Metropolitan chic at jamie stevens salon

When Jamie Stevens decided to open a new salon in Woolavington, Somerset, his aim was, he says: "To bring a bit of London artistry down to Somerset, without going OTT and having fuschia pink walls!"

Jamie, who is known for being the resident hairdresser on This Morning, and for being art director at Errol Douglas, wanted to stamp his personality on his own eponymous salon, Jamie Stevens.

He chose black and white for the décor to fit in with his logo - and the resulting look is sophisticated simplicity, which brings understated metropolitan chic to the salon's rural setting.

Jamie says it is glamorous enough to draw in younger people without putting off more traditional customers, and it's a look he's likely to replicate as and when he expands into other premises.

Fact File

Name: Jamie Stevens

Address: Sedgemoor Road, Woolavington, Somerset

Owner: Jamie Stevens

Size: 1,000sq ft

Clientele: A mixture of old to young

Staff: Five full-time and three part-time

Styling stations: Seven

Budget: £145,000 (to buy freehold and refurb)

Financing: Self and bank

Design: Self and Aston & Fincher

Furniture: Aston & Fincher

Features: Black and white in a rural setting.

Budget Box

Flooring: £3,000

Building works: £10,000

Electrics: £4,000

Plumbing: £3,000

Heating: £1,500

Signs and logo and website and business cards: £3,000

Miscellaneous: £2,000

Furniture: £14,700 

Get The Look

Design and furniture: Aston & Fincher 0121 331 2031

Top Tips

• Research trade professionals.
• Have a good relationship with your salon furniture equipment company.
• Take advice from a product company.
• Have good staff (such as a manager) behind you.
• Have a vision and stick to it. 
• Make sure everything you do brings your vision to life.

In Brief...

• How would you describe the salon's image?
  
  Cool, metropolitan, peaceful and welcoming.
• What was the most expensive part of the refit?
  
  The building and structural work.
• What was the best and worst thing you did?
  
  Designing it myself was the best thing. The driveway was the worst thing: I chose to concrete it, but should have gone with tarmac straight away.
• What are the most important aspects to you?
  
  Client comfort, and the way it looks. I believe that no-one would come in the salon and say 'I prefer it the way it was'.