Stuart holmes cheltenham expands with glossy revamp

Stuart Holmes, who trained to be a hairdresser from the age of 17, set up his eponymous hair and beauty spa in Gloucestershire with his wife Sara, whose background is in the luxury hotel market. Located in a regency building Stuart Holmes Cheltenham has had continued success over the past 10 years, seeing it go from a small business with just a few stylists, to a thriving hair and beauty hub with nearly 40 staff. The salon’s latest revamp was caused by the need for extra styling stations to cope with the demand – hardly an unfortunate position to be in, but one that came with challenges as well as triumphs. [hji-gallery-legacy] What was your main aim when you started the work? We were aiming to double the number of styling stations from eight to 16. We also wanted to add more backwashes and create a luxury hair spa. The décor needed updating too and our design for this was based on a private members’ club, boutique hotel feel. What was the biggest job you undertook as part of the salon revamp? Repainting the front of the building, which meant it had to be completely covered in scaffolding from top to bottom. The issue with this was that people thought we were closed, when in fact we continued trading as normal. We used a huge branded hoarding to let people know we were still operating as usual. How did you choose the colour scheme? We went for black and grey, which was daunting at first, However, with interior designer Pip Isherwood’s help, it seemed less daunting. She advised us not to pick out details, but to paint the skirting boards and picture rails the same colour as the rest of the room. The use of block colour was important in achieving our desired result. Where did the lighting come from? We visited the local Habitat store during the refurbishment as it was having a liquidation sale. We chose a few lighting items on the shop floor, and then cheekily, we took it one step further and asked if we could buy some of their fixtures and fittings. Luckily the administrators were only too happy to sell them off, so we ended up with a lot of light fittings from the store plus some of their retail display units and cash desks. What did you choose for the walls? They are covered in Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen’s Kinky Vintage wallpaper from his collection. We also have a lot of retro film posters including original prints from Hairspray and Shampoo. What do you think is the most interesting area of your salon? The lounge is located towards the rear of the building and is a space where clients can enjoy speciality teas, coffee and wine. It has a library of books that include hairdressing volumes by Guido and Sam McKnight, plus vintage editions of Vogue. In contrast to the rest of the salon where the floors are laid with copper-dipped tiles, the lounge features driftwood flooring to give it a softer, more welcoming feel. How is the salon divided up? We occupy a regency building, which means there is inevitably some division within the salon as it’s a listed property. This separation actually works quite well for us though; on the ground floor, there is division between the reception and the lounge, and on the first floor, the salon is separated into two areas, giving a more intimate experience to clients. The hair spa is on the second floor along with the beauty rooms. What was the most expensive part of the refurbishment? Initially we didn’t realise we’d have to rewire the building, but then we put too much pressure on the electrics and blew the mains power. Rewiring was a costly exercise but one that needed doing. What was the most important thing for you when revamping the salon? Client comfort is paramount to us. The client’s journey through the salon should be seamless, stress-free and relaxing. We wanted a great design that gave us the ability to deliver a five-star, luxury service. FACT FILE Name: The Stuart Holmes Hair and Beauty Spa Address: Imperial Square, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire Owners: Stuart and Sara Holmes Size: 2,500 sq ft Clientele: Everybody from glamorous grandmas to their teenage grandchildren. We also get a host of Cotswolds celebrities. Staff: 37 Styling stations: 16 Budget: £75,000 Financing: Self Design: Stuart and Sara designed the scheme with help from Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and Pip Isherwood, both clients and interior designers. Furniture: Aston & Fincher, Bespoke Furniture, Habitat BUDGET BOX Electrics: £10,000 Plumbing: £3,500 Flooring: £8,000 Building works: £5,000 Interior decoration: £10,000 Exterior decoration: £7,500 Furniture and lighting: £25,000 Miscellaneous: £6,000 TOP TIPS

• Make sure you get detailed quotes from contractors. Talk to a quantity surveyor if you need external advice.
• Keep the planners in the loop and ask their advice early on.
• Staff and client safety is paramount during the refurbishment. Make sure you and the contractor have done thorough health and safety checks.
• Have a contingency fund – things always cost more than you think.
• Shop around and don’t spend a fortune. Spending lots of money doesn’t always mean it will look expensive.