| Owners: John and Adriana Vater Location: Huntington, New York Opened: December 1983 Total square feet: 4,700—1,700 square feet of that is an in-house educational facility, break rooms, office rooms and storage Salon setup: 5 styling stations, 6 color stations, 5 treatment rooms, 2 nail stations, 2 pedicure stations, 4 shampoo bowls, 1 color bar Equipment: Etopa and custom |
Is the extra effort worth it? “Absolutely,” Vater says. He notes that helping the environment is also helping the community. “The health of a business is related to the health of the community,” he says. “We are helping maintain and improve our community.”
The Vaters turned to friend and archaeologist Luis Echeverria to help design the Mayan-themed spa.
In these images, Vater points out the important green aspects of the design.
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| Vater: “The reception desk and furniture in the retail area are made by Etopa, which uses environmentally conscious and sustainable materials, like rubberwood, which Etopa replants to reduce global warming.” |
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| “The entrance is similar in appearance to walking into a Mayan temple. It immediately instills a very earthy, very natural feel. The tiles get lighter as your eyes move up, which makes it an inviting atmosphere that brings you toward the light of the inside space, which has a very good sense of permanence to it because of the aged, distressed feeling of the stucco.” |
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| “Having
a water element is necessary for purifying the air, and helps reduce
dust, pollutants and smells from chemicals or unwanted aromas. The
structure also creates a semi-privacy screen between the service area
and reception area. It doesn’t limit the aesthetic of open space; it’s
translucent so it allows light and motion to pass through the glass,
while still being a carrier of privacy.” |
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| “The stucco isn’t painted; it was tinted using a beet extract that Mayans used in pottery. We brought up the patina from the Yucatan to add into the stucco. As Luis Echeverria and I were brushing on the beet extract, which is an antioxidant, it appeared a red violet color. When it dries, it makes the stucco a warm orange color. The limestone in the stucco oxidizes the beet extract and brings it to its complementary tone.” |
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| “We used outdoor furniture for our spa comfort area because it has a very natural, organic feel—plus we don’t ever have to replace it because teak wood lasts forever. This wall art is under the skylight. We use a lot of organic, indirect light that comes through naturally. It’s not harsh or obtrusive and helps reduce power usage during daylight hours.” |
ALISON SHIPLEY, EDITOR OF FIRST CHAIR & MODERN SALON’S EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA/VIDEO 
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