Houston's Atelier Isabelle Rose Pulls Out All the Stops

Rian LaFleur often gets asked why he decided to open his own salon. His answer is every bit as authentic as he is. “I’ve always believed that Houston deserved something beyond the typical salon experience,” says LaFleur. “As I traveled the world and saw the creations, environments and cultures other artists got to work in, it made me realize what was missing in the nation’s fourth-largest city. Atelier Isabelle Rose fills that void. In addition to showering Houstonians with first-class service, it also serves as a hotbed of creativity for its resident artists.”

Named in honor of LaFleur’s only niece, Isabelle Rose, whose mother, Rachel, convinced LaFleur to go to beauty school, the 3,800-square-foot space is located in Houston’s Upper Kirby district, which is nestled between the prestigious River Oaks neighborhood and Rice University. “I chose the location because it’s one of the fastest-growing, trendiest and most luxurious areas of Houston,” says LaFleur, who serves as a master color expert, master stylist and portfolio brand educator for Wella Professionals as well as the Atelier’s artistic director and founder. 

Design-wise, LaFleur wanted to create a simple, chic space that underscored elegance yet still had a relaxed feel. High-end touches include carbon-reducing LED lighting above styling stations and inset into mirrors that allow for perfect color placement; Takara Belmont styling chairs with Tempur-Pedic seating; Gamma & Bross shampoo bowls, styling stations, pedicure chairs and massage tables; and a feature wall in the shampoo area featuring silver wave granite. “Our goal was to create exclusive experiences for our guests with our styling stations, luxurious shampoo suites, color bar and private nail suite,” says LaFleur. 

Beyond a gorgeous interior, Atelier Isabelle Rose boasts a menu of signature services that helps to attract new guests and keep them coming back. Top offerings include the System Professional Energy Code Treatment that takes place on a massage bed equipped with a shampoo sink and involves a massage and steamer experience. “As a Wella portfolio salon, we provide clients with custom maintenance programs and the latest technology and techniques for every step of their beauty journey,” says LaFleur, who also relies on Google AdWords, Yelp, Facebook, Instagram, Culture Map, Demandforce and local print to boost his clientele base. “We are dedicated to elevating the salon experience,” he adds.