B hive organic salon: interiors inspiration

B Hive Organic Salon is an eco-friendly salon located in the suburbs of New Jersey and was the winner of the prestigious Eco Salon Award in the annual global Davines Eco Salon Contest - here we find out more about the salon's design concept. While green and upcycled are the watchwords at this environmentally-conscious business, design certainly doesn't take a back seat. Charmingly rustic and packed with unique features, the former house turned commercial space combines sustainability with high-end salon finishes. The team worked on all aspects of the interior design themselves, even sourcing the focus items in the salon and making or building things where possible. "We really set out to prove that you could mix contemporary with vintage and rustic," explain the team. "Our retail shelves, which house the Davines product range, are all recycled tempered glass. This is very modern, but not when placed against 108-year-old barn siding, which not only has a unique texture but also has a living personality. Sustainability is really about balance and we were very conscious of mixing the right colours, textures and greenery." Accent lights are made from recycled steel and bottle glass, while the wood used for the retail wall, desk and colour table was all rescued from the same barn in Pennsylvania. And, in a neat twist, the reverse side of the wood reveals that it was infested with carpenter bees at one time! "Even though the materials used in our traditional salon equipment may be unique and meet our eco ideology, it is not as easy to spot because it blends with the traditional," reveal the team. "We have really been able to set ourselves apart with our Davines display and retail areas. Besides being seasonal or promotion-based, we are able to add environmental elements that promote conversations on topics outside of the obvious hair technique, like the Davines Slow Food project. It's a real talking point in the salon."

B Hive Organic Salon: In Pictures

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B Hive Organic Salon: In Brief

Name: The B Hive Organic Salon Address: 269 Broadway, Hillsdale, NJ 07642 Owner/s: James & Angela Alba along with Frank Flores (Father) Size: 1,500 sq ft How long have you been in the premises: 3 Years Clientele: Upscale, health-minded Number of staff: 10 Number of styling stations: Six (plus four colour stations) Budget: $150,000 USD Financing: Self Design by: James Alba Sources: West Elm, Salon Interiors, Benjamin Moore, Boards and Beams Best buy: The best buy wasn’t a buy after all. We had an old bar that was being thrown away given to us. We purchased a leftover counter top and painted a chalkboard on the front. This is a great focal point as a display in our retail area and doubles as an actual bar for events in salon.