Hairven salon: interiors inspiration

In just three years, Hairven salon has doubled in size from a seven-chair salon to a 16-chair hair and beauty emporium occupying an entire building. "When we first took over the premises in 2011 it was a 750 sq ft sweet shop," says owner Collette Osborne. "We converted this to a small salon in a similar style to how it looks now, but much smaller." Due to the popularity and success of their first venture over the initial two-year period, a decision was made at the start of 2014 to purchase the entire building and expand and invest significantly. Leaving the existing salon space trading, the upstairs space was entirely gutted. The back half of the building required partial demolition, and a large rear extension with a glass stairway was put in its place. The finished salon oozes high-end glamour, or 'heavenly opulence' as Collette refers to it. "Flooring throughout the ground floor area is Italian porcelain with underfloor heating and walls are painted with a neutral but warm buttermilk finish," she says. "In each area there is also a feature wall with a full-size, stunning image mounted on acrylic. The shabby chic mirrors complement the contemporary styling units downstairs while in the upper salon there is a champagne bar and a more boutique feel with oak flooring and chenille fabrics. Even the toilets have a theme with one being dedicated to Marilyn Monroe and another to Audrey Hepburn!" One of the most memorable features of the salon is the glass atrium which house a bespoke 10ft motorised quartz crystal spiral chandelier, which rotates to allow light to bounce off the crystals. "We wanted to create something you could only find in the most high–end salons but at an affordable price," concludes Collette. "We wanted our clients to be able to experience a little bit of heaven without paying the earth."

Hairven Salon: In Pictures

[hji-gallery-legacy] In Brief Name: Hairven Address: 18 Main Road, Gedling, Nottingham Owners: Collette and Ashley Osborne Size: 2,785 sq ft Number of staff: 17 Number of styling stations: 16 as well as three beauty rooms and two nail bars Budget: £140,000 Design by: Self Source Builders: Central Construction, Nottingham Architect: Chris Clark Architectural Service, Nottingham Structural work: Burlington Fabrications, Nottingham Heating, ventilating and air conditioning: GB Air Conditioning, Nottingham Flooring: Astra Flooring, Leicester Lighting: Sherwood Lighting, Nottingham Styling stations: Pahl Backwash units: REM Top Tips 1. Spend enough time planning and scrutinising the details as much as possible. Agree the scope with all parties before you go to tender quotes; this will go a long way to avoid expensive misunderstandings. 2. Don't hesitate to employ a good architect – ours was worth every penny. They will fight your corner and liaise with professional bodies on your behalf. 3. Don't forget to factor in professional fees, most of which you can't avoid. 4. Allow a minimum of 10% contingency as most projects go over budget. 5. Spend time planning and tracking progress; good project management is a must.