Val Nehez – Principal

“There was also the idea that designers, if they’re good, don’t just have the ability to create something out of nothing. They have a sensibility, seeing what others can’t see, empathizing with peoples aspirations.” Gianfranco Zaccai Continuum

Val Nehez is enjoying a second life in Philadelphia. After growing up in West Mt. Airy and attending Germantown Friends School, Val moved to upstate New York to study at Bard College and Vassar College focusing on art history and architecture. Val was deeply affected by the rich history and natural beauty of the Hudson River Valley. Her first design projects were the creation of two restaurants in the then ghost town of Tivoli, NY. Val designed all aspects of the two restaurants including the interiors, menu and restaurant logos. Both restaurants, own and operated by Val, were celebrated with favorable reviews in the New York Times travel section, New York Times food section and the New York Daily News. Before selling the restaurants to focus on a career in design, Val published a cookbook with Simon and Schuster.

Living in the Hudson Valley and spending ten years as a restauranteur, shaped Val’s future career as an artist and designer. Val strives to create environments for her clients that invite them to bring their own idiosyncrasies and personalities to them. “I’ve gained the ability to dance in the moment with my clients, bring joy and tears to the design process as the projects take a direction of their own and have learned the grace of moving with it.”