When one door closes, another door opens. That's exactly what happened for Elisabeth Lovell and her husband Tommy when the salon they were working at in Williamsburg, Brooklyn closed suddenly. "The unexpected closure left a hole in our neighborhood and we saw an opportunity to open the next high-end salon in the area," Lovell says.
Shortly thereafter, WHITEROOM Salon and Apothecary came to fruition. "We built most of the salon ourselves with some help from friends and family, and we hired a couple of the most talented stylists from the previous salon and got it up and running," Lovell says. "It was a rough start. We worked six days a week for the first year," she adds. "Three-and-a-half years later, we have four stylists, four colorists, two assistants and a real need to grow our team to keep up with the demand."
Fully living up to its name, WHITEROOM has completely minimalistic décor with all-white floors, walls and appliances. “We really wanted the salon to be a blank canvas. This way, the products and the work create the energy within the space,” Lovell says. “We always have fresh flowers and green plants on display to add some pops of color.” At the door, clients are welcomed into a store that carries a wide range of hair products, including Christophe Robin and R+Co, plus skin, makeup and fragrance essentials. Just past the store, the salon has nine chairs and designated areas for cuts, color and styling. While sipping on a complimentary rosé in the summer, or a glass of red wine or whiskey in the winter, clients can completely unwind while listening to the salon’s curated playlist. “These days we’re big fans of Cumbia [a folkloric rhythm from Colombia],” Lovell says. “We’re often pretty busy, but the vibe manages to stay chill.”
From the white floors that are kept spotless to the product-lined walls and perfectly arranged succulents, it’s easy to see that every detail inside WHITEROOM has been carefully thought out. “Everything matters,” Lovell says. “Pay attention to every detail. Obsess over it and strive for whatever your vision of perfection is.” Obsessing over the tiny details and perfecting their workspace has led the Lovell's to years of success in their Brooklyn-based salon. “A good atmosphere will bring you good talent that will give your clients good service,” she says.
“I wish someone told us to go with our gut,” she says. “Move on from any employees that are not working out, not performing to your standards or causing conflict within the team. We spent a lot of time trying to make it work with people who weren’t giving us back that same effort.”