Umeglow is a boutique cosmetics studio specializing in brows, lashes, and skin care. As part of a move to a larger location in Vancouver’s Chinatown, the owner engaged Studio Roslyn to design an inclusive space and new visual identity with unique references to art and fashion. The playful aesthetic, which cheekily nods to the typical mint-curtained clinician’s office, sets the salon apart from other trend-focused spaces.

Our team found inspiration in postmodern minimalist 1980s interiors, looking to the era’s artist studios and residential loft apartments. We developed a palette of sleek materials like stainless steel and reeded glass combined with bold colours, eclectic furnishings, and moments of warmth. This aesthetic approach worked well to create a customer experience that feels calm, professional, and safe, but also welcoming, fun, and engaging.

Walking through the front gate, you are greeted with a luminous gradient in the stairwell that shifts from white to yellow as you ascend to the Umeglow studio. Once you step inside, the atmosphere is serene, with plenty of open space and natural light, and the sound of a stainless steel fountain pouring water on black stones. Pastel pinks, greens, and silver tones are set against clean white walls and punctuated with an iconic lipstick red to create a harmonious yet unexpected colour story. The yellow in the stairwell warms up the reception area as it radiates through the windows. The custom millwork for the retail display and reception desk combines graphic wood grain and stainless steel for a bold postmodern effect.

The treatment rooms are clean and minimal to keep the focus on the client’s comfort and the practitioner’s work, while the common areas are decorated with archival art prints, vintage 1980s furnishings, plants, and florals for more personal moments of interest. An abundant use of movable drapery divides the treatment areas, softens the environment, and makes the studio space flexible for different uses and events. At the back, a deep eggplant-painted painted hallway leads to washrooms fitted out with textured silver wallpaper and plenty of mirror space for clients to take a moment to appreciate the results of their Umeglow treatments.

View our brand design for Umeglow