A new id for identity uk - salon interiors

The launch of Identity UK was a dream come true for co-owner Tony Hegarty. "I dreamt of a salon that boasted a team of hairdressers trained to deal with all hair types and textures while treating every client as an individual," he says of the funky salon in London's Shoreditch. Identity UK was launched seven years ago, but moved to larger premises in the area to cope with its growing client list. The aim was to give the new salon a more elegant, refined look. One of the main priorities was to incorporate a dispensary that doubled up as a feature. "Our old dispensary was very small, so this time we wanted lots of space and somewhere to display colour tubes. We commissioned a Perspex grid that would do all this for us," adds Tony. The result is the L'Oréal Professionnel Color Lab. It has been designed as a colour mixing bar where clients can watch their personalised colour being created. Another main feature is the Mizani Consultation Area. "This is a UK first. It's a dedicated space which allows clients to relax on deluxe sofas and have a personal consultation with their stylist," says Tony. Two elements of the refit that didn't go to plan were the budget and time schedule. Not only did the original budget escalate from £45,000 to £83,000, but the refurbishment, originally scheduled to take four months, took six months. However, Tony is not too disappointed by these issues. "There are aspects I would do differently. "I wouldn't choose the same builders because they over-ran, and I wouldn't use a client as an architect because when work went wrong I couldn't shout as much as I would with a stranger!" he adds. More pictures of Identity UK >>  

Fact File Name: Identity UK Address: 232 Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch, London Owners: Tony Hegarty and Michael Varellas Size: 1,700sq ft Styling stations: 10 Budget: £45,000, but actual spend was £83,000 Financing: Bank and self Features: A Mizani Consultation Lab, L'Oréal Professionnel Color Lab, and two beauty rooms. Budget Box Building, plumbing and electrics: £34,868 Bespoke furniture: £6,280 Other furniture: £11,130 Flooring: £10,479 Signage: £1,912 Doors, décor and signage: £12,500 Legal and architecture fees: £14,429 Security shutters: £1,586 Styling chairs: £2,656 Towels, capes and cutting collars:£1,130. How to Achieve the Look Furniture: Welonda - 01256 320202 Flooring: Karndean - 01386 820104 Waiting sofas and equipment: M I X -01702 435804 Backwashes: Sally Salon Services - 020 8558 2195 Styling units: LSE - 020 8903 0002 Top Tips If you want to attract a certain clientele, consider the location carefully Appointing a project manager is paramount Get your builders to sign a contract that clearly outlines when the work will be completed Do your sums before you start work, and allow for a contingency budget Moving salons can be very stressful, so try to stay positive.

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