Salon’s Beacon Hill Showroom Is Cool, Contemporary, and so Cozy
Designer Amanda Pratt creates a sophisticated space complete with a coffee bar.
Photo by Read McKendree
When interior designer Amanda Pratt decided to launch a home-goods showroom with a café and an adjacent gallery, naming her new venture “Salon” was a no-brainer. “It’s derived from Parisian salons of the Gertrude Stein era when there was a [focus] on bringing together art and culture and creating an environment around them that feels special,” she says. The Beacon Hill space, which opened inside a 19th-century brick building in November 2018, features a curated selection of contemporary furnishings and décor, mostly handmade by women. With soft blue walls and original refinished terrazzo floors, Salon feels cozy, calming, and full of surprises—including the showroom restroom, dressed up with a wallcovering by Eskayel and a mirror by Ben & Aja Blanc. “We wanted the whole space to feel on-brand and showcase what we do, so I decided even the bathroom needs to be beautiful,” Pratt says with a laugh.
Read on to see how the designer brought her chic showroom to life.
Photo by Move Mountains Co.
Because Salon is located inside a protected historical building, all changes to the outside of the space, such as hanging the shop’s sign, required preapproval by the Beacon Hill Architectural Commission. “Everything has to be, on the exterior, contextually appropriate for the historical nature of the building,” Pratt (pictured) explains.
Photo by Read McKendree
The designer says she wanted the showroom to have a café—stocked with Tandem coffee, tea, and pastries—to give a wide range of people “a reason to come in” and enjoy some sips “surrounded by beautiful things.” The leathered-marble coffee bar, lit by Rosie Li chandeliers with copper palm fronds and an alabaster ball, is no exception.
Photo by Read McKendree
Designed by Pratt and crafted by Brooklyn-based Kin & Company, the showroom’s blackened steel shelves forgo harsh angles in favor of softly curved forms. “They feel more delicate and welcoming than hard edges,” she explains. For the walls, Pratt chose Farrow & Ball’s “Lulworth Blue” because it’s “equal parts warm and cool” and provides an impactful yet subdued pop of color.
Photo by Move Mountains Co.
The dazzling window displays and plush seating (currently from London-based brand Sé) near the door at Salon are ever-changing, and that’s because everything in the showroom is for sale. “You could walk in and say, ‘I want that light fixture over the coffee bar’ and I have to come up with something new,” says Pratt, who handpicks each item in the shop.
Interior Designer
Amanda Pratt Design
