Bar Nouveau

experience design & Strategy
Hospitality & Experiential

Role

  • Restaurant concept development & launch strategy
  • Steps of Service design & hospitality training
  • Guest journey mapping & touchpoint evaluation
  • Restaurant Operations & Systems Building
  • Brand identity, positioning & storytelling
  • Community building & cultural partnerships
  • Content strategy for hospitality & lifestyle brands
Bar Nouveau began as a vision and became a fully realized restaurant through thoughtful leadership and experience design. From the earliest stages, my role was to shape not just the business, but the environment and culture that define how a space feels to both guests and team.

Working closely with the chef and owner, I led the development of foundational systems that allowed the restaurant to grow with clarity and intention. This included shaping service standards, building and mentoring the team, and designing a guest experience where warmth and detail are felt from the moment of arrival. Rituals, from a welcome cocktail to checks presented inside vintage novels, were designed as subtle, memorable touchpoints that define the experience.
The result was both immediate and sustained: over 30 five-star reviews within the opening months, fully booked service, and profitability achieved in under three months. The restaurant also received a featured in-print review from Portland Monthly Magazine, reinforcing its position as a standout dining experience.

More than performance, Bar Nouveau reflects my approach to experience design, balancing structure with flexibility, and building environments that evolve naturally while maintaining a clear, human-centered point of view.


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Photography: One Haus Creative | Design: Julianne Seely

Role

  • Experience Design & Strategy
  • Concept Development & Environment Design
  • End-to-End Program Leadership
  • Team Development & Service Systems
  • Guest Journey & Interaction Design
Glass of amber cocktail with a lemon twist and a cherry on a floral patterned saucer next to a section of a printed menu.Two triangular toasts topped with pink meat mousse, pickled onions, chives, dollops of mustard, and a red sauce on a floral-patterned plate.
Blurred person setting a table with wine glasses, plates, and napkins in a restaurant with green chairs and blue wall adorned with floral art and two gold-framed mirrors.Plate of roasted chicken drumsticks with garlic cloves, crispy bread cubes, fresh parsley, and creamy sauce.
Plate of ridged potato chips topped with crispy bacon pieces, pickled red onions, chopped herbs, and a creamy sauce.Wall painting of two yellow frogs climbing green stems with leaves and purple flowers, above a small ornate wooden shelf holding three lit candles.Wooden wall-mounted photo holder with nine Polaroid pictures of people in a cozy setting, against wallpaper covered in newspaper text.
Glass of whiskey with an ice cube, a lemon twist, and a black cherry on a skewer, placed on a dark wooden surface next to a stack of decorative plates and a menu.Vintage romance novel titled 'A Different Reality' by Nora Powers next to chocolates and a glass of amber liquid on floral china plates.
Framed painting of two white rabbits with black ears eating a leafy vegetable, surrounded by autumnal dried flowers and leaves.Two deviled eggs garnished with chopped herbs and small pickles on a white plate, next to a clear cocktail glass with a light-colored drink.
Close-up of soft buns topped with shell shaped pats of butter and sprinkled with coarse salt.Stack of soft pretzel knots topped with pats of butter and coarse salt on a white pedestal plate with pink cloth on a wooden table.
Stack of Bar Nouveau business cards resting in a decorative glass dish with a matching lid.White line art of a woman with hair in a bun, framed by a stylized crescent moon, on a glass surface with blurred background.
Plate with roasted chicken drumsticks, croutons, garlic cloves, and parsley on a wooden table, served with a small plate of deviled eggs and a glass of rosé wine.Three women standing side by side, each holding vintage romance novels partially covering their faces, against a pink background.
Ornate gold-framed floral painting, gold wall sconce with a lit candle, gold-framed mirror, and a gold table with a vase of pink feathers on a pink wall.Stack of white napkins embroidered with a red rose laid on a wooden tray on a dark wooden surface.
Dark red cocktail with an orange peel garnish on a wooden shelf surrounded by stacked decorative plates and books.Plate of roasted chicken with garlic and herbs on a table set with wine glasses, deviled eggs, and vintage-style glassware.
DHW is about designing experiences that make people feel welcome. Informed by hospitality and real-world practice, the work is shaped by how people move through and experience a space, from the first hello to the final goodbye.

Select Clients

James Beard AwardsAbigail Hall High TeaGabbianosTake TwoAngela Vineyards
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