took Sera Tajima’s course Sustainable Growth Design, and I left feeling inspired. In my design career, I used to feel intimidated by being the only designer in the room. And I used to have trouble communicating design impact on business. (Sometimes I think this stems from the imposter syndrome I sometimes feel as a Gen Z in the workforce). It’s been my 2024 goal to not only get better at being more data-driven in my design process, but to carve a seat at the table for sustainable design. This course has helped me realize the agency and influence I have in my life practice and how to actually use it to build a sustainable world from a business perspective.

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design musings

• thinking: A week ago I went home to Los Angeles and visited my mom. I’m at the age where all my childhood belongings are ready to be given a new home / be stored carefully away to mark a new chapter of life. While at home, I helped redesign my mom’s bedroom by moving furniture around and donating unused items to St. Vincent’s. It was a nostalgic and healing experience, and it got me excited about reinventing the spaces we already live in. It was also a good reminder to me that we don’t necessarily need new things to make spaces feel new.

• reading: When I’m taking the subway to work, sometimes I put on a design podcast or bring a good book with me (recently it’s been Articulating Design Decisions by Tom Greever and Yellowface by R.F. Kuang).

• wearing: I’ve been on the hunt for a new lip liner and have been admiring clean-beauty brand Saie from afar. I think I found the perfect “my lips but better” shade in Wink.

• eating: Recently I celebrated one of my best friends’ birthdays at Dinner Party in Brooklyn. I absolutely love how they thrift everything — from their heart-patterned table runners to their floral-trimmed vintage plates. The whole restaurant has such a cozy, warm vibe, and it feels like you’re eating a home-cooked meal made by your cool auntie.

That’s all for now. I’ll be back with more ❤️

— Val