Stepping off Dupont Street and into Living Beauty — a Toronto-based beauty retailer and spa — is a bit like travelling back in time. For starters, the boutique is situated within a relic of the city’s industrial heritage: a former Ford plant that once produced the pioneering Model T. Though it is now home to a variety of commercial tenants, its pristine red brick exterior harks back to a bygone era. For Odami, the local firm tasked with designing Living Beauty’s first brick-and-mortar location, the challenge was to honour the building’s character while crafting an interior that still felt of the moment.

Luckily, Odami is no stranger to the beauty and wellness space, having designed two Aesop locations — one in its hometown of Toronto, and another in Los Angeles. While those projects drew directly from the local design context, for Living Beauty, the studio took inspiration from a historic typology: the apothecary.

In Odami’s careful hands, the design is anything but referential. Though apothecaries are traditionally characterized by their cavernous, dark wood interiors, the firm has introduced a palette of warm, soft neutrals. Lined with clay-coloured millwork — with subtly arched display alcoves above and small drawers below for backstock — the store is a cabinet of curiosities. There are obvious formal similarities to apothecaries of the past, but the design is made modern thanks to its modularity and material palette, which includes powder coated steel shelving.

Opposite the entrance, an L-shaped bar holds court at the heart of the space, conceived as a conversational hub. “As designers, we’re seeing a hunger for more connection in retail environments. The traditional apothecary was centered around personal consultation, so we bolstered that model with modern design approaches to create a contemporary, service-forward environment that’s geared toward community building,” says Odami. Every detail has been carefully considered. Its rounded tambour trim with beveled edges repeats throughout the interior, imbuing it with a sense of rhythm; the countertop, meanwhile, is crafted from Breccia Oniciata marble with a double bullnose edge, lending the space a sense of quiet luxury.

Across from the bar, a makeup station with an integrated companion seat wraps cleverly around one of the factory’s original hexagonal columns — and serves as another point of connection for customers. “The project is located in a heritage factory building with large columns and an exposed ceiling, and our design doesn’t try to disguise that. We wanted to create something that feels honest, interesting, and new,” say the designers.

Though Odami didn’t hesitate to lean into ornamentation, minimal Corian display tables offer visual reprieve from the elaborate detailing. Set on floor castors, the plinth-like forms can be easily rolled around — or out of the way during community events.

For the most impactful design move, however, one only needs to look down. Flooring is an oft-overlooked detail in retail spaces, yet Odami turns it into a graphic highlight with tile laid in a radial formation, its ruddy colour subtly recalling the building’s brick exterior.

The pattern culminates at the entrance to the private spa, tucked behind a fluted glass window. Here, glossy mint green walls conceal a series of treatment rooms, contrasting with the warm finishes of the retail shop. Mirrored millwork, vintage sconces and cove lighting add to the soothing ambience, setting the scene for total relaxation.

“While referencing the old-world apothecary, the space also invokes other eras and styles, incorporating retro elements like vintage light fixtures and reeded glass with chrome framing,” the designers explain. “We want to be interpretive, experimental, and playful in how we nod to the past, allowing room for something uniquely contemporary to emerge.”