I tell my clients everyday to not worry, that the world has not gone mad, it’s just evolving. Consumers are changing, their wants and needs have reached a breaking point.

Too much information leads to delusion, and now we have a brand new consumer profile → the wellness consumer.

→ The global wellness industry doubled since 2013, reaching $6.8-trillion in 2024.
→ From 2024-2029 it will expand by 7.6% annually and is expected to reach $9-billion in 2029.

I’ve been talking about this for nearly a decade, if not more. Spaces & amenities are most often not congruent to their ideal customer. Because as you might imagine, even the customer doesn’t know “exactly” what they need.

It’s our responsibility to discover what that might be.

But too often, this rather important responsibility falls on individuals that design from “frameworks,” as if each concept, destination, etc…is essentially the same. As if each customer, is essentially the same, too 🙃

When the goal is wellness, I like to refer to a concept called “the psychology of home.”

A sunlit flooded room, a social kitchen, a biophilic design space, a sensory rich bathroom, all have one major thing in common: they are layered sensory experiences that prioritize comfort over strict formality.

We can transform the feelings of home across spaces by using:
→ sensory, tactile & healing textures (linen, wool, even infrared healing yarns)
→ layered lighting (less harsh overhead lights to more intimate moods)
→ biophilic design elements (more plants and natural elements)
→ warm & natural materials (the terracottas and ambers)

A sensory-rich bathroom can act as a spa-like retreat when complemented with natural materials. A biophilic space drenched with nature, as if you’ve been planted in a garden to bloom, has been proven to lower cortisol levels measurably.

From hotel → home, and vice-versa because wellness is not an afterthought. It’s the core focus of this consumer profile. Recreating spacial sanctuaries is not a future-thing, by any means. It is the today-thing that will boost us into the future, as even other designers I speak to are equally involved in designing with this intention in mind.

Some things I’ve come across:
→ people are staying longer & spending more (ex. I designed a 65-day honeymoon for a client who’s been everywhere).
→ spaces are getting more intimate (ex. Vacation homes are often untapped real estate opportunities that I occasionally have the privilege of commercializing when clients open the door to it).

Furniture is also getting more intimate with the comeback of the conversation pit from the 60’s. I’ve personally always loved it and truly see how meaningful it can look in both a commercial and residential space 👇

→ more personalized & more human attention (ex. AI is just the seamless background infrastructure, but clients deeply crave being taken care of, aka the human touch)
→ merchandise add-ons are complementary (ex. adaptogen, functional and alcohol-free drinks are sold next to your favorite cocktail mixer. I’ve seen it in Napa and it goes back to one of my last deep dives: The $3.8-Trillion Shift in Your Glass + Future of Alcohol & Mocktails)

…and of course, last but not least, the level of wellness you get is in direct relation to your overall health. So, choosing what you eat as much as what you wear, where you sleep, who you engage with…really it’s all wellness!

It’s the wealth we don’t speak about often, but it matters the most.

Lighting up a room & creating a sunlit haven…

…can be boosted with objects like the Conterie from Barovier & Toso, a legendary brand. For over 700-years, Barovier & Toso have been perfecting light from Italian Murano glass and placing their artifact-like items in homes and spaces globally.

What I adore about this special elevated object:
◾ Inspired by archival porcelain jewelry from the historic Barovier&Toso and Ginori 1735 collections, the Conterie floor lamp blends collectible design with sculptural artistry.
◾ Crafted with mouth-blown Murano Venetian crystal and hand-finished porcelain beads, the lamp incorporates multiple traditional glassmaking techniques including ballotòn, rigadìn, and rigamenà, giving it exceptional texture and depth.
◾ Designed by Luca Nichetto, the piece merges Italian craftsmanship with contemporary luxury design, making it suitable for refined residential, hospitality, and collectible interiors.
◾ The elongated silhouette and soft conical Murano glass diffuser create a warm, delicate ambient glow that functions as both architectural lighting and statement décor.

Finished with galvanized gold metal detailing and premium artisan materials, the Conterie lamp….

…carries the presence of a gallery object rather than a conventional lighting fixture.

Catching (tasting) flights, not feelings…

…with wellness, but make it caviar and Napa pours 🍷