Cally Borg has worked in a variety of settings throughout her 20-year career, from salons such as TONI&GUY to Charles Worthington, before working freelance at weddings, events and in TV and media. However, back in 2018 Cally made the decision to launch a home salon to work around her family and childcare commitments. Fast-forward to 2023, when Cally and her partner (a property developer) purchased an old barn, ready to transform into their dream home – and Cally’s dream salon.
Key Facts
Name: Cally Borg
Address: Littleton Barn, Littleton Lane, Reigate, RH2 8LB
Owner: Cally Borg
Size: 38m2
How long have you been on the premises: Since Autumn 2023
How many staff: Two
About the Salon Interior
Discussing the inspiration behind the salon’s design, Cally shares: “As we’re based on a farm, I wanted the natural environment to flow into our interior, which I did by incorporating a colour palette of earthy tones.” In fact, Cally’s pre-existing brand colours of green, pink and grey worked well to achieve this, while also representing her brand values – green for sustainability, pink for positivity, all brought together by a neutral grey which Cally says “appeals to everyone, and represents the ethos of equality in our business”. Preferring the simple effect of paint versus wallpaper, she opted for Farrow & Ball’s Sulking Room Pink throughout the space, however Cally notes that the small, hexagonal- shaped flooring tiles are the real star of the show – “It’s been a great talking point,” she says.
The salon is spread across three rooms: a waiting room, a bathroom and the salon room. The former, fitted with a small kitchen area with refreshments, features a comfy sofa and a selection of magazines, designed to allow clients to unwind before their appointment. However, all of the space benefits from ample natural lighting – a perk of designing from scratch.
When it came to furnishing the space, Cally turned to Pinterest and Instagram to create mood boards, before visiting showrooms and wholesalers to see and feel materials in person before investing. The salon space features four styling stations, each fitted with a tall, rectangular wall mirror, however a selection of art can also be spotted on the walls throughout, sourced from Andyok and Not On The High Street.
Reflecting on the building and designing process, Cally believes that the best thing she did was to work with an architect, who helped her visualise where the natural light would be at what time of day, allowing her to space her sections out in a way that would be the most beneficial to cutting and colouring hair.
Cally's Top Tips
- Don't rush the planning stage Renovating is expensive, so try and avoid costly mistakes.
- Nail your brand Your workspace represents you as a hairstylist, so when your clients walk in they need to feel the energy of you and your brand.
- Don't forget about practicality It’s very easy as creatives to get carried away with paint colours, fabrics and textures, but this is a workspace so it needs to be practical for daily use and easy to keep clean.
