Interiors inspiration: dky hair company

Functional but feminine and cosy, this weeks interiors goes inside the stunning DKY Hair Company salon based in Bangor.

Name:  DKY Hair Company 

Address: 157 Belfast Road, Bangor, BT20 3PP. 

Telephone number: 02891 857180

Owner/s: Michelle Young, Christine Duncan, Laura Rodgers. 

Size: 1800 sq feet. 

How long have you been in the premises: Nearly a month. 

Staff:  1 Receptionist/General Manager, 7 Stylists, 2 Junior Stylists, 6 Juniors, 1 Saturday Girl. 

Styling stations: 17

Budget: Purchase of land £85k, extension, refurbishment & fit out £95k

Financing: Purchase of land savings and personal loan 

Design: Most of the interior design was researched and chosen through ideas found on Pinterest & the Internet. 

Furniture: Our salon chairs & wash units were purchased from Dutch supplier Kiela; a company that specialises in modern yet unique salon furniture. 

Features: The salon has a very warm yet functional layout, it is very feminine in it's design but not fussy in any way. It features a discrete pod for a more personal and private space to approach and discuss hair-loss and scalp conditions. 

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Tell us a bit about yourself and your company: when you started in hairdressing and first set up the business etc

The salon is owned by three women who have worked closely together to build something quite unique in DKY. Christine Duncan has been hairdressing for 8 years, Michelle Young over 20 years and Laura Rodgers 15 years.

All 3 have been with the company since it opened its doors in September 2010 & Laura is one of the newest directors having been brought into the partnership on and a half years ago. 

What were the premises formerly? In what state were the premises before you began refurbishment? What attracted you to the premises? 

There was a Shake Fit business in the original premises that sadly closed because of illness in the family. We fell in love with the unit right away, its quirkiness was inviting.

We started with 10 chairs then quickly had to add 2 more. We have since outgrown that and bought the house next door, which we now own and have extensively renovated and extended. We love our location as it is handy for a lot of our clients with the benefit of free parking! 

 How long did the work take?

It's taken 18 months from start to finish, most of the time was spent attaining planning permission & change of use (the premises was originally domestic). The actual build took 6 months to complete. 

What did you have in mind to create before work began - what were the aims?

We created a space that also included beauty as we wanted to be able to offer more for our clients. We also needed more chairs as we were pushed for space in our previous premises. 

Our aims? We wanted more light, a better colour room and a better layout – I think we have achieved these with the new salon. 

What major work had to be undertaken to prepare the premises and why?

The original house was completely stripped back to the bare walls and we started afresh. As it was a simple 2 bedroom house, the layout would not have suited our needs; also the whole house needed insulation and modernisation. 

Is this a corporate look or does it differ at all from the other salons if you have any?

This is our first personally owned salon, however our aim is for it to be the first of many. 

Who designed the salon? 

Our architect was Andrew Todd, he worked closely with us to ensure the correct amount of seating was installed and also heating & lighting met the necessary requirements.  

What is the colour scheme and why did you pick it? 

The colour scheme is grey – we chose it as it is soft, warm and inviting. 

Describe the lighting in each area, why it was chosen, and what effect it has.

We have chosen several different lighting options that incorporate the use of natural light, warm lights and cool florescent lights.

The combination creates a space with as close a result to natural light as we could.   

What are the walls covered in and why?

As the walls are all freshly plastered, we opted for a simple paint finish to add to the contemporary look. 

What is the floor made from and why?

The floors are a high grade 4/5 laminate – we chose this as we felt that it could withstand any colour we use and it doesn’t stain or mark like wood. It's also easier to stand on for long periods of time than tiles. 

Describe reception and the waiting area in detail and where they are

The reception and waiting area are at the front and separated from the salon by two sliding doors which have images from Wella on the right hand side.

We also have an extensive retail section in the reception now showcasing the different products we use. 

Does the salon look different in separate areas and if so how and why?

The salon follows the same design throughout – although we do have a section that we made specifically for hair loss; it's a bit more private due to the sensitive nature of the issue for both men and women. 

Is the salon meant to appeal to anyone in particular?

We have a diverse clientele so we just wanted to create a warm and inviting space that our clients felt comfortable in. 

Describe the ceiling.

The ceiling at the back of the salon has 6 beautiful skylights and it’s also pitched so it creates a light and airy feel. We have used a lot of lighting so it is bright and light. 

What are the most interesting features in the salon?

Most clients have passed comment about the use of the high ceiling and ceiling windows in the backwash area, we designed this originally with natural light in mind but the relaxation that comes with watching the clouds go by is priceless. 

How many styling stations are there and how are they distributed?

There are 17 stations in total and we're are already planning on adding another two! There are 14 that run the entire length of one side and three on the other side with the option of adding two more. 

How would you describe the salon's image?

Chic and boutique!

Is there anything you wouldn't choose again with hindsight?

Probably the grey tiles by the backwash area as they can sometimes look a little messy. 

What was the best thing you did and the worst thing you did?

We are still deciding if keeping the salon separate from the reception area was the right idea. I think it will take working with it for a while to fully understand what's working and what isn't.

What would be your top five tips on renovating/refurbishing a salon.

1. Allow for your budget to be broken. 

2. Patience and 'lots of it' 

3. Spend more on the important things.

4. There is no 'I' in team

5. OCD is not always a good thing