SIGHTS
A reception area, comfortable chairs and sofas, warm décor (dark wood, thick carpeting, plush seating, lamps, cozy colors), cosmetics and beauty products for sale, brochures for spa products and services, bowls of potpourri, incense burners, lit candles, glasses and a pitcher of water with lemon or cucumber slices floating in it, complimentary coffee or tea, magazines fanned out on a table, a public telephone with pens and paper, potted plants, a dressing area (lockers and changing rooms, mirrors, hair products and other toiletries, cushioned benches, towels, robes, showers), private massage rooms with supplies (massage tables, a hamper for towels, a swivel stool, a tray of lotions and oils, a music player, hot stones, tissues, a towel-warming machine, thermostat controls and switches for adjustable lighting, a treatment room (disposable cloth tube bra and underwear, therapeutic muds and exfoliating scrubs, a sink, a bed ensconced in plastic within a low-sided tub, a rinsing sprayer, hot towels, aromatic lotions), clients walking around in robes and sandals, manicure and pedicure rooms with supplies (foot baths, towels, a rack of polishes on the wall, polish remover, lotion, cotton balls, nail clippers, pumice stones, cuticle pushers, files, buffers), a hair salon (shampooing sinks, reclining chairs, dryers, hair products, combs and brushes in jars of disinfectant, adjustable chairs, smocks, scissors, irons, hair coloring supplies)
SOUNDS
Nature sounds or sensory music (chimes, flutes, running water), footsteps in thick carpet, doors closing softly, air whooshing through vents, a phone buzzing in the waiting area, receptionists answering questions, water being poured from a pitcher or dispenser, groans from massage patients, lotion being pumped from a bottle, water splashing into a sink, magazine pages being flipped, timers going off, the snick of hair scissors and nail clippers, hair dryers humming, hair trimmers buzzing, the swish of a broom as hair is swept up and thrown away, guests chatting and laughing
SMELLS
Musky incense, oils and lotions, herbal aromas (lavender, rosemary, grapefruit, sandalwood, eucalyptus, lemongrass), fresh-cut flowers, aromatic soaps, acetone, nail polish, shampoos and conditioners, the chemical smell of hair dye, hot air from a dryer, essential oils and mists during a massage or treatment
TASTES
Tea or coffee, water, mints
TEXTURES AND SENSATIONS
Being ensconced in a fluffy robe, a thick towel against one’s skin, plush carpet under one’s feet, a cushioned chair, a firm massage table, the knead and pull of a massage therapist’s hands during a session, discomfort in the muscles as they’re being stretched, a euphoric sensation of relaxation, warm stones on one’s back, oil being rubbed into the skin, lotion that has been warmed being smoothed onto one’s arms and legs, a mud mask stiffening and tightening over one’s face, stinging skin from an acid peel, cold cucumbers on the eyes, being tickled as someone touches one’s foot during a pedicure, rough scrubbers and files being rubbed against the heel, dust from filed nails powdering one’s skin, a cold slick of polish dampening a nail, cold lotion, heated towels being wrapped around one’s body, scalp massages during a shampoo, cut hair ends making one’s skin itchy, heat from an iron or blow dryer, hair being blown into one’s face, tension in the back and shoulders from sitting still for long periods of time, rushing to change in the locker room before other clients come in, not wanting to leave when one’s appointment is over
POSSIBLE SOURCES OF CONFLICT
Embarrassment at having to remove one’s clothing
Sensitive skin and sore muscles
An allergic reaction to the chemicals in a skin or hair treatment
Being burned or temporarily disfigured from a treatment that was left on for too long
Disappointment over the haircut that one was given
Difficult clients
Having to administer peace and tranquility when one’s mind or spirit is in a state of turmoil
Trying to speak quietly to a client who is hard of hearing
Getting stiffed on a tip
An entitled client expecting special service
PEOPLE COMMONLY FOUND HERE
Clients, hair stylists, makeup artists, manicurists and pedicurists, massage therapists, receptionists
RELATED SETTINGS THAT MAY TIE IN WITH THIS ONE
Hair salon, hotel room, waiting room
SETTING NOTES AND TIPS
Spa services often depend on the venue. Hotel and resort spas will offer a large variety of services in a luxurious environment. Local spas have less space and may choose to specialize in one or two areas, such as massage and skin care. Regardless of the services that are available, the spa “feel” is fairly standard wherever the location, providing an atmosphere of peacefulness, pampering, and tranquility for all who visit.
SETTING DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE
I sank into the couch, pulling the warm robe more firmly around my legs. The air was heady with some aromatic scent (eucalyptus? sandalwood?) that soothed my breathing and calmed my thoughts. A receptionist placed a cup of mint tea on the table by my chair and slipped back to her desk. Soft music played overhead and my eyes drifted closed. If this is what the waiting room felt like, the hot stone massage was going to be outstanding.
Techniques and Devices Used: Multisensory descriptions, symbolism
Resulting Effects: Establishing mood