Hj interiors: industrial innovation at f&m hairdressing

F&M Hairdressing in Barrhead, Glasglow is a modern vintage space, crafted for a soothing salon experience. It was founded in 2001 by Brian MacMillian and Kevin Paul Finnell but the business partners had to relocate to their current premises this year, thanks to the popularity of the salon. Before Brian and Kevin refurbished their current F&M Hairdressing salon, the building was originally owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland and was the local branch in Barrhead. Due to this, the design team stripped the interior back to the basics in order to convert it into the beautiful space it is currently. However, when they began to renovate, they encountered two major problems; creating a drainage area outside the salon and drilling into the walls to provide enough ventilation and water supply. “We called in a specialist drilling company who spent two full days and used four drills in order to get through the safe walls” says Brian. Kevin and Brian designed the salon themselves, an accomplishment they’re immensely proud of. The business partners spent time identifying what didn’t work in their previous salon, and they used it as a guide to improve their client’s experience and the working space for their styling team. The two spent time visiting other salons throughout the UK and even travelled to other countries to source inspiration. Yet, after doing their research the pair found inspiration in the original bank vault, using it centre the industrial theme for the salon. The team also decorated the space with cool grey tones to compliment the salon's new décor. The entire salon is decorated with LED lighting, chosen with care to ensure that clients aren’t dazed by any harsh lights. The lights also illuminate the reception area, making it a statement feature as clients enter the building. “Our reception is a small, natural wooden unit that houses our software system and till. The aim was to create a space that was welcoming yet minimal” says Kevin. With the hindsight that Brian and Kevin now have about designing a salon interior, they said the “best thing the team did was install the energy windows – it was a fantastic investment.  Not only do they flood the salon with natural light, they keep the salon cool in summer and the heat bounces back into the salon in winter. However, the worst thing we did was spend a week gutting the whole property of all the wires. This was a very intense and long winded job however it did put the salon ahead of the game.” After all the hard work that has gone into the salon, the clear boom in business and clientele are the fruits of Brian and Kevin's labour. Brian and Kevin’s Top Tips

• Build a reliable and trustworthy team

Meet with a few different companies to build and discuss the vision you have for your salon and how the project would work.

• Be patient

Refurbishing a salon is a stressful job and it should not be rushed. Take into account the planning permission and the time it’s takes to go through.

• Have a plan B

With renovations, problems are bound to emerge during the decorating process that are unexpected, so creating a back-up plan with the build team is essential.