It takes a deft hand to turn a Victorian-era mansion into a state-of-the-art beauty salon while maintaining the historic look of the property. But that’s what Callas Contractors, Inc., of Hagerstown, Maryland, was tasked with doing by NY, NY Hair Salon and Day Spa in Frederick, Maryland.
Salon owner Mary Louise Riser hired Callas Contractors to turn the grand 8,000 square foot single-family home, which up until 2014 had been the site of the Stauffer Funeral Home, into a spa-like sanctuary for her clients. Originally built in 1878, the mansion located at 1202 Market Street features four exterior two-story columns that dominate the front entry and a foundation comprised of stacked flat stone, as was popular in the 19th century.
Interested in adaptive reuse, Riser tasked Callas with retrofitting the entire space without removing internal walls. While adding the modern, sleek upgrades the client sought, Callas took care to protect the historic nature of interior and exterior features, including preserving original hand-painted wallpaper and seven fireplaces. It met and overcame several unique challenges, including discovering that the home’s framing is far different than today’s standards. Callas repaired structural damage causes by termites and water and also removed asbestos. In the interior, original German shiplap siding was left exposed adding to the “hip but historic” vibe the owner wanted to achieve.
The award-winning salon now includes 21 styling stations, a men’s grooming lounge, four manicure stations, five pedicure stations, five makeup stations, a wash house and five full-service spa areas.