This Skin-Care Studio Is All About Minimalism and Luxury

Kristin Corpuz

Shani Darden’s journey to becoming one of Hollywood’s most in-demand facialists wasn’t a direct one. She originally moved to L.A. to be a model and backup dancer—touting gigs with Destiny’s Child and LL Cool J on her résumé—but after deciding that she didn’t want to pursue that career full-time, she turned to skin care. She had always been interested in skin care, even from a young age, and when she realized that she wanted a career shift, she went to school for massage and, later, to become an esthetician.

She started giving facials to professionals in the Hollywood beauty industry, including makeup artists and hairstylists, who then recommended her to their celebrity clients. Her career really took off after Jessica Alba came in for a facial and loved it so much that she mentioned Shani in Allure. From there, the rest was history.

The monochromatic front desk area immediately feels welcoming but also still feels elevated and chic.

Her clientele now includes some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Kelly Rowland, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Shay Mitchell, Emmy Rossum, January Jones, and many others. She was originally operating her studio out of a small shed in her backyard, but she quickly realized that her business was expanding too rapidly to sustain at home, so she made the decision to open up her new Beverly Hills studio this past June, collaborating with interior designer Jake Arnold to make the place feel like home.

“We had a [vision] board with ideas on it, and we discussed what I wanted before he got started,” says Shani about working with Jake, “but through the process I wasn’t there all the time. I wanted the final result to sort of be a surprise. I only really helped him pick the marble and color scheme, and he went from there.”
“We had a [vision] board with ideas on it, and we discussed what I wanted before he got started,” says Shani about working with Jake, “but through the process I wasn’t there all the time. I wanted the final result to sort of be a surprise. I only really helped him pick the marble and color scheme, and he went from there.”

“Part of the reason I moved out was because I was in a space where I couldn’t change any of the decor,” says Shani. “It was dark, and I didn’t really want to be there. I [didn’t build my new studio] thinking that I wanted a giant space, but I just wanted something that felt more me.” She and Jake decided that they wanted a space that felt as minimal as possible. They opted for a muted color story full of beiges, pale pinks, and ivories. Because she had worked with Jake on the remodeling of her home, she trusted him wholeheartedly to carry out her vision for the studio—after a vision board–fueled brainstorming session, of course.

This vanity space is Jake’s favorite spot in the whole studio “because it shows that unexpected beauty can come from meeting restrictions of a commercial space.”
This vanity space is Jake’s favorite spot in the whole studio “because it shows that unexpected beauty can come from meeting restrictions of a commercial space.”

Not only did Jake help decorate the space but he also custom-designed each piece of furniture around the entire studio. He explains, “My biggest inspiration for the silhouettes and materials was focusing on the negative space where Japanese and Scandinavian design sensibilities meet. The clean, minimal attributes of the bones of the space were warmed up by the organic furniture shapes and linens, as well as the natural stones used on key pieces such as the reception table.”

“The main goal was to achieve a restrained, luxurious feeling that evokes a calm and peaceful experience like any spa but elevated to feel like a high-end exclusive boutique without the need to use overtly glossy or refined finishes or pieces,” says Jake.
“The main goal was to achieve a restrained, luxurious feeling that evokes a calm and peaceful experience like any spa but elevated to feel like a high-end exclusive boutique without the need to use overtly glossy or refined finishes or pieces,” says Jake.
“I wanted there to be as little furniture as possible,” says Shani. “I wanted it to be very minimal. That’s what I cared about the most: light, airy, and minimal. I didn’t want a lot of stuff in the studio, so that’s the vibe that we went for.”
“I wanted there to be as little furniture as possible,” says Shani. “I wanted it to be very minimal. That’s what I cared about the most: light, airy, and minimal. I didn’t want a lot of stuff in the studio, so that’s the vibe that we went for.”

Shani noted that she wanted all of her customers to feel light and airy as soon as they walked into her studio, and for it to have “good energy.” In fact, she even had a crystal healer come into the space as it was being built to place crystals inside each wall to set a different energy and intention in every room. Whether or not her customers believe in the healing and calming properties of crystals, there’s no denying that Shani’s studio achieves exactly what she set out for it to.

The stark sharp lines of the exposed beams in the ceiling are contrasted by the narrow curved archway of the hallway.
The stark sharp lines of the exposed beams in the ceiling are contrasted by the narrow curved archway of the hallway.

Selected by Shani

The skin-care expert shares a few of her favorite places to shop and find inspiration.

Favorite home-decor shops: Nikkey Kehoe, Hollywood at Home

Favorite Instagram feeds for inspo: @jakealexanderarnold, @amberinteriors, @clementsdesign

Interior-design dream buys: A new home. If I could buy one every year and start designing all over again, I totally would. It’s my favorite thing to do—finish a project and then go to another one.

Favorite detail in the studio: The fountain right when you walk in, and the flowers that hang from the ceiling. We have someone come in every week to take care of the flowers; they’re my favorite.

Favorite thing about your studio’s neighborhood: It’s super quiet. And there’s a ton of street parking.

The last thing you had delivered: Clothes from FWRD and Ulla Johnson.

The last time you got a facial from someone else: When I opened my studio and was training the girls who now work with me.

Follow-up: You don’t let anyone else touch your face?! Nobody will; where would I go? I mean, I’d like to, but people won’t touch my face. When I first started, I would do it all the time—go get facials from other people. Because I wanted to know where everyone was going and [what the new skin-care trends were]. But whenever I reach out to someone [to get a facial from them], they tell me no because they think it’s a competition or something.

How does Shani feel about the end result? “I love it. It feels exactly how I wanted it to. I know that everyone is happy, including the [other estheticians] who work with me.”
How does Shani feel about the end result? “I love it. It feels exactly how I wanted it to. I know that everyone is happy, including the [other estheticians] who work with me.”

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest