SJ & Co. is a boutique hair and beauty salon that is relaxed and effortlessly stylish – a distinct brand identity that has overflown into an interior design that oozes confidence. The salon’s creative director was sure of her brief for The Stylesmiths™, “a space that reflects me, my team and the area.”
With a vision that strives to be same parts attractive and functional, there was no hesitancy when it came to selecting finishes for a bright and spacious layout. A glass shopfront opens the space to everyone, and once inside, customers are greeted by a wide walkway between two rows of swivel armchairs, upholstered in tan leather. Just as comfortable as they look, the leather is also highly durable and will perform well against the inevitable wear and tear to come.
Each workstation has its own arched mirror, elongated to make use of the vertical space available, reflecting more light that makes for an airy atmosphere beneath a cosy black ceiling that promotes a sense of intimacy for the personalised services to take place. Polished terrazzo benches were custom made to include pops of pink, a must have for our client who loves terrazzo, hence the speckled floor below.
Feminine touches continue to appear throughout, reflecting the businesswomen that the space has been designed for. Understanding these all-important local clientele and the ways in which a salon can empower them when ‘on the go’ guided the overall design, from suspended spherical pendants that offer soft illumination, to practical placement of power-point and USB ports. Open from 7am, SJ invites her clients to start their workday while their hair foils are setting in the chair or while waiting in the booth, fitted with a table perfect for a laptop.
Commercial durability was a primary consideration when selecting materials and floorplan; everything needs to make sense, be functional and last over time. Thus, warm natural timber beam slates that are both strong and feminine, create a feature at the back of the salon, separating wet and dry areas. Small pigeonholes are an opportunity for styling or promoting new products, while the gaps between beams mean the spaces are distinct but still flow. The medium also helps to even out the acoustics, a crucial consideration given the warm and fuzzy sound combinations that are inevitable in a boutique beauty experience, a key identifier of a sophisticated retail interior design.
