Say No Mo Beauty Salon in Kyiv, Ukraine by Balbek Bureau.

Say No Mo is a beauty salon unlike any other – a brand that challenges traditional perceptions of the conventional beauty salon and its accompanying gender distinctions. Balbek Bureau’s interior that sits within the old building in Kyiv, Ukraine follows a similar philosophy. The usual partitions typically associated with this spatial typology are replaced with rough, exposed concrete and curving gold metal panels. A rough, almost industrial aesthetic is adopted throughout the scheme that manages to, despite its use of harsh materials, create a soft and calming atmosphere.

The 200-square-metre salon unfolds around deliciously curved walls, some them lined with gold titanium nitride coating. Spaces flow into one another with a continuous light-toned palette that brings a peaceful, meditative quality to different salon zones. Large windows channel sunlight across the ground floor, enhancing the expansive quality of the 4-meter high ceiling. Resulting spaces possess an almost ethereal quality as they become flooded with bright light.

Balbek Bureau explains that the cast-in-situ concrete broken arch at the salon’s entrance “serves as a metaphor for broken stereotypes in the beauty industry”. Its raw form is heightened by the exposed formwork detailing and the highly textured face that greets clients. The main interior feature weighs several hundred kilograms and required 4 months of intensive work to achieve its seemingly effortless, ‘always been there’ aesthetic.

The pedicure zone sits as a dreamy enclave separate from the outside world. Small cracks in the white-tiled walls are filled in with gold paint and spread across the room like shimmering veins. Oversized, ridiculously inviting armchairs line the walls – their soft buttery fabric stands as a counterbalance to the otherwise largely restrained vibe. If this space wasn’t intriguing enough, the interior can also transform to house a cocktail party. “Podiums are equipped with integrated sliding drawers and washbasins for the use of the salon staff,” explains the design team. “During parties, they are covered with hollow coffee tables.”

Balbek Bureau has managed to create a physical manifestation of Say No Mo’s gender-bending ethos. This unconventional salon dismantles restrictive beauty ideals, bringing a rough industrial aesthetic to an interior usually associated with slick perfection. Kudos.

Related: Usfin Atelier: Genderless Hair Salon in St Peters by George Livissianis.

[Images courtesy of Balbek Bureau. Photography by Yevhenii Avramenko.]