West Seattle certainly has no shortage of nail salons. Take a leisurely jaunt along California Avenue SW from Morgan Junction to West Seattle Junction and you’ll encounter quite a few—even some right next door to one another—tucked in the base of office and apartment buildings.

The abundance of parlors dedicated to pretty digits is clear to those in the neighborhood, so much so that when the West Seattle Blog announced new nail shop Juniper would take the place of the suddenly shuttered Pica Border Grill, the comment section erupted with surprise and a dash of disappointment. (See also: “Another West Seattle pizza place.”)

But that didn’t faze Juniper owner and lifelong West Seattle resident Tiann Hadeed, who opened the doors to her 600-square-foot, standalone nail bar in November 2015. Yes, it’s “another West Seattle nail salon,” but Hadeed is aiming for a more elevated experience, focusing on natural, non-toxic polishes (3- and 5-free) and a fresh and clean design that encourages relaxation.

“Juniper was born because my clients at Flourish kept asking for nail services,” she says. Hadeed opened Flourish, a hair salon and spa, along Fauntleroy Way SW in September 2014. “As a business owner, when you keep hearing requests for something you don’t currently offer, you see an opportunity.”

The welcoming exterior of Juniper, along California Ave SW in West Seattle

Juniper carries a generous selection of polish brands (in very modern, very now colors), including Deborah Lippmann, Ella + Mila, LVX, RGB and Shellac sister Vinylux, all of which are free of nasty, potentially harmful ingredients like formaldehyde, toluene or dibutyl phthalate. “Nails are very porous,” Hadeed says, “and [they absorb] chemicals and compounds right into them. Wearing non-toxic nail polish is so important and a healthy alternative to enjoying color and design.” Bonus: With the lack of chemicals, spa-goers are in for an odor-free experience unlike what they’d find in other spots. “Everybody comes in and is so surprised. They say ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe it doesn’t smell in here.'”

Expect three pedicure and three manicure stations with nary an all-in-one awkward massage chair/foot bath in sight. Instead, Juniper uses hygenic bowls, which are santizied between pedicures. On the service menu, you’ll find all manner of nail beautification treatments, starting with the basic Juniper Express ($25 for a mani and $35 for a pedi) to the Juniper Luxxe ($45/$55), an unhurried spa sesh in which you’ll soak hands or feet in oil-infused water before an exfoliating scrub down, massage and polish. For the adventurous, request nail art ($5 per design) in designs such as leopard, zebra, flowers and ombre.

The environment is cozy and charming and not over-the-top girly. “We wanted it to feel like your girlfriend’s apartment–a place where you want to go, hang out with a glass of wine and relax–but also clean and classic,” Hadeed notes. Her mother, who handled the interior design of both Flourish and Juniper, opted for a fresh white palette, with repurposed wood and homey touches like gray-hued furnishings and cheerful accents throughout.

As for that glass of wine during your service, take your pick from complimentary red or white, and (of course) bubbles. Want something a little more tame? Juniper stocks several locally sourced teas and Hadeed notes she’s plotting space for a vintage refrigerator filled with more non-alcoholic cold bevs like sparkling water.

So far, customers have been receptive to Juniper’s natural ethos and next-level customer service. Since it opened in November, the nail bar has received 11 reviews on Yelp, all of which are five-star.

“We’re simple and small and we like it that way,” Hadeed says. “We don’t ever want [Juniper] to feel overpowered with too many people or too much noise. We want it to be relaxing.”

Juniper offers a slew of non-toxic nail polishes and locally sourced products such as small-batch lotions, scrubs and body washes from Handmade La Conner.

Darling decor at Juniper in West Seattle

The environment is cozy and charming and not over-the-top girly. “We wanted it to feel like your girlfriend’s apartment–a place where you want to go, hang out with a glass of wine and relax–but also clean and classic,” Hadeed notes. Her mother, who handled the interior design of both Flourish and Juniper, opted for a fresh white palette, with repurposed wood and homey touches like gray-hued furnishings and cheerful accents throughout.

As for that glass of wine during your service, take your pick from complimentary red or white, and (of course) bubbles. Want something a little more tame? Juniper stocks several locally sourced teas and Hadeed notes she’s plotting space for a vintage refrigerator filled with more non-alcoholic cold bevs like sparkling water.

So far, customers have been receptive to Juniper’s natural ethos and next-level customer service. Since it opened in November, the nail bar has received 11 reviews on Yelp, all of which are five-star.

“We’re simple and small and we like it that way,” Hadeed says. “We don’t ever want [Juniper] to feel overpowered with too many people or too much noise. We want it to be relaxing.”

Juniper offers a slew of non-toxic nail polishes and locally sourced products such as small-batch lotions, scrubs and body washes from Handmade La Conner.

Darling decor at Juniper in West Seattle