House of Reagan is tucked away on the fourth floor of a classic, 100-year-old loft right in the heart of Soho. The building itself has a downtown edge, but after exiting the elevator on the fourth floor, many describe the feeling as entering a jewelry box, the inside of a genie lamp, or a Narnia-type escape for beauty lovers in Manhattan. 

“Ever since moving to New York, I’ve loved entering a building with an unassuming exterior to find a surprising gem of a business hidden inside, and always wanted the same for myself one day,” says Owner Reagan Baker. “I’ve worked in New York City salons for 20 years, and rarely found places with the type of personality and culture that I was looking for. I wanted a place that inspired creativity, outside-of-the-box thinking, and a playfulness that reflected both my clients’ and my own approach to beauty. Creating a space that sparked a certain feeling for all who enter to freely be their biggest and boldest selves was very important to me.”

The salon’s entryway walls are painted with a mural of a cloudy sky at dusk, and if you look closely, you’ll find cherubs hidden here and there, inspired by Renaissance paintings and the Disney movie Fantasia. Owner Reagan Baker collaborated with the artist, Madigan White, who spent close to four creating it. 

The salon has one station in the entrance for clients who want a quieter experience. The seating area is furnished with two, throne-like, heart-shaped armchairs and a striped marble lamp by Turkish designer Merve Kahraman. There is a giant disco ball that, in the afternoon, catches the sunlight just right, creating a twinkling effect that guests gasp over.

“Merve Kahraman is such a genius with interiors and furniture design,” Baker says. “She saw my vision perfectly and elevated it with her rapid fire ideas, high-end taste, and ability to source pieces quickly. Getting the unique aesthetic that I had in mind was very important to me. I now have a growing team of stylists and colorists, including pop-up stylists from out of town that I host regularly. We’re a very professional group of creatives with a touch of Bohemian.”

Upon entering the main salon floor, clients first comment on the shampoo area. The statement piece wash stations look like they belong on a carousel in an old western movie, the backdrop is a glossy red wall with photos of client “after” portraits hung in ornate gold frames. Reagan invites these clients to autograph them, just like celebrities, upon their next visit. The “Bodega Corner” houses the retail, as well as complimentary snacks and vintage tabloid magazines for light reading. 

Each of the nine stations has large gilded mirrors, which they call “Beauty Portals,” to inspire both the client and stylist to collaborate with looks beyond regular upkeep. There’s a 10-person processing table in the middle of the room with stacks of vintage Playboys, iconic fashion editorials and art magazines. Every station has fresh flowers, typically roses, that Baker buys weekly from the grocery store near her home in the East Village. 

One of the best pieces is the tufted, ice blue parlor sofa in the center of the room. “I joke that it belonged to Cinderella after she became a princess,” says Baker. “I wanted something with a circular shape for clients to hang out on that wouldn’t separate the room.” 

Baker’s favorite design features are all the little surprises throughout the space. “People often don’t notice them until several visits in because there are so many,” she says.” I have a fairy door just a few inches tall on one wall, a bookshelf of icons, like Barbie and Miss Piggy, and we even have a Ouija board if you can’t decide what to do with your hair and need to call the spirits from the other side for help. It’s all very tongue-in-cheek, which is a more fun design approach for beauty. The sky is the limit at House of Reagan.”

The guest bathroom is another of Baker’s favorite spaces. “It was inspired by the observatory at the Versace mansion in Miami,” she says. “I painted it evening blue and adhered brass stars, moons, and angels all over it that I bought from a shop I found on Etsy. I had a pink sink and toilet installed that my designer found at an antique shop in Ohio. I added a stained-glass effect to the window to add to the romantic, art nouveau, cathedral-like vibe.”

The salon changes its playlist every day to create fun, surprising energy. “Sometimes it’s 90s or 2000s pop, Italian Disco, and other days we do a more ethereal or classical ambiance, depending on how many people are working,” Baker explains. 

Every day, people tell Baker they’ve never seen another salon like it. “My favorite compliment is when clients say that coming to the space gives them the freedom to be themselves and enhance their look in ways they had never really thought of before—that they find themselves expressing their personality more boldly,” she says. “And, I love that the staff use the space as their own art and photography studio even when they’re not taking clients. It fosters creativity for all who enter, just like I hoped it would.”

House of Reagan
New York, New York
www.houseofreagan.nyc
Owner: Reagan Baker
Established: 2024
Salon Style: Bohemian, Maximalist, Whimsical
Square Footage: 2,000
Number of Styling Stations: 9
Number of Treatment Rooms: 2
Furniture by: Merve Kahraman, Collins, and vintage finds 
Retail: Sam McKnight, Cult+King, Hairstory 
Color: Inoa, Whittemore House Hair Paint, Wella, Redken, L’Oreal, Schwarzkopf, Eugene Perma
Mural: Madigan White
Designer: Merve Kahraman (www.mervekahraman.com/)
Photographers: McGuire McManus, MJ KroegerHouse of Reagan