Designing Wellness: An Interview with Michele Pelafas, Salon Visionary

Michele Pelafas is known for her design prowess and has been featured in industry trade publications such as American Spa magazine, American Salon, and Salon Today. She is an entrepreneur and designer whose engaging, informative presentation style has landed her guest speaking engagements at trade shows such as The Esthetic Convention, Premier Beauty Show, ISSE, and Midwest Beauty Show. Her company, Michele Pelafas, Inc., is headquartered near Chicago, Illinois. Michele Pelafas has built her immensely successful design brand by imbuing her style, attention to detail, and precision into her craft. She is a graduate of the Illinois Institute of Art, located in Chicago.

Describe how you got into the business of salon and spa interior design + furniture.

Getting into the business of salon and spa interior design started as a series of chance experiences and good decisions. I knew nothing about the industry before I accepted a “receptionist” position at a premiere salon and spa furniture manufacturing company. I immediately fell in love with the idea of applying my interior design passion to salon and spa design. This inspired me to get a formal education in interior design. I continued to work full-time, as I became more familiar with beauty and spa equipment.

I interfaced with spa and salon business owners and attended industry tradeshows, which motivated me to continue honing my skills and pursue my passion for creating stunning and functional spaces. Finally, I decided to follow my dreams and start my own firm to bring luxury interior design and furniture to the professional beauty and wellness market. Today, I have established myself as a trusted leader and expert in the field. I am dedicated and committed to creating inviting and inspiring environments and furniture; redefining the standards of salon and spa interiors and more.

What is something unique about your brand that sets you apart from your competition?

What sets the Michele Pelafas brand apart from the competition is our innovative approach to beauty and wellness design. We have designed hundreds of salon and spa businesses across the US so we are experts in both design and furniture. Design is the foundation of everything that we do whether that means product development or interiorenvironments. We emphasized creating unique, immersive, and transformative experiences for clients starting with our onboarding process through our custom design-build and to completion. We focus on the success of our clients and they inspire us to create meaningful and functional interiors. Because of our expertise in beauty and wellness design, we develop spaces that evoke a deeper sense of tranquility, rejuvenation, and luxury. The attention to detail to key. We specify high-quality materials while incorporating cutting-edge technology to further distinguish our brand and elevate the overall experience for both business owners and their clientele through design, furniture, and decor.

Looking back on your career, what has been the highlight?

There have been many highlights over my expansive career. I started my company in a small office space 20 years ago and now reside in a 20,000 SF studio, which houses our interior design department, showroom, and furniture manufacturing facility. Each growth step was important, but opening my showroom and manufacturing facility 10 years ago was a key highlight.

At that time, salon and spa furniture showrooms were closing and I maintained, and still do today, that a unique hands-on customer experience was essential. Most importantly was the decision to build our furniture in-house. We hired fine furniture craftspeople who specialize in cabinetmaking, upholstery, and custom millwork. Going from craft-based furniture making to automated manufacturing technology, five years ago was another career highlight. Our furniture is now in some of the top hotel spas and salon chains around the world. We are proud to be featured in many publications and have designed award-winning interiors.

What does a typical day look like for you as a salon and spa interior designer?

At Michele Pelafas, we have an entire team of interior designers, sales, engineers, and customer service personnel dedicated to design consultations and meeting with clients to discuss their vision, goals, and requirements for their salon or spa space. This same team is involved in both supervising and creating floor plans and layouts to optimize the functionality and flow of the salon or spa. As part of our services, we create storyboards and research and select appropriate materials, finishes, and color schemes to create a cohesive design.

We are very involved in sourcing and creating custom furniture pieces and décor that align with the design concept and meet the client's needs. We implement and produce custom furniture pieces in our production and manufacturing facility. At any time, we are coordinating with contractors, architects, and suppliers to ensure the smooth execution of the design plan.

Through all of this, we stay informed about the latest trends, innovations, and technologies in design, manufacturing, and the beauty and wellness industry. As the artistic director, I am involved in all design projects at a high level, and at the same time, I work in business development: Engaging in marketing efforts, networking, and client relationship management to grow the business. This includes interfacing with my operations, engineering, sales, and design team on a day-to-day basis.

How do you overcome failure and progress forward?

Through the years of being in business, having weathered storms and gut-wrenching failures, I always fall back on my persistence to adapt, learn, grow, and never give up. Mistakes are hard, but learning from them is harder and requires perseverance. My desire to study and grow makes it possible to progress forward. I adapt and pivot, seek guidance, and stay resilient and positive. Overcoming obstacles means refining my strategy to move forward.

Building my company was a manifestation of my soul, it was not a dream that I had pursued. For me, it was doing what I intrinsically believed in, one day at a time. This meant doing the hard work and following my instincts; not chasing dreams but taking risks and gaining experience. This has led me to where I am today and is still how my business continues to unfold. As long as I am learning, I am growing. This keeps me looking forward no matter what curve ball comes my way. And there are many.

How do you incorporate new strategies/tactics in your business?

Most companies incorporate new strategies and tactics by leveraging data and doing market research. I tend to use my instincts and experience when implementing new ideas for growth and customer satisfaction. I am very adaptable and flexible and understand that the business landscape is constantly evolving. I can respond quickly to changes and incorporate new ideas without a lot of red tape.

It is all about anticipating my customers’ needs and staying focused on my areas of expertise while exploring the realities of culture, fashion, technology, and my industry. I also embrace experimentation; I think creatively and like to take calculated risks. I think it is important to say agile and foster a culture of continuous learning, which innately brings about new strategies and tactics. I bring those visions to life by working closely with my team and taking action. Vision without action is just a dream. Action without vision is a disaster. Vision with action can change the world.

Tell us about your next endeavor.

I have a solid vision for the future of my company. This includes continuing to elevate our design services in the professional beauty and spa industry. This also consists of bringing that same feeling of professional beauty and spa design to the residential market. I am excited about creating beautiful home designs that resonate with our beauty and spa style to feel beautiful, confident, restful, and joyful at home.

We are also working on a new e-commerce brand and website, which will be the ultimate resource destination for salon owners and the salon community. We are just months aware from launching and the site is called Ele Beauty, a new sub-brand of Michele Pelafas. Lastly, my end game is a brick-and-mortar “home spa store”; a “retail experience” place that will be an immersive destination in the retail world for home goods and light spa services. This brings everything together for me as a lifestyle brand focused on design, furniture, and home décor items that fuse self-care and beauty. I have been at this for 30+ years and I am just beginning it seems.