hår bar
Without an existing retail offering, the design strategy for this Sydney salon needed to set a peerless precedent for the brand’s values of elegance and exclusivity. The 50m2 space could have serviced many clients, however (with a blatant disregard for austerity) I created a trio of inward-facing seats complemented by two wash basins so only five clients would enjoy the space at any one time.
The dry room was approached as an art gallery, with a sculptural mirror installation inspired by French designer Mathias Kiss. The reflective surfaces are annexed together creating a fractured and distorted image in a tongue-in-cheek comment on vanity. The mirror dominates the centre of the floor, extending onto the ceiling, and reflecting the monochromatic palette below.
The wet room, in contrast, is a tableaux of rich tones. Foiled Florence Broadhurst wallpaper reflects the light of hundreds of dimly lit Edison bulbs staggered at various depths across the ceiling. The two rooms are unique in their palette of contrasting experiences yet visually flow and connect through the inverse application of marble herringbone mosaic floor tiles.
existing space
The exposed corner position of an old pharmacy in an affluent Sydney shopping district was the inspirational location for this gallery-like blow-dry bar. Glazing on two sides of the 50m2 space made the typical wall-facing format of salon seating restrictive however the double height volume allowed for a sculptural mirror installation unlike any other.
client brief
The client’s objective was to develop a luxurious gallery space that rejected the assembly-line turnover of typical blow-dry bars. A sanctuary of light and space where one might pause and reflect, and perhaps have a flute of French champagne, whilst being pampered.