Inside The Clinica, a Toronto Cosmetics Clinic by Mason Studio

Using the natural influence of colour, light, and form, local firm Mason Studio creates a restorative space for beauty and well-being.

Writer Charlotte Boates

In residential Richmond Hill just outside Toronto, the newest location of a medical-grade cosmetics centre evokes calmness and ease. The Toronto-based interior design practice Mason Studio was tasked with the interiors for The Clinica, focusing on creating a soothing space.

Intended as a counterpoint to faster-paced or overly clinical beauty spaces, the interiors of The Clinica use soft lighting and a warm colour palette to help guests feel confident and at ease.

“We’re all coming from busy lives. Our intent while designing was to create an immediate sense of relief and calm,” says Stanley Sun, co-founder and creative director at Mason Studio. “Walking into The Clinica, there isn’t an inundation of things to do or things to read—it’s really about being there for yourself and taking the moment to get away. This sense of relaxation and calmness is what we really wanted to get across.”

Within a welcoming 1,700 square feet, guests are greeted by a spacious area centred around a curved Corian reception desk, which serves both as a checkout counter and for product demonstrations. The reception area also doubles as a retail space that showcases a selection of beauty products.

Beyond retail and aesthetic services, The Clinica was also envisioned as a destination for Toronto’s beauty community to meet and gather. “There was an idea that we could build a space where people feel comfortable not just to get services and purchase but also to bump into someone or meet someone new,” Sun says.

Beyond the reception area, the hallway’s gently curving lines guide guests toward the treatment areas. These curved forms are echoed throughout the interior architecture, serving to mirror the natural curves of the body and helping to instill softness in the layout.

Sun and his team used lighting as a tool in the space, including a stretched ceiling light that creates an ambient glow in the reception area. Cove lights provide gentle illumination to the walls, adding softness.

The softness of the lighting pairs with the subtle yet warm colour palette used throughout The Clinica to create a sense of flow, including the terra cotta walls gently textured with hand-applied plaster.