This Oakland Beauty Salon Elevates the Rituals Around Self-Care

Original photography by Aubrie Pick.

Original article posted at Architectural Digest by Karine Monié.

For San Francisco–based architectural design firm Homework—led by married partners Susan and Ben Work—this construction project located in the heart of downtown Oakland started with the demolition of a cluster of dated office spaces. The objective consisted of transforming the shell of the space into a state-of-the-art beauty salon for GoodBody, which specializes in textured hair.

“We think of the salon as a communal ‘third place’ for people, different from home or work, where people can be together,” Susan says. “Drawing from our experience in luxury hospitality design, we wanted this space to be comfortable and inviting but feel like you were someplace uplifting. In some ways the giant windows, 25-foot ceiling height, and axial layout give a subliminal cathedral vibe, the quintessential ‘third place.’”

To complement the raw and rectilinear space and add some bold softness and flow, the designers developed millwork curves to squeeze in and define the different areas: reception, retail, hair washing, and beauty services (including hairstyling and a separate facial services area). “The millwork on the south wall was very fun to design,” Ben confesses. “It is completely custom, it stretches over 40 feet, and it is a continuous sinuous shape that transforms to suit various functions. It starts by the entrance as a 34-inch-tall reception desk before dropping down and curving into a half-circle 25-foot upholstered bench that defines the reception area, evoking a hotel lobby. This was key to create a subtle barrier upon entry to promote a sense of privacy for the customer. The bench then reorients the customer to pass by the retail area, which picks up the same geometry of the bench.”

But what makes this space—enveloped in muted salmon-tone walls—so special is the beautiful mirrors with LED lights. Each station, with the glowing mirrors, also features swivel chairs in golden tobacco.

“The styling stations are obviously where most of the magic happens in a salon, so we wanted them to be special,” Susan says. “Compositionally, we wanted to engage the full height of the space, so we mounted the stations on steel posts that extend all the way to the ceiling, which lightens the space by allowing them to float off the ground. Casting the right kind of light on the customer is also critical. Our custom design tucks the dimmable LED behind the mirror and bounces the light off the painted wood, making the light more even, diffuse, and flattering.”

Custom-built and modern, as well as refined and cozy, this beauty salon was designed to give the ritual of self-care the importance it deserves, especially during these uncertain, challenging times.