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irst came Sydney in 2012, then Melbourne in 2016 and a smattering of pop-ups in Paris. Celebrities, models and, yes, mere mortals became hooked on the stellar service and kind nature of skin therapist Melanie Grant. But despite her continued success, Grant dreamed the American Dream, setting her

sights on Los Angeles. “The entire project, from conception to launch to the opening, has been over two years. This was defi-nitely a venture not to be rushed,” she says. “We took our time to ensure everything was carefully considered and felt right.”

The result is a studio that, despite its coveted Melrose Place address (“that was a non-negotiable, really”), feels like a comfort-able Parisian apartment — achingly chic in an understated way. “I’m spending more and more time in Paris lately, so the vision for the LA studio evolved naturally throughout the design process and is a perfect match for the space,” she says.

Said space, with its tall ceilings and herringbone floors, was whipped into Paris-inspired perfection by designer Kelvin Ho and his team at Akin Atelier, with whom Grant worked on her Melbourne outpost. “I had a very clear vision of what I wanted and Kelvin is superb at really listening and bringing that to life,” Grant says. She applauds Ho’s expertise at balancing function and form — critical to her as treatment rooms require discreet plumbing and ample space for high-tech machines, yet shouldn’t

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The celebrity skin therapist’s Melrose Place, LA, outpost blends functionality, Euro-luxe touches and a very Australian accessibility.

By Janna Johnson O’Toole

My SPACE

Melanie Grant in her new LA studio. Below: the mirrored staircase inspired by

Coco Chanel’s.

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B E A U T Y

A lounge area upstairs. Below: the therapist at work.

The studio’s iconic Melrose Place signage.

feel the slightest bit clinical. “Being a service-based space, functionality and practicality were top of mind throughout the design process,” Grant says. “Our treatment rooms serve their purpose from a client’s point of view, while also [having] a high level of comfort and intimacy.”

With both Ho and Grant based in Sydney, the project became a long-haul labour of love. Throw in Grant’s eye for European fixtures and the space has a real global influence. “I always like to source furniture and fittings myself. I really enjoy this process,” she says, admitting interiors are a passion of hers. “I found the most amazing sofa [the Moon, by designer Raphael Navot] in Paris at an atelier called Domeau & Pérès — this has to be my favourite piece in the studio.” Other standouts include reclaimed apartment doors from Paris, decor pieces from Italy, treatment beds and other spa furniture from Germany, tapware and doorknobs from London and a modern chandelier sourced from Apparatus in New York, which will hang over the “exquisite” mirrored staircase reminiscent of the one leading up to Gabrielle Chanel’s Paris apartment. (To make things a little easier, Grant did source some things locally, notably a bathtub from Waterworks across the street). It all comes together to create a beautiful, living-room-like space which Grant hopes is warm and inviting to her guests. “We even took this second-home feeling a step further and forewent any visible signs of retail or point of sale,” she says. “The result is a more immersive and collaborative engagement with my clients.”

At only a few months old, the studio has already been christened by the likes of Victoria Beckham and Phoebe Tonkin, solidifying its rightful place in Grant’s trio of booked-out skin havens. “When you walk up and see the mirrored staircase, it’s like you’re leaving the world behind,” she says. Better yet, you’re entering Grant’s world, and there’s no doubt you’ll find yourself right at home.

Contact the studios through melaniegrant.com.

The studio has been christened by the likes of Victoria

Beckham and Phoebe Tonkin. … “It’s like you’re leaving the world behind,” Grant says.

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