Lodged on the ground floor of an interwar building, in the heart of Athens' upscale Kolonaki district, the Saitis Nektarios hair salon is inspired by the multiple layers of history of the site.
By removing the remnants of past interventions, our goal was to preserve the old architectural elements like the initial wall patina, the original wooden floor, and the interior doors, in order to highlight the memory of the place. The stripped-down shell was then filled with a curated collection of furnishings from different eras, providing an eclectic yet poised atmosphere.
The interior design focuses on the balance produced through the thoughtful juxtaposition of seemingly contrasting objects. Modern furniture made to measure is paired with unique vintage pieces that were handpicked from the former antique store that was housed there before.
The classicism of the marble surfaces along with the refined bronze details on the mirrors and the vintage sconces are complimented with handpicked antique cabinets and a large gesso mirror with an ornate frame.
The Maletti leather chairs embrace the custom, free-standing stations made of white marble and round metal tubes with bronze details, whose elegant scale provokes a feeling of lightness and elation.
The inside/outside play is evident both in the textured glass box serving as a private massage area and in the hair treatment room whose ceiling lightbox replicates the smooth sunlight during the daytime. In addition, the industrial feel of the bare walls with exposed bricks and the concrete columns harmoniously blend with the wooden floor, while the floral leaf wallpaper ties in with the small jungle we created in the outdoor space and the potted plants we placed inside.
More than an exercise in artful equilibrium between multiple styles, the Saitis beauty salon becomes greater than the sum up of its parts to emanate a feeling of timeless comfort.