The Wall That Almost Never Was

Throughout my career, I’ve mostly worked with people and on projects I believe in completely. So when it came to Blue Nomad, I hoped to continue the same streak. Silvana helped me do exactly that. She came to the project with genuine belief and commitment, and my partnership with her remains one of the highlights of building Blue Nomad v1.

I didn’t do the best job documenting our time working together, but just last week I stumbled across a string of texts. It was me at 6:46 a.m. on a Saturday, spiraling about whether one of the studio’s key design features, the wall, might need to come down. The way she met me in those texts, with openness, optimism, and an even hand, is honestly how she showed up every step of the way.

I found Silvana after scouring the ADPro directory, meeting with several designers, and even starting with a couple but eventually stopping because something did not feel quite right. There was always a faint hesitation, a sense they might see this as a small project and give me half effort, or worse, replicate every other spa out there. I kept faith and kept searching for someone who would truly get it, who would believe in the project as much as I do. That is a longshot, because the truth is most, if not all, will never care as much as you do. Silvana was different. After our first call, I knew she was the one to partner with.

Whenever I voiced hesitation, she often reassured and reminded me this was her work too.

Back to the wall.

(Initial renderings)

Her initial renderings showed clear brick blocks, but after we updated the lighting design, we both felt something was missing. I suggested adding colored bricks. We moved forward by selecting shades and ordering blocks. Because we only had a limited number of each color, Silvana created a custom placement I had never seen before. It looked great in renderings, as everything does, but once built I grew ambivalent. At first I loved it. Then I hated it. I worried I had pushed too far and that others would dislike it, especially after someone told me it looked too 80s and dated.

Suddenly, I wondered if I had not considered others in the equation. Maybe this feature would not be received as I intended. Classic descent into low-vibration thinking (!!!!). The intent behind the design was honest: the material selection, the placement, function, everything. Still, I let doubt creep in. Then I wanted to tear down the very thing I had suggested and insisted on.

When I brought this to Silvana, her response was measured and thoughtful. She stood firm on loving the design but was equally open to a rebuild. She never dismissed my concerns, but she never wavered in holding the bigger vision either.

Today, that wall is one of the most photographed, commented-on parts of the studio. It holds stories and radiance.

I could probably go on and on. But what am I trying to say? Only work with people who believe in the mission and care as much as you do. Anything less is halfhearted, and halfhearted energy never builds anything worthwhile.

Watch Silvana share more on her design process here.

Book a treatment designed with great care and intention.