One of the top make-up artists, Kristina Gasperas and her husband Algis, have asked me to design their new creative studio in London. They were trying to find the perfect salon space for beauty, make-up and hair styling in London for a long time, they needed a great interior design too. The spot in the heart of leafy Barnes seemed perfect. When they showed me the space for the first time I saw a blank canvas with a lot of potential. What a dream! As I always wanted to interior design a luxury but minimal hair salon in London, I couldn’t wait to start.
Hi, I’m Ula Burgiel – a luxury interior designer based in London.
I professionally design modern and hi-end interiors for homes around the world: London, Hong Kong and New York. My style can be described as contemporary minimalism with understated luxury.
Designing a commercial space like this hair and beauty salon is first and foremost a research project. You need to know exactly how the space will be used. Therefore getting to know Kristina’s business and the way she works was the top priority.
Kristina’s company grew so much that now she has a big team. It’s called the K-Team and consist of make-up artists and hair stylists. She also runs masterclasses for fellow professionals so I needed to design a very flexible studio. I was looking forward to the challenge.
Multipurpose Layout of the Hair and Beauty Salon
Designing the right layout / floor plan was the key. It had to accommodate both make-up artists working with clients, the possibility of running a masterclass as well as a lot of storage. To divide the space of the hair and beauty salon, I used the tall wardrobe solution and build a wall around it. As a result the studio gained a lot of storage as well as a design feature.
I remember the moment when we were sitting in a cafe with Kristina and she described the visual look that she’s after: “the understated luxury”. In that moment I knew it’s a project for me.
We both had our Pinterest boards full of hair and beauty salon interior design ideas from London and other parts of the world. I pictured a soft, bright and minimal space. The studio needed to have a luxury design look but not be a standard hair salon interior. The design process involved a lot of hand sketching and testing different ideas.
To make the space feel modern and soft I took the inspiration from the world of fashion. Introducing soft nude fabric hanging on the walls transformed the space. Marble, wood and brass finishes completed the look. Likewise, small black metal details added the contrast. The result is a functional and creative studio that’s also beautiful and inviting.
