Balseline, Subiaco
Timber, glass, hair, colouring, product design, components.
Adding new window display to the previously completed Baseline Hairdressing Salon In a way that was befitting the original concept of the salon interior. The new window display unit reinforces the ethos of the salon as a celebration of the creativity of hair dressing, where the work of local artists rotates through the salon to reinforce the spirit of creativity. The timber battens to the wall lining conceal acoustic insulation with the battens representing strands of hair. The blue and green stained timber along with the colours of the wallpaper represent the hair colouring process.
The design service provided by Neil Cownie included product design and documentation, pricing and coordination of fabrication and installation.
CLIENT BRIEF
Clients Liz & Michele who were enjoying the previously completed salon interior fit-out approached Neil again to add to his previous work with the interior design. Wanting to make product that the salon had for sale feature more prominently, they asked Neil to design a shopfront display unit. The display unit needed to provide some storage while also providing good visibility to the product for sale both from within the salon and from the street frontage.
From Liz & Michele following the completion of their salon: 'Working with Neil was an absolute pleasure! From the moment we engaged in his services, we knew we were in capable hands. Neil's attention to detail, creativity, and dedication to ensuring our new salon space was truly unique was impeccable.
The very first sneak peek of the initial design was a WOW moment for us. Neil captured the essence of our vision, even before we fully articulated it ourselves. Neil involved us in every aspect, ensuring the design brief and build were on track.
Our favourite feature was the bespoke handcrafted door handle that perfectly represented Baseline's unique vibe. The salon now functions so well thanks to the thoughtful planning and layout of the space. We couldn't be happier with the result and highly recommend Neil to anyone seeking a skilled and passionate designer. Thank you for transforming our space into something truly extraordinary!'
HISTORY OF PLACE AND PEOPLE
The area now known as Subiaco was the homeland of the Whadjuk Noongar people long before European settlers arrived. According to early plans, the original name for what is now part of Subiaco was Wandaraguttagurrup, which has subsequently been identified as a camping place near Hamersley Road.1
The Baseline Salon is located within the Crossways shopping complex that was originally built in 1972.
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
The window display unit needed to provide visibility to the product that was for sale both from within the salon and from the street frontage. The unit also needed to provide storage for the additional product that was not currently on display.
Neil devised a sculptural unit that was comprised of expressed components, celebrating their points of connection. The components allowed for ease of transportation and assembly on site at the salon of the final pieces of fabricated display unit.
The solid base with drawer unit that provided longer term storage at the bottom where it gave weight and stability for the whole structure. Columns or ‘legs’ were constructed from 35mm timber dowels, curved to radius at the top and seen as one continuous leg on both sides of the base. At each column support leg was a ‘twin’ leg with horizontal timber dowel element providing bracing and the support for the shelves. Shelving was from both timber shelves and patterned glass shelving. The timber columns were stained with the same green and blue timber stain used elsewhere in the original salon fit-out where the stain colours were designed to reflect the process of colouring hair in the salon.
