Hasta La Ideas

Ghostly images of building facades decorate hanging fabric screens in a beauty salon in Omiya, Japan.

Completed by designer Tetsuya Ito of Tokyo firm Takara Space Design, the three-storey salon joins together two buildings – a former gallery and an old shoe shop.

Mirrors hang across the printed windows of the black and white screens to create the illusion of real openings.

Chandeliers of fluorescent tube rings illuminate the reception, while additional rings glow behind a two-storey-high curtain to lead visitors up to first floor styling rooms.

See more stories about salons and spas here, including one where customers sit at large wooden frames.

Photography is by Takara Belmont.

Here’s some more text from Tetsuya Ito:

This is a project to open an additional salon for the young owner who is running local salon in the neighbourhood.

Location is in Omiya city which is a local city next to Tokyo.

This project converts two separate existing buildings as one salon.

One is a three floor concrete gallery building converted to a beauty salon and office, another is flat wooden structure shoe store building to converted to manicure salon and personal styling-shampoo room for special guests.

Layout of salon is set a shampoo area in the center of space and it divides a styling area and reception area to make access easily from each styling station.

I used printed translucent construction cover screen as a divider and make this booth as a small misty building inside of another building. The reason I selected this material is this mesh structure can make translucent effect and at the same time for very tight budget.

Click above for larger image

2nd floor is also beauty salon. I open up existing ceiling for cove lighting. 2 styling mirrors hanged on the graphic windows on the screen.

3rd floor is office.

Click above for larger image

Another flat building is for manicure and pedicure salon and set personal styling shampoo room under the existing loft.

I made the chandelier by tying circle fluorescent lights and hanging lights inside the screen cylinder at the staircase to connect two separate areas as one design concept.

Smarten up your look at one of the original modern barbershops

by Warren Rubin

Often a rushed process in a man’s morning routine, grooming is rarely given the time and effort needed to pull off a truly polished look. Enter The Grooming Lounge—an upscale barbershop run by grooming guru Michael Gilman and his team of experts. Since launching the Lounge in ’99, Gilman has expanded his operation to include a line of products, a comprehensive guide to grooming, a blog, online shop and several brick-and-mortar locations on the U.S.’ East Coast.

Gilman recently added an iPhone app to the list, which sends an anonymous tip to an unsuspecting gentlemen alerting them of their grooming faux pas. If someone you know has excess nose hair, wears too much cologne or has a beard on the back of their neck, the app will clue him in.

My visit to the Washington, D.C. location left me impressed with The Grooming Lounge’s dedication to service. I was immediately greeted by the cheerful staff and offered a beverage before being seated, where a grooming expert explained the specifics of the haircut and shave I was to receive.

The hot lather shave, one of their signature services, was the highlight of my experience. Featuring a marathon of hot towels between phases, the grooming expert began by gently massaging their Mug Cleaner face wash into my skin. After another hot towel, came a layer of their award-winning Beard Master shave oil. Featuring key ingredients like meadowfoam oil, peppermint oil and avocado oil, the product has been hailed as a revolutionary among present shaving solutions. She then applied The Grooming Lounge’s Beard Destroyer shave cream and Best For Last after shave, both welcome departures from traditional creams that are loaded with scents and chemicals. An ice-cold towel finale left my mug feeling the most smooth, soft and energized it’s ever been.

To check out their products or find a location, see their website.

A greaser-inspired Milanese salon you wouldn’t mind getting stuck in your hair

Named for a ’50s brand of pomade, Gum is a trio of hairstylists playing off the gravity-defying greaser hairstyles to come up with looks suited for the modern man. The salon, located in Milan’s fashionable Ticinese area, mixes the old-school aesthetic and vintage furnishings with quality cuts and clever ‘dos that go far beyond the rockabilly pompadour.

The stylists each focus on their individual talents—with Alice scheduling appointments, Stefano cutting hair and Monica applying color, Gum tailors each style for each client’s hair type. Through collaborations with photographers and make-up artists, Gum has steadily built a large presence in the fashion and music industries in the few years since it opened.

On a recent visit to Gum, I couldn’t have been more satisfied with the experience. A cozy atmosphere, no more than two customers at once, a welcome drink, wi-fi—not to mention dedicated time for choosing the right style and a head massage with perfumed balms—Gum provides an altogether deep, personal and flawless experience.

Zurich designer Claudia Meier has completed a hairy hair salon in Zurich, Switzerland. (more…)

Japanese architects Archivision Hirotani Studio have completed a beauty parlour clad with copper in Omotesando in Tokyo, Japan. (more…)