Design shapes every moment of our lives, from the spoons we use at breakfast to the spaces we call home. I'm Abbey Nova, and I've spent years exploring the stories behind the objects that shape our daily experiences. As a design historian, novelist (and long ago, documentary filmmaker), I weave together different ways of seeing and understanding the world around us. Since 2006, when I founded Design Scouting, I've shared discoveries about everything from 19th-century silver patterns to hand-painted grocery signs, celebrating how the things we live with matter.
Professional Experience My training began at Parsons with a Master's in Design History, which opened doors to enriching experiences at places like the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There, as the Tiffany & Co. Foundation Curatorial Intern in American Decorative Arts, I worked with Louis Comfort Tiffany's design drawings and contributed research to the decorative arts curators of the American Wing.
My research spans centuries - full of fascinating stories – from Cassiano Dal Pozzo's 17th-century 'paper museum' to American silver manufacturing and the evolution of design at the turn of the 20th century. I've shared these explorations through writing in Anthology, The Magazine Antiques, the Journal of the Archives of American Art, The Kitchn, and Etsy.
What's New The past decade, rich with the work of life, has deepened my understanding of how design shapes our experiences. While raising another child, writing a speculative fiction novel, and collaborating with my sister on two films, I've grown as a writer and thinker, developed a more nuanced appreciation for the objects we create, inherit, and adapt. This weekly newsletter combines scholarly curiosity with genuine enthusiasm for finding joy in small moments.
What You'll Find Here Design Scouting is where all these threads come together – design history, personal stories, and everyday discoveries. Each newsletter weaves together observations about the objects and spaces that shape our lives, while leaving room for conversations about the full spectrum of human experience.
Free subscribers receive:
Two Sunday newsletters monthly
Access to 'Daily Dose of Green' - your morning moment of visual inspiration
Access to my curated finds on Amazon and Etsy
Paid subscribers join a deeper conversation with:
Four Sunday newsletters monthly
Access to 'Daily Dose of Green' - your morning moment of visual inspiration
Access to subscriber-only posts exploring auctions, museum visits, and design discoveries
In addition, Design Scouting Circle members receive:
Limited-edition physical mailings that bring our digital conversations into the tangible world
A Note From Me to You I know that paid subscriptions are an investment, especially in a world where digital content often feels unlimited. Your support, whether through reading free posts, using shopping links (where I may earn a small commission), or following along on Instagram and Pinterest, helps keep this space alive and growing. I'm grateful for every person who joins this community, bringing their own perspective to our ongoing conversation about design, life, and the moments that connect them.
