When I sat down to write this “about” section, the typical, written-in-third-person, perfectly eloquent version—“Nicole holds a bachelor’s degree in interior design from the University of…blah blah blah….”—just didn’t feel right.  (By now you’ve already moved on and are googling, “Will there be a season 3 of Big Little Lies and will Meryl Streep still be in it because OMG MERYL STREEP!”). 

 

In other words, I’ve lost you.

 

However, I really want to share a quasi-complete picture of how I landed here, because it’s been a unique and winding path. I’ll spare you the details and go at it bullet-point style, since, let’s face it, we all have more important stuff to do. 

 

1. Grew up in Church-Point, Nova-Scotia, Canada (speaking French!).

2. At 21, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in science and later on with a bachelor’s degree in education, majoring in science and math high school education, with no intention of ever, ever becoming a science and math teacher.

3. Met and fell in love with a Louisiana man, followed him to Louisiana, and married him.

4. 9 months later, had baby #1.

5. 11 months later, had baby #2.

6. 18 months later, had baby #3.

7. While tending to three babies, helped run Louisiana man’s business, the Blue Moon Saloon & Guesthouse, and started a real estate development/rental company.

8. Three years later, desperately needing a creative outlet, started a clothing line and a blog.

9. Continuously asked myself if this is really what I loved to do .

10. Got really tired (see bullet points 4 through 9).

11. After 2 years, retired clothing line and blog.

12. In 2015, bought an old, 10,000-square-foot warehouse in ruins because, you know, why not?

13. In the same year, my father passed away totally out of the blue.

14. EPIC existential crisis follows. WHERE HAVE THE LAST 10 YEARS OF MY LIFE GONE?

15. Cut all my hair off.

16. Decided something had to change—I was going to TRULY find my passion, dammit!

17. Started to really find joy in renovating and designing warehouse ruins (now Warehouse 535).

18. AH-HA MOMENT.

19. Enrolled in interior design at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

20. 4 years of blood, sweat, and COMPLETE MELTDOWNS follow.

21. Graduated with a bachelor’s degree in interior design. Awarded design excellence for all 8 semesters and received the Faculty Award in my senior year.

22. Took a life-changing 3-week trip to Italy, by myself, to decompress and to be inspired by Brunelleschi, Scarpa, Michelangelo, Botticelli, and every square inch of the Amalfi coast. (Note: If you ever meet me, I might never shut up about that trip, so it’s probably best to avoid the subject altogether).

23. Took the plunge and launched NLB Design.

 

Whew! So that, my friends, is how I got here, and it turns out that I’ve been designing, in some capacity, for most of my adult life.

 

Oftentimes, the answer is right in front of your face.