The shed hair and beauty: interiors inspiration

The Shed Hair and Beauty in Manningtree, Essex proves that salons come in all shapes and sizes - even in the form of 'a big orange shed'! It took just two weeks to turn the humble back garden business into a glitzy, chandelier-strewn salon; a space that owner Jessica Wilson is rightfully extremely proud of. She explains: "A big orange shed came with my house and I could instantly see its potential as a workspace. I tarted it up to the best of my decorating abilities in order to just work by myself and do a bit of hair from home." Although it was doing the job, Jessica had bigger plans for the Shed and in August 2014 she began planning its overhaul. "I paid lots of trips to hotels, cafes and other salons to gather inspiration," she says. "I liked the feel of my favourite clothes shop, All Saints, with a stripped-back, uncluttered, grown-up look. Inspiration came from the most unusual places - cute coffee shops in Yorkshire and even the cinema. The seating in there was exactly what I wanted as a waiting area and was perfect as a space-saving solution." Although space was at a premium, the redesign also allowed Jessica to include a beauty room at the front after moving an interior wall. "The biggest task was to make sure that every inch of the salon was used well," she says. "Glynne from Detail Design Studio drew out option after option on auto CAD, so we could really test the space prior to any work starting." The salon closed its doors for two weeks while the transformation took place, before Jessica could throw open the doors to her own small slice of hairdressing heaven in her back garden. A smoky grey crystal chandelier - her favourite piece - is a show-stopper, while grey-brown paint, antique mirror-effect wallpaper and a mirrored sliding door to the beauty room open up the space and create a light, spacious feel. A reclaimed oak beam takes place down one wall, adding a subtle sparkle thanks to silver solder melted into the cracks. Take a look at the transformation in the gallery below!

The Shed Hair and Beauty: In Pictures

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The Shed Hair and Beauty: In Brief

Name: The Shed Hair and Beauty Address: 14 Munnings Way, Lawford, Manningtree, Essex Owner: Jessica Wilson How long have you been in the premises? Six years Number of staff: 2 Number of styling stations:2 Budget: £12,000 Design by: Detail Design Studio What was the most expensive part of the refit/refurb? Insulation and plastering. What was the best buy? Reclaimed cinema seats and the oak beam