An Intimate Sanctuary Redefining Beauty

In Melbourne’s South Yarra, local interior design studio Biasol designed a new space for beauty salon Akmē Beauty where luxe and elegance meet sensuality. Here, Biasol founder and director Jean-Pierre Biasol dives deeper into the project

‘Our clients approached us with a strong vision of evolving their brand and customer experience well into the future. They sought to create a destination that would change people’s perceptions of self-care and beauty by cultivating a sense of place — an inviting sanctuary within a warm and welcoming environment where clients would feel at home.     

‘Clients are welcomed into a light-filled double-height waiting area beneath soaring ceilings. Soft linen sheers become a literal and figurative veil between the frenetic pace of busy Toorak Road and the intimate tranquillity inside. This allows for gentle detachment, a mental loosening in sync with functionality. Filtered sunlight is cast upon an abstract composition of travertine floors, undulating over bouclé, sand-textured walls and natural timber. Paper pendants float above the embracing folds of a generous sofa, which sweeps in a series of curves to anchor the waiting area. This is a welcoming vignette that beckons from the street and references the clean curves and graceful arches throughout.

‘Spanning over two levels, a curation of neutral tones defines a considered approach to materiality. This approach draws attention to natural patinas and textures, accentuating the warmth and enduring beauty of each material and imbuing the space with harmony and balance. The use of tones, textures, soft gentle curves and arches across the space combines luxurious, elegant and minimalistic design gestures, which are further emphasised through a strong connection between the interiors and the brand identity.’      

Images by Timothy Kaye