Cat-Friendly Desk Setup in Berlin, Germany

Name: Nicholas Christowitz

Location: Berlin, DE

Occupation: Digital designer

Room size: 9 m² (97 ft²)

Cost of setup: ~€9K ($9,8K)

Social media: Instagram

Hello! Tell us a bit about yourself

I’m a designer from Johannesburg, and I’ve been in Berlin for almost eight years.

My career started in graphic design, branding, and illustration, and has since shifted to digital product design, with a focus on websites and apps.

I work for myself, and that has been the case for most of the 14 years I’ve been a designer.

When I was younger and had too much ambition (and the privilege of being able to go back home and live with my folks if it all went wrong), I started a coffee roastery and café company with my best friends.

It’s still growing 11 years later.

I also started a brand consultancy that worked with global brands like Levi’s, Vans, and Ray-Ban.

Running businesses taught me valuable lessons (mostly that I don’t want to run businesses) that have helped me forge the career I want.

At 35, I think I’ve finally found my groove in the industry.

I struggle to work in teams, I shun urgency, I find the startup scene a bit sleazy, and I believe in making things slowly and thoughtfully.

I’ve been lucky enough to pick up clients along the way who feel the same way. Shoutout to Chris from SwiftUI Field Guide and Romario (ex-BLOK PM).

Take us through your setup

My office is a relatively small space (just 3×3 m), but one entire side is glass, which gives me a lot of natural light (essential in Berlin winters) and plenty to look at when my eyes need a break from the screen.