SALON DESIGN
FULL CIRCLE CIRCLES OF HAIR AND THEIR IDIOSYNCRATIC NEW SALON ENVIRONMENT IS ALL PART OF GIVING BACK TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE PLAYED A PART IN MAKING IT ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST SALONS, WRITES CAMERON PINE.
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ollaborating with State of Kin, a multi-disciplinary design studio known for creating spaces with unique visual interest, Circles of Hair Founder and Proprietor Sharlene Lee carries a passion for ingenuity and a distinct approach to design. This salon design journey is a highly personal one, after having purchased a house State of Kin designed from the ground up in 2020, the affinity with her vision, attention to detail and breadth of work was something Sharlene had to carry into her new Circles of Hair journey. Her house, known as The Shutter House, is now one of Perth’s most notorious homes, and it’s little wonder the salon is second in line as the most talked-about and written about salon in Australia. Glamorous but with a gritty edge, quirky but pragmatic, serious but still very sexy, the new Circles of Hair is a bold move into the salon of the future. Still inviting, comfortable and genuine, it’s a space designed for maximum experience. “Spending $750,000 on a fitout was justified to me as I wanted to do something different that the industry hasn’t seen before, which took going one step further in the design process. I also didn’t want furniture and finishes that were generic – everything had to be custom-made off-site,” Sharlene said. “My clients spend a lot of money with us on hair and it’s this high investment in our aesthetic that has kept our brand relevant and in-line with what we are charging as professionals and how we can continue to charge more.” Admittedly Sharlene is now in a very different financial position than when she refitted her salon to the current location it resides today more than 10 years ago. For the 2022 journey of Circles it was about creating a vibrant and distinctive environment that gives back to their clients with an amazing experience, while also being more functional and resilient than ever. 70 INSTYLE
Custom doors with the salon logo, a striking terrazzo waiting bench and a focus on sturdy steel and hygienic finishes, the salon is where the future meets functionality and a supreme sense of consciousness spurred by COVID. “When you are wanting the best you have to pay for it. Yes, I could have shopped around and saved $200,000 but, with State of Kin, I had a guaranteed outcome and commitment to quality. I was obviously concerned with COVID and how long it could have taken to renovate but State of Kin gave me a guaranteed timeframe and I didn’t have to shut the salon down. They worked with me to have minimal impact on my bottom line. Such an achievement would not have been possible without everyone’s positive attitude and commitment to such a unique and vibrant space for everyone to enjoy,” Sharlene said. Plenty of roster planning saw all of Circles' 28 staff members working across a rotating schedule to ensure the salon could stay open, seeing only a 2 per cent downturn in takings for the month of November while the renovations took place. They now see improved workflow and movement through spaces with increased capacity and much more storage, resulting in more efficient and seamless functionality for the team that allows more effective client turnover and improved customer experience. The salon’s detail must be seen in person to really appreciate the quality of each finish chosen for its timeless modernity and its ability to last. Circles has a flowing silhouette from the moment you enter, it’s futuristic yet minimal, with lots of curves and a hero glass styling table that weighs more than 150 kilograms and took six men to carry in. “My favourite element is the front desk. A lot of salons are not using front desks the same way anymore and I feel in a way we are losing the significance of a front desk in the industry, so we’ve
