The August air is heavy with humidity, and the peak-of-summer sun sets our days ablaze. This time of year, the world seems to move slower, with a general laziness settling into our routines. Rejuvenating accents that break up the haziness, even for a moment, feel heavenly—a fleeting rush of air-conditioning or a glass of ice water. If we could distill that invigoration into a single shade, it would be mint green. This color is as revitalizing as mint is to the taste, conjuring images of fresh foliage. To refresh and reset, this Edge post highlights two recent projects that place mint green at the fore.
Aesop skincare's newest location, designed by Toronto-based studio Odami, features an interior bathed in mint. Inspired by the lush valleys of Pacific Palisades, California, the floors, walls, ceiling, displays, and sink all share the same shade of pale green, creating a fresh, monotone space. An extended velvet curtain, also in pale green, undulates throughout the shop, evoking rolling ridges. Pops of natural hues, like walnut wood shelving, and abundant green flora, highlighted by skylight-filtered light, add to the restorative palette. Odami explains "The design for Aesop Pacific Palisades aims to create a biophilic environment, elevating the ritual of self-care through the presence and evocation of nature." Indeed the design's palette is distinctly restorative.
Luxury fashion brand Self-Portrait chose a monotone-mint interior for their Chelsea, London location. Designed by Self-Portrait founder Han Chong and architect Andreas Kostopoulos, the store's layout focuses on self-reflection and simplicity. Mint-pigmented Cornish clay walls lend an earthy, textural feel, while custom terrazzo floors, sprinkled with white and silver flecks, extend underfoot. Plush, pale green carpets in the fitting rooms and seating areas soften the chrome accents throughout the store. The result is a refreshing, serene atmosphere. Kostopoulos says, "By leveraging minimalism, materiality, and color, we wanted to create an intimate, sensory, and focused experience, free from distracting architectural qualities."