Tattoos have historically been marginalised and associated with deviancy. However, as they become mainstream, the experience of giving and receiving a tattoo changes, and so does the studio environment. This paper analyses design elements that set the contemporary tattoo studio apart from the traditional parlour, and how they shape the sensorial and atmospheric experiences of individuals. I present an ethnographic case study of a contemporary studio in Australia, suggesting that design interventions influence the way practitioners and clients engage with the space, with each other, and with tattoo culture. I use this case to build an argument for the importance of an atmospheric understanding of this design practice, as it signals an effort to detach itself from a stigmatised subculture.