1. Designing the Vision

The client came to us with an old Chinese takeaway shop that was a blank canvas ready to transform into a spa-like salon.

Our role was to provide mood boards, a material palette, precise floor plans, joinery drawings and high-quality 3D visuals that captured the mood, flow, and function of the salon – giving the client a clear roadmap to execute with their contractors.

2. Key Zones in the Salon

Every great design tells a story through its layout. Here’s how we zoned the space:

• Café & Outdoor Hatch – A curved counter, luxe shelving, and ambient lighting create a warm, welcoming café experience, extending outside with community-focused touches.
• Nail Bar – Three arches showcase polish displays under soft, ambient light – a playful yet refined transition between salon and spa.
• Treatment Rooms – Calm, chic spaces designed for facials, brows, lashes, and tanning, complete with sinks and storage.
• Hair Stations, Colour Lab and Hair-wash Zone – Backlit mirrors, fluted wall panels, and brass accents combine glamour with everyday functionality.

3. Overcoming Design Challenges

Every project has hurdles, and this one pushed us to innovate:

• Zoning hair and café areas – Kept food and treatments separate while still connecting the experience. Ensuring each zone had adequate space without overcrowding the floor plan was a challenge, which took many thumbnail sketches and alternative solutions before finalising the layout!
• The tanning room – A tricky layout with strict ventilation and fire exit rules, solved with a smart cubicle-style design.
• Multiple entrances – We used partitions, seating, and sightlines to guide clients intuitively through the space.

4. Materials and Mood

Here’s a look at the digital material board we designed for our Sutton Coldfield salon project, using Mattoboard. We’re able to present clients with a tactile snapshot of how their space will feel - from flooring and fabrics to fixtures and finishes. The salon’s identity was shaped by a palette of earthy neutrals, textured wallpapers, brass accents, and rattan details.

• Flooring: Durable, commercial-grade LVT for practicality.
• Walls: Ash tiles and taupe wallpaper add spa-like calm. Incorporating rattan adds a grounding, natural material. Fluted panelling adds flexibility (it can be painted any colour and refreshed), and dimension for ambient lights to interact with.
• Lighting: Each zone tells its own story – bold front and backlit mirrors for ultimate functionality, soft pendant café lighting for warmth, and ambient glow in the treatment rooms for retreat-like relaxation.
• Accessories: We've incorporated additional objects and materials like ribbed glassware for the cafe, stones and pebbles for planters, brushed brass to feature on handles and wall decor frames for example.

4. The Final Visualisations

Through carefully crafted 3D visuals, the client was able to see, refine, and feel their salon before it was built.

This wasn’t just a design – it was the creation of a destination. A place where beauty meets community, where every corner has purpose, and where clients will feel cared for from entry to exit.

At Simran Design Ltd, we remain focused on designing commercial spaces across the Midlands and beyond that, elevate brands, inspire people, and perform beautifully in practice. If you're a busy business owner who needs to upgrade your space, contact us today for a free quotation.