How did you decide on the style of your salon interior?
The interior of the Derby salon is largely made to mirror that of our Nottingham location. We wanted to make sure there was a sort of cohesion between our brand and the way it’s designed, creating a natural feel that mirrors our ethos. We’ve incorporated the plants and green aesthetic of our Nottingham salon, as well as the natural wooden décor.
Where did you find the inspiration for your design?
We wanted our design to make the space feel as welcoming and homely as possible to our clients. From the moment they enter the salon, we want them to feel as though the area is familiar, even if they’ve never visited us before. To achieve this, we’ve made sure the salon is spacious, without feeling empty. There is plenty of room for our stylists to comfortably move around, and for our clients to relax in. Sometimes less really is more, especially if you’re trying to create a zone for guests to feel at ease, as clutter can make a space feel quite unsettling.
Did you use an interior designer?
Much like our Nottingham location, we haven’t used an interior designer at any point for the salon. From the offset, our vision for Tuckwell & Co was to ensure that all interior decisions were completely our own and that this vision was actualised. We felt as though we needed to create the aesthetic ourselves for it to feel well and truly authentic as Tuckwell & Co.
What do you hope are your clients’ first impressions when they walk in?
Our aim is for clients to feel relaxed from the moment they enter Tuckwell & Co. Rather than walk into a coffee bar area, Derby clients
will walk directly into the main salon space, where they will be greeted at the reception desk. Sitting in the waiting area for their appointment, they’ll be able to witness the girls working away in the salon with clients, offering a true representation of the hustle and bustle of the salon. Ultimately, we want clients to walk in and be excited to spend the next hour or two in such a stylish and comfortable space.
What are the key elements of your salon design?
The combination of plants and wooden furniture has always been a huge element of Tuckwell & Co’s design. Incorporating greenery – whether it be artificial plants and vines, or real plants and flowers – and connecting to nature is a key part of our aesthetic; it can hugely transform a space from dull and spacious to homely and colourful. The rustic furniture, such as handmade wooden workspaces and rattan chairs, also help to bring this feeling of nature indoors.
Do you have any curated pieces/special features in the salon?
The main attraction of the salon would arguably be the backwash area, where clients can sit down and truly unwind. We’ve positioned a screen across from the basins, playing calming ocean and nature video clips that are both visually and audibly relaxing. The lighting is also dimmed in this area, creating a serene environment for our clients to enjoy to the fullest.
How have you embraced sustainability within the design?
We’ve partnered with Green Salon Collective, positioning recycling bins around the salon floor for stylists to use with ease. These collect used foils, hair cut-offs and other regularly wasted products, recycling them for beneficial use within the environment. We’re hugely dedicated to doing our bit for the environment, so this partnership makes us incredibly proud.
What salon software do you use and what feature of it do you find most useful?
We use a combination of BrightHR and Phorest. Phorest is fantastic as a booking system – it’s easy to use, displays stylists’ schedules clearly side by side and has lots of great features for our marketing team to make use of. We use the software to control email campaigns, as well as to design and plan out future campaigns for all our social media platforms. BrightHR is quick and easy with regards to rotas and holidays, making it simple to access and very easy to create and monitor rotas to share with the team.
What salon furniture have you chosen and why?
We’ve chosen a minimalist approach for the salon design, as we know that clients are more inclined to feel relaxed in a less cluttered space. With less furniture, there is more of a neutral background to make the important design elements stand out more – as well as the hair itself! There are a few rattan chairs around the main salon area for clients to sit down on, adding a sort of retro charm to the space. We also have some fabric wall hangings scattered around the salon, adding a very simple yet effective homely element to the design.
Do you have a dress code/uniform for your team?
We’ve never had a particular dress code for the team here. We are huge believers of self-expression, so we wouldn’t dream of making our team feel as if they had to supress a part of themselves within the workplace. We simply ask that they turn up to work looking relatively smart and not scruffy, but otherwise, they may express themselves as much as they desire! We thrive
on individuality!
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