PROGRAM: Hair Salon

STATUS: Completed 2016

SIZE: 1,260 SF

Before our client moved into this space, it was hard to imagine how it could comfortably house six styling chairs, nine coloring stations, and five shampoo bowls, along with changing rooms, bathrooms, and back of house spaces given its limited square footage, two floor levels, and awkward room proportions. The floorplan had to be efficient so that customers could comfortably move through the space. Just off the street entrance at East 83rd Street between Madison and Fifth Avenue, there was an awkward narrow hallway of a space which we transformed into a reception area with a runway of styling chairs. After passing the styling chairs, customers step down into a larger room with waiting booths interspersed between the coloring and shampoo areas. Throughout the salon, materials are durable to handle constant foot traffic. Storage is hidden behind sliding custom walnut mirrors and thoughtfully designed so that all brushes, drying tools, scissors, and hair products have a home. Careful coordination with MEP engineers and subcontractors ensured the salon could easily handle typical heavy water usage and high electrical loads.