Salon of Distinction: Sine Qua Non Salon, West Town
“We celebrated our grand opening with a huge event which invited all the local press and magazines, which was a great success and earned us reviews in Refinery29, Allure, Time Out and more. We also held a blogger breakfast, hosting all the young fashion bloggers.”
by Stacey Soble
Salon of Distinction: Salon Entourage
“One of our favorite features of our salon is the ultramodern black and white color scheme with chrome trimmings, which allows us to add a touch of color seasonally. The epoxy white floors give it a seamless modern touch.”
by Stacey Soble
Salon of Distinction: Salon 241
“Since we are located in a noted art community, we hired a local painter and muralist to design the new ginkgo leaf that adorns our walls and the faux wood finish on our reception desk. We’ve taken it a step further by incorporating the design in our print advertising.”
by Stacey Soble
Salon of Distinction: New Reflections SpaSalon
“While our younger guests think our Freestyle dryers and retail fixtures are really hip, we also want our guests to be aware that we work hard to be a ‘green’ salon. We are respectful of the Earth and make our choices based on lighting, heating and water efficiency.”
by Stacey Soble
Salon of Distinction: Morrison Hair
“We were inspired by Apple stores and the new philosophy of the ‘frictionless experience.’ We don’t have a front desk, we book appointments and ring up service on handheld devices right at the station or in the comfort of our reception room.”
by Stacey Soble
Salon of Distinction: LesliJon Salon
“With the additional square footage to our front room and retail area, we added a new make-up counter that allows us to perform applications on four guests at one time. Since it’s right in the middle of reception, it invites guests to sample and play with make-up.”
by Stacey Soble
Salon of Distinction: Kink Salon
“Our modern, comfortable waiting area encourages guests to interact with retail or lounge with the iPad we provide. We think the desk and wallpaper are quite sexy and make a statement of true distinction.”
by Stacey Soble
Salon of Distinction: Jyl Craven Hair Design
“In a formerly unused area of the salon, we created the Kerastate Ritual Center/Treatment Room where guests can experience deep conditioning treatments, with a head and scalp massage while sitting in a chair that delivers a complete pressure therapy massage.”
by Stacey Soble
Salon of Distinction: Headlines the Salon
“The main feature of the salon is the Lather Lounge which was designed to be it’s own space within a space. It has its own ambient lighting, scented candles, spa-like-music that plays independently from the styling space, and its own temperature control. Truly an experience every visit.”
by Stacey Soble
Salon of Distinction: HAUS Salon
“We wanted an interior that would promote a highenergy, interactive, creative community. By centering stations at two tables, we literally all ‘come to the table’ together during a service. Rather than sit in a row, guests are in small communities, interacting with our artists and each other.”
by Stacey Soble
Salon of Distinction: Glo Hair Lounge
“Ambient LED lighting is incorporated in custom designed glass countertops at each station and throughout the entire salon to give a soft, elegant and relaxing glow. The floor looks like a layer of frozen ice over rippling water, perfectly complementing the sleek personality of the salon.”
by Stacey Soble
Salon of Distinction: The Collage Salon
“It had me at the front door. I love the random whimsical touches, like the flowers everywhere, the red table and the perfectly matched blue bottles on the nail tables." —Morehouse
by Stacey Soble
Surprising Our SOTY Winner
When we learned that Ginger Bay Salon and Spa had won our SALONS OF THE YEAR competition just days before a video shoot we already planned of the salon, we couldn't resist taking advantage of the opportunity to surprise owner Laura Ortmann with the good news!
by Stacey Soble
Look and Learn
When Blo in Raleigh, North Carolina captured the SALONS OF THE YEAR award in 2011 as well as SALON TODAY’s June cover, Toni&Guy graciously stepped forward and offered the salon a complimentary in-salon education class as a congratulatory gift.
Grand-Prizer Winner: Blo
OWNER BRYAN NUNES frequently tells his staff that space is Blo’s most valuable team member, and this was his guiding design principle when it came to doubling the Raleigh, North Carolina, salon’s square footage in its latest expansion. “I am a hairdresser deep down, and I firmly believe in creating a space that is conducive to a creative, stimulating, clean and ergonomically responsible work environment, which ultimately will lead to happy designers and lower turnover.”
First Runner Up: Stem Hair and Body Salon
BEFORE ANGELA WATNE and Suzanne Phelps moved their former small salon into its much bigger reincarnation, the duo dug in, did the research, and scouted locations for nearly two years before deciding on just the right space. “We finally found the space we needed in a nice strip mall, which has a movie theatre, several great retailers and easy highway access,” says Suzanne Phelps. “Our next goal was to create a space that felt like home.”
Second Runner Up: The Canyon Salon
FIRST IMPRESSIONS set the tone for the overall experience at The Canyon Salon. Just a few miles away from the modern-day movie town, the salon brings back memories of old Hollywood with its grand entrance area. Above a beautiful, tall, marble desk hang two chandeliers. And, a large mirror reflects the salon’s beckoning boutique.