Hob man brent cross: interiors inspiration
Published
13th Aug 2014
by rachael
HOB Man is the latest addition to 24-salon strong HOB group and their first dedicated male-only space.
Located in the heart of Brent Cross Shopping Centre on a former walkway, the site was picked for its guaranteed high footfall. Also influencing the decision, however, was the appeal of strengthening and broadening the HOB brand with an innovative new concept.
"The whole concept is unique," says owner Adam Carvin says. "Taking a shopping mall walkway and turning it into a busy grooming salon is innovative, and meant that the space as whole became a feature for the shopping centre."
Planning for the project took a year, but build was a matter of weeks with no major work needed - other than the task of drilling through the mall floor tap into the waste and water system.
Reluctant to rely solely on harsh mall lighting, track lighting was also fitted to give a more bespoke feel and better salon ambience.
While in keeping with the feel of the rest of the HOB group, HOB Man is tailored slightly to appeal to its male clientèle - and to fit to its relatively compact size.
"We wanted as many sections as possible," says Adam. "We chose slimmer chairs based on sports car seating to give a sleeker feel, in addition to traditional barbershop shampoo basins."
"The floor is white to give a more spacious feel and there aren’t really any walls," he continues. "The sections are also white with touches of wood, metal and black. As the space isn't particularly extensive, we kept the colours very clean and décor minimalist. As this was originally a walkway, the feel is very open and welcoming; a barbers in concept but with a cool, male and contemporary feel."