In Hairdressers Journal's 'The Perfect Salon Experience' series, salons choosing Takara Belmont are featured monthly to tell their story and share their reasons why our equipment is an important part of their journey. In this month's edition, HJ spoke to Nashwhite Heist House.
Based in the heart of the Midlands, Nashwhite’s flagship Heist House offers its clients and stylists a plethora of workshops, wellbeing activities and next-level coffee, not to mention hair services that are perfectly curated. This ethos is continued in the interior décor – everything at Nashwhite is carefully considered, but not over-laboured.
The Nashwhite journey began in 2010 in Warwick, and their aim was always to create a space that provided more than just a setting to deliver exceptional hairdressing.
“We are a destination salon where a collective of creative like-minded hairdressers can work together in an environment where guests feel connected,” explains the brand’s co-founder, Lee Nash-Jones. “Our house has an emphasis on the community as much as the hairdresser.”
The décor respects the heritage of the building, a former bank. Renamed The Heist House – a nod to its banking history dating back to the 1970s – the team drew inspiration from an era where banks were stone structures in a tasteful style that signalled financial stability, integrity and the fact that they were the pillars of the local community. “We stripped everything back to reveal the original building and removed rotten windows to create new open spaces leading to the roof terrace, garden and beyond,” explains Lee. “We salvaged much of the interior to respect the legacy of the building, the planet and our budget.”
Wooden floors and lights were taken from old buildings, restaurants and warehouses, antique tiles were salvaged and workbenches rescued from an old industrial carpet warehouse. “We love to build spaces that have a timeless feel and select pieces of furniture that will co-exist and naturally belong within our design scheme,” Lee remarks. “We feel Takara Belmont's Dainty chairs are like classic cars. Timeless, elegant, they never try to stand out. They sit within the space quietly without fuss, but you need them to perform. They also they add extra comfort and durability.”
When it came to colour, the team kept things neutral – olive greens, terracotta tones and setting plaster hues warm up the industrial elements of exposed brick, vents and piping. Strategically placed rugs, particularly under sofas and armchairs, added new layers of interest and upped the level of comfort for clients and stylists.
Nashwhite holds educational seminars, shoots and events, so the space has to be multi-functional. Moveable working stations and separate zones allow the areas to both flow and be separated from one another with ease. Although a key priority for the brand is creating community spirit, a sense of calmness always pervades. Nashwhite's approach is perfectly summed up in their tag line line ‘drop in, tune out’.
This article has been edited and reproduced from Hairdressers Journal's 'The Perfect Salon Experience'. Read the full article here and learn how to recreate the Nashwhite look with the Dainty grooming chair and the RS Elite backwash.
Note: Images courtesy of Nashwhite Heist House taken by Tom Bird Photography
