Bohemian beauty at charlotte murray

The Charlotte Murray salon in Muswell Hill is a beacon for Bohemian design and beautiful hair. The premises, a former interior furnishing shop, has been richly transformed into a decadent space perfectly in tune with the tastes of the sophisticated north Londoner.

The thriving metropolitan 'village' location is a mecca for niche boutiques, and Charlotte has shaped her salon's identity accordingly. "Muswell Hill is a thriving commercial area, with bars, restaurants and high-end shops. Being on the Broadway was too good a prospect to pass up," she says.

After 15 years working as a session stylist, Charlotte decided to set up her own salon to share her wealth of hair knowledge and simultaneously provide a more solid future for herself and her family. Four months ago, her dream became a reality.

"Creating an artistic, individual, and beautiful place in which to work and develop - a space that draws like-minded people in - has been amazing. There's lots more I want to do, and this will give me the perfect platform to work from," she explains.

Fact File Name: Charlotte Murray Address: 464 Muswell Hill Broadway, London Owners: Charlotte and Pete Murray Size:861 sq ft Staff: Eight Clientele: Actresses, media types, artists, stand-up comedians, opera singers, entrepreneurs Styling stations: 10 Budget: £50,000 Financing: Self Design: Toby Kearns, Northdown Designs Budget Box Flooring: £7,000 Building works: £3,000 Furniture: £15,000 Electrics: £3,000 Plumbing and backwash: £7,000 Air conditioning: £5,000 Miscellaneous: £10,000. Top Tips Get good advice and plan your design Know your target audience and don't compromise on creating the right image that will appeal to them Think like a client - what would you like in a salon, what experience would you expect; what would enhance your experience and comfort Differentiate your salon from others in the area both in terms of image and services Do your research to ensure you budget accurately and costs don't spiral out of control