From the Outside In--A Tour of Exteriors from Salons of the Year 2019

The modern storefront of Atelier Isabelle Rose in Houston, Texas, sets the stage for the chic and elegant decor inside.

Large expanses of windows at Atelier in Wellesley, Massachusetts, gives passersby a peek at the action inside.

The spinning barber pole and the Buffalo signage invites clients to climb the stairs to Buffalo Co. Salon and Barber in Temecula, Califonria.

The sweet exteiror of Emma Justine Hair Lounge and Spa beckons passersby inside not just with its looks, but also with the salon's soundtrack piped outside through speakers.

The brick exterior of Hair & Body Works in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, offers a visual hint at the building's history as a former bank.

The bold exterior of Jyl Craven Hair Design in Canton, Georgia, gives guiests a taste of the industrial chic design that awaits them inside.

The architectural interest of the building itself attracts passersby to LaBelle Nail Bar in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.

The signage for LaBelle Nail Bar in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.

The owners of Mirror Mirror Salon in Austin, Texas, say their style is 'California Cool Meets Southern Charm,' and you can see that design intent on their building's exterior.

This architectural rendering of the new PENZONE Salon + Spa in Dublin, Ohio, shows the banks of windows that allow flood the salon with natural light.

An additional architectural rendering of the PENZONE Salon + Spa in Dublin, Ohio.

Like a modern-day speakeasy, guests access Totalee on the Alley in Beverly Hills, California, by pressing a doorbell at the steel door off the alley. Strategically placed wood pieces in the long seductively lit hallway creates a play of movement.

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The modern storefront of Atelier Isabelle Rose in Houston, Texas, sets the stage for the chic and elegant decor inside.

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Large expanses of windows at Atelier in Wellesley, Massachusetts, gives passersby a peek at the action inside.

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The spinning barber pole and the Buffalo signage invites clients to climb the stairs to Buffalo Co. Salon and Barber in Temecula, Califonria.

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The sweet exteiror of Emma Justine Hair Lounge and Spa beckons passersby inside not just with its looks, but also with the salon's soundtrack piped outside through speakers.

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The brick exterior of Hair & Body Works in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, offers a visual hint at the building's history as a former bank.

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The bold exterior of Jyl Craven Hair Design in Canton, Georgia, gives guiests a taste of the industrial chic design that awaits them inside.

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The architectural interest of the building itself attracts passersby to LaBelle Nail Bar in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.

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The signage for LaBelle Nail Bar in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.

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The owners of Mirror Mirror Salon in Austin, Texas, say their style is 'California Cool Meets Southern Charm,' and you can see that design intent on their building's exterior.

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This architectural rendering of the new PENZONE Salon + Spa in Dublin, Ohio, shows the banks of windows that allow flood the salon with natural light.

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An additional architectural rendering of the PENZONE Salon + Spa in Dublin, Ohio.

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Each year, our Salons of the Year contest application allows entrants to upload a limit of 10 images of their newly designed or renovated salon design. The typical applicant chooses not to use up one of their allotted images on an exterior shot of their salon, deciding instead to use all 10 to convey their new luxurious interior.

But this year we noticed a heightened trend of exterior images in our applications, which caused us to reflect on how important that outside façade really is.

In your community, your storefront is your face. It’s your billboard to passersby who may become clients someday. And, for new clients, it’s the first physical impression—a point when they begin to entertain the experience that awaits them.

When our editorial team was judging this year, selecting our 21 finalists (see announcement here), we literally feel in love with a few of these salons before our virtual tour even took us indoors. Check out some of the exteriors of our finalists and you’ll see why.