A New Chapter for the Soma Studio Lounge
Sometimes a space needs to evolve to reflect how the vision that created it has moved.
Seventeen years ago, when we first imagined Soma as a world center for Nia trainings, we wanted the Studio Lounge to reflect the beautiful diversity and possibility of the Nia journey.
So we brought in all the colors of the belts: white, green, blue, brown, black, and red. Even purple walls for the “everybody” belt that ultimately never quite came to light.
For nearly two decades, those colors, and the art, furnishings, photographs, and memories surrounding them, have been part of the story of Soma.
Soma has evolved. And we felt it was time for the Studio Lounge to evolve with it.
Time for an Update
We began by asking a simple question:
What would this space feel like if we started fresh?
With the help of AI, we created previews of the Studio Lounge with the walls painted entirely white and entirely green.
Then we asked our community:
Which do you prefer?
The response was wonderfully clear.
GREEN.
Not just a little green. A resounding, enthusiastic yes to green!
So we listened.
We took down the pictures.
We moved out the furniture.
We repaired the walls.
We cleared the space.
And then we chose the perfect green: Clary Sage.
We brought in professional painters, and watched as the room transformed.
And Wow.
The difference is remarkable.
The new green walls have given the Studio Lounge an entirely different feeling. The welcoming room feels calmer, cleaner, more grounded, more spacious, and somehow more alive. We are amazed how a change in color can change the way a room breathes.
And now that we've seen the beauty of the simple green walls, we've realized something else:
We don't want to cover them up.
The walls are beautiful just as they are.
So this next phase isn't simply about repainting. It's about “redesigning”
We're looking at the furniture and furnishings with fresh eyes.
What is essential?
What truly serves the space?
What can be repurposed?
What can be released?
We're envisioning cleaner lines, less visual clutter, more open space, and a deeper sense of calm.
We're also fixin’ to polish up the floor and redesign the kitchen, helping the entire Studio Lounge feel cohesive, welcoming, and ready for this next chapter of Soma.
From Many Colors to One Beautiful Field
There is something poetic about this transformation.
For 17 years, the Studio Lounge celebrated the many colors of the Nia belt journey.
Now, as Soma has grown and expanded beyond its original vision, we're discovering the power of simplicity.
Not necessarily fewer possibilities.
Just less clutter and stuff around them.
And perhaps that's what evolution really is, not throwing away where we've been, instead creating enough spaciousness to see where we're going.
The colors are still part of our story.
The trainings, the people, the laughter, the sweat, the conversations, the celebrations, the countless memories, all of that lives in Soma.
And the room itself (like us) is ready to breathe, release and create space for what is to come next.
We look forward to sharing the end result, for now, here is…
A Little Taste…
Below are the AI previews that helped us imagine the possibilities—a glimpse of the white and green options we shared with our community before making the decision.
The finished photos should be up next week, so stay tuned for the full reveal of the newly refreshed Soma Studio Lounge.
A new color.
A new feeling.
A little less clutter.
A little more space to breathe.
And, as always, room for whatever comes next.
