Bogdanova Bureau Leans into Italian Sophistication for a Men’s Salon in Kyiv

Inspired by the noble notion of grooming represented in Italian culture, architect Olga Bogdanova looked at the life and styles of European socialites for the design of the intimate salon Cabinet Barbiere in Kyiv’s historic Sofiyivska Square. With the capacity to serve only one or two clients at a time, Bogdanova and her team create a statement in the 484-square-foot space through the use of dramatic materials, such as a green marble display wall for haircare products, which takes on the appearance of an art installation. “Pieces of modern art redouble an intellectual mood of the place,” Bogdanova shares, noting that black herring-bone parquet pattern flooring, dark walnut wood paneling, and chairs upholstered in leather contribute to the bourgeois atmosphere. Brass hardware and recessed lighting add a warmth to the salon and diffuse a soft light onto the books and various accessories displayed in the built-in shelves. “At some point, a customer could feel that he came not to a beauty salon, but to visit some Italian aristocrat,” says Bogdanova. It’s this very illusion that the design of Cabinet Barbiere transforms into a reality for clients—if only for the length of their appointment.