Exploring the shift towards luxury experiential interior design in the beauty and wellness industry

According to The Global Wellness Economy: Country Rankings, a landmark report published by the Global Wellness Institute, Australia’s wellness economy ranks 10th in the world, with a total spend of AUD$134 billion per annum. When it comes to wellness spend per capita, Australia moves up to sixth place, with an annual spend of over AUD$5200 per person.

At the Design Show Australia, interior designers Nickolas Gurtler of Nickolas Gurtler Office; Anna Trefely of Esoteriko Interior Architecture; and Jean-Pierre Biasol of Biasol Studio discussed the shift towards high-end fit-outs in the health and wellness spaces in a panel moderated by Clare Acheson of Trout Creative Thinking.

Eschewing antiquated notions of what health, wellness, and beauty spaces should look like, these interior designers are creating experiential spaces that go beyond mere sight, catering to all the senses. Here’s what you can expect to see in premium wellness spaces.

For Anna Trefely, director at Esoteriko Interior Architecture, home is a place where you feel safe and taken care of. Translating the same comfort to health and wellness fit-outs – albeit in a more elevated manner – Anna focuses on charting the customer experience through the space, designing interiors that cater to their wants and needs.

Jean-Pierre Biasol, founder of the multi-disciplinary design studio Biasol, has also observed the lines being blurred between different disciplines. Citing hospitality as an early adopter, Jean-Pierre has seen clients within the health and wellness industry desirous of the level of texture and layer typically reserved for residential spaces. This approach has allowed brands to communicate their individual passions and story from the moment a client enters a space.

During the pandemic, Jean-Pierre worked with Insight Body and Mind, a Melbourne-based psychology practice adding yoga and pilates to their services. Biasol designed Insight’s interiors and branding to reflect their new integrated approach to mental and physical wellness, taking customers on a sensory, experiential journey through the space.

Insight is set over three levels; the psychology practice on the first level is kept deliberately dark and moody, a far cry from the conventional crisp white approach. As you progress upwards into the movement areas, colours and tones get lighter and brighter, providing a transcendental spatial experience.

Those within the beauty and wellness space are looking to provide more than a service, taking their customers on an all-encompassing journey. As such, client requests have moved beyond the quotidian. Nickolas Gurtler, founder of eponymous studio Nickolas Gurtler Interior Design, was recently tasked with an interesting request.

The founder of Cole Hair Studio in Sydney’s Double Bay wanted to create a space where customers could “feel like they were doing coke backstage with Kate Moss at a fashion show.” Sexy and sleek, the monochromatic interiors take on a high-fashion tone, deriving inspiration from Tom Ford’s work for Gucci in the 1990s. Laden with chrome detailing, black velvet, walnut timber, and dark marble, the elegant space delivers on the client’s singular request.

Claire postulates the notion that the customer journey isn’t the only consideration; the staff who provide health and wellness services are also stakeholders in the space.

“Working in a beautiful space makes people feel inspired, happy to be there, and want to deliver the best customer experience,” says Nickolas, who works to ensure the behind-the-scenes experience for staff matches the layered front-of-house design. In addition to aesthetic appeal, Nickolas aims to create spaces that are accessible and inclusive for current and future staff.

While creating an aesthetically pleasing space that caters to Instagram trends is undoubtedly front of mind for many, Anna, Nickolas, and Jean-Pierre unanimously agree that it shouldn’t be the driving force. Instead, Anna focuses on rewriting the traditional narrative of undergoing potentially awkward health or beauty services.

When designing the fit-out for Kristin Fisher Eyebrows, Anna worked to channel the excitement of entering a hotel lobby, creating a space that regular customers feel is akin to “going on a holiday in the middle of the work day.”

The Transformational Shift Towards High-End Fit-out in Health, Wellness and Beauty panel was held at the Design Show Australia, a three-day design extravaganza held at Sydney’s International Convention Centre (ICC) from the 20th to 22nd of October.

Plan your visit to the Design Show Australia here.