The architect behind this extraordinary beauty salon in Osaka described the concept as “a treasure hunt in the woods”, and what a little gem it is. Starting from the principle that Onico Hair & Nail needed lots of places to hang things, with her brilliant addition of birch trees Ryo Isobe created something almost otherworldly, like an abandoned building in the forest that nature has reclaimed.

The interior was first stripped down to the bare bones – the large-scale de-clutter even included most of the chairs, giving the customer and employees a sense of space and privacy. In came a sparing amount of vintage-look furniture, many made by the craft-loving owner, along with an eclectic mix of lighting ranging from chandeliers through lanterns to bare bulbs – there’s even some fairy lights in the children’s area. The owl may be dead, but it’s not hard to imagine real wildlife setting up home in this salon; artificial ivy adds to the overgrown, slightly dilapidated feel. It almost seems a shame to disturb the peace with people.