CASE STUDIES

If we had to vote on one client of ours that seemed to "Do It All Right", Dana and Greg Russell would win. Passionate yet methodical, this husband and wife team took her experience in the spa industry and her flair for dreaming big, and combined it with his experience in technology and his more pragmatic approach and developed a business plan that is a resounding success and has all the elements of success in the Halotherapy Industry. Burning desire to help others in a naturopathic manner, tying the center to the community and the region, taking advantage of the building's unique features, bringing a sense of history and nostalgia, creating a multi-functional salt room and a wide range of complimentary treatments and modalities. Their market research was exhaustive. Their ideas for designs were not trendy, but reflective of their personalities, the industry's history, the building's history and most importantly-their client's comfort and intrigue! They tapped local business owners, the SBA, other salt therapy owners and us for insights. Their business plan was well developed and they obtained the right level of funding. Several soft openings helped them effectively set standards, guidelines, properly inform the community and to be ready for their Grand Opening. Cross marketing with other synonymous businesses amplified their efforts and success.

As we went through the design phase, we all wanted to pay homage to the amazing building they are in. As a former collarless dress shirt factor from the 19th century, the plank floors, brick structure and exposed wood beams needed to be accentuated. We agreed upon a design that would reflect the salt from the mining phase to a modern day usage. The focal wall therefore begins with a mine shaft, we constructed using Himalayan Salt Boulders, and morphs into back-lit boulders, rough faced bricks, and finally smooth faced bricks. Exiting the mine shaft is a mine cart we crafted from reclaimed wood and authentic mine cart wheels, filled it with dazzling Halite crystals and up-lit them for an additional lighting effect. The back wall is also boulders and we went to a local garnet mine and incorporated garnet boulders we found into the salt boulders! The back wall was to pay homage to the building's origins, so we created an exposed lath and plaster effect, used brick reclaimed from the building to show an exposed brick wall, and painted their logo on the textured, aged, and patina wall, obscuring it enough to make it look weathered. Additional lighting features we created consist of a large beam light with Edison Bulb light strings along with three staggered beam lights, all from our sister company, ELEMEANTS Studio. A stunning 10' long front reception desk made from Himalayan Salt slabs with backlighting and White Mahogany wood top greet clients as the enter the center.

Dana's grandfather was a carpenter and she reclaimed many old pieces of wood from his shop and we incorporated these artifacts into design pieces. Benches in the lobby were crafted from reclaimed wood, metal gabions and up-lit Himalayan Salt. A reclaimed wood bench and storage cubby outside the salt cave also has one of our reclaimed train suspension springs as its leg!

Adirondack Salt Cave offers several massage modalities, as well as reiki, cupping, esthetician services in addition to salt therapies. The center is like a spa, museum, and destination all in one!

www.adirondacksaltcave.com 11 Broad St. Glens Falls, NY (518) 798-2343

Nestled in the foothills just outside Aspen, CO sits a gem of a spa called Fahrenheit Body Spas. Conceived and founded by a dynamic family of avid athletes, this is truly as unique in concept as it is stunning in decor. With Himalayan Salt serving as the anchor, the spa serves to foster relaxation, rejuvenation and to promote athletic recovery. Not only is Aspen home to many elite athletes, the elevation alone requires conditioning above normal levels. Therapies and modalities that can hasten and improve recovery times are a welcome and necessary option here for fitness enthusiasts and competitors of all levels.

The owners approached us with some core concepts and together we designed and built three areas using our Himalayan Salt.

Aglow from the street, the reception area wall beckons the passerby to enter this other-worldly facility. With rich solid Mahogany woods, imported Italian tiles, warmly lit onyx and frosted glass, and the stunning beauty of Himalayan Salt, you enter an immediate world of nature and of renewal.

The reception area was fitted with a six foot square back lit salt wall. We chose the most spectacular bricks for this piece in a wide range of colors, patterns and crystal formations as it would serve as the focal point upon entry. Backlighting offers fully controllable dimming. An accent of Honey Onyx was placed and lit on the front of the Mahogany reception desk. Applying their logo in stainless steel to the salt wall completed the area.

The grand salt room needed to be as multi-functional as it was beautiful. The vision was to have "Salted Yoga", Halotherapy, and public and private events in the room. We designed and built a "Tryptych" which consists of three walls that are each 7.5 W x 9' H. The walls were trimmed in Mahogany. We custom created three panel lights of Himalayan Salt and trimmed in Mahogany, which are hung from the ceiling. The floors are of Mahogany as well. A Halogenerator completes the room, providing Halotherapy during both the yoga sessions as well as the scheduled salt sessions.

The final area that we built is one of the massage rooms where we fitted a 4' W x 8" H salt wall, clad in Mahogany as well.

Fahrenheit Body Spas was the first spa in the country to offer salt therapy in addition to whole body cryotherapy, infrared saunas, float therapy, massage, and yoga all in one amazing spa. Stop by and see Rachelle and brothers Brian and Burt. Here are their details:

www.Fahrenheitbodyspas.com 241 Robinson St. Unit C-106 Basalt, CO 81621 (970) 315-1234

CLIENT STUDIES

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Owner and marketing professional Chrissy Klunder spent several years trying to find relief from a mysterious Lyme Disease-like ailment that her doctors couldn't quite identify or diagnose. Widespread pain and breathing issues plagued this once energetic and vibrant woman. Searching relentlessly and refusing to "curl up and die", she tried many treatment modalities and remedies of both Eastern and Western philosophies. It wasn't until she happened upon a Salt Therapy Center and decided, "what do I have to lose?", and gave it a try. The results were immediate and continued to provide relief over time. Hooked, she began researching salt therapies as a whole and specifically Halotherapy. The more she explored, the more she realized that this was becoming not only part of her lifestyle, but her entire life. A business plan quickly began to formulate.

Visiting several different Halotherapy Centers as part of her market research, Chrissy soon realized that many of the centers she visited were either cold, austere and uninviting or made to look like what someone erroneously thought to be a real "salt cave". She envisioned an immersive experience based on authentic origins of Himalayan Salt-The Himalayas! It had to be tasteful, comfortable and provide a desire for the client to want to come back often.

Taking inspiration from the best "imagineers" on the planet, Disney; she wanted to create a Tibetan Village where her clients would be magically whisked away for an hour or so while receiving the many benefits Halotherapy offers. Serka Zong, the village in Disney's Animal Kingdom where the attraction "Expedition Everest" calls home, is brimming with rich examples of this exotic Asian culture worth exploring. She studied the props, wood work, architectural details and accessories used and began a portfolio. She contacted us and the perfect partnership was formed! We strive to create a unique experience each time we build and oftentimes think "How would Disney Imagineers do this?" We were completely hooked from day one on this project!

Chrissy was taking a leap of faith with her business plan, confident that the time, the location, and her concept were a winning combination. Budget and timelines were set. Though her budget was low, (she was self-funded) her enthusiasm soared. We created several designs to capture and create her inspirations and eventually agreed to the final design and the Himalayan Hideaway was born! The ultimate design consisted of a right wall with a meandering height back lit salt wall built from a combination of smooth and rough faced brick, in a random pattern. Three arched mirrors clad in ornate and colorful wood trim complete this wall. For the back wall, which serves as the focal wall, we used salt boulders and constructed a rusted metal and wood porch, and authentically created lattice and wood work with ornate trim. A local artist hand-painted a scene of the Himalayas above! The right wall has two "windows" and a door, reminiscent of one of the scenes from Serka Zong. We installed lighting around the door behind the salt for additional interest and glow. The back wall was texturized and hand painted with native Tibetan symbols and used other symbolism. We created a "Starry Night" effect on the ceiling that offers many twinkles, colors, and shooting stars! The entry door to the cave was crafted to look like a classic Tibetan Monastery door, complete with brass ring door pulls, prayer tassels and red paint, to ward off evil spirits!

Chrissy completed the richness and authenticity of this magical place by displaying her exhaustive and ample collection of Tibetan and Nepalese art and artifacts. It truly is an immersive experience that should be on your "must see" list and will become part of your respiratory, skin, and overall wellness routine!

www.winstonsalemsaltcave.com 3281 Robinhood Rd Winston-Salem, NC (336) 422-6974