THE INTERIOR ART OF CREATING WELLNESS
The Sum of IUs health and wellness centre, Prahran.
‘Wellness is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.’
– World Health Organisation
In the pursuit of ‘Wellness’ we are now looking for a complete holistic experience. We are looking for an escape from our busy lives. When we exercise now we will often seek out spaces that make us feel like we are on holidays, or somewhere that gives us the feeling of being nurtured.
New boutique yoga studios, pilates studios and day spas are popping up in every suburb and they are much more than just a place to exercise. Studio owners are seeing a need to give their clients a feeling that they have entered a retreat, somewhere to call a second home.
What are the secrets of creating a calm environment, a place that people will be drawn to and not want to leave?
To find the answers to these questions I tracked down Alicia McKimm and Kylie Dorotic, the founders and directors of GOLDEN, a multi award-winning boutique interior design studio that is focused on creating intelligent interior spaces.
The GOLDEN team has become the sought after experts in designing wellness spaces. They have helped to create pilates studios, yoga centres, skin clinics, hair dressing salons and even a dog wellness centre.
Interview with Alicia and Kylie
Your business GOLDEN has been described as the experts when creating a ‘Wellness Space’. How would you describe a wellness space and why have you been marked as experts in this field of design?
At GOLDEN when designing we consider, the journey and experience in each space, how you feel in the space and the location and offering. An example of a wellness space can be a yoga or fitness studio, a skin clinic or a meditation centre. They are spaces that have become our retreats from the chaos of our day to day routines. So it’s important that we experience a level of comfort and relaxation when in our yoga studio or having our skin treated.
We create this level of comfort by considering all of the functional elements of the offering and seamlessly integrating these into the design to create harmony and balance between material, form and function.
What are three simple things that people should consider when creating a space to encourage wellness?
Our spaces are designed to feel like a retreat. We consider the brand and the ethos of the business and all of the functional elements and weave these into the design subtly so that the feeling you get when in the space feels like an extension of the brand. Some simple things to consider or integrate would be:
Consideration of the customer journey upon entry and making sure there is place for all of their personal items. For example, a place to hang a coat or place a phone, so that it feels like an extension of their personal space in a public space.
Consider the sensory elements, like smell and sound.
The amenities such as bathrooms and change areas are just as important as the main floor area. Some special touches and uses of materials in these areas will make a big difference in the overall experience.
Warrior One yoga oasis, Mordialloc.
Why do you think people are looking for more appealing spaces for their exercise experience?
We live busy lives, many of us spend our days in front of a computer or on our smart phones. The time we take out to exercise or have a treatment are the times we invest back into ourselves and our mental and physical health. Due to this we are seeking a more personalised, comfortable and considered experience.
What elements of design can help to make a space feel relaxing and comfortable to be in?
It’s the harmony of all of the elements such as the planning, materiality, site, sound, smell, light coming together. Natural light and fresh air can play a big role in the overall experience.
Tell me about your own homes. Have you aimed to create a space of wellness in your own homes and how have you done this?
Both our homes have an abundance of natural light. We also both live in modernist homes built in the 70s which was an era where designers carefully considered function and the balance of spaces creating a living environment that evokes a feeling or calm. We aim for our homes to become an extension of families and our personal retreats.
Seen Skin holistic skin clinic, Prahran.
Bob hair salon, South Yarra.