SMALL WONDER

Kitch Hair in Islington, London proves that good things come in small packages with its wonderfully retro and intimate interior

Walk into Kitch Hair and you’re immediately transported back in time to a 1950s pastel kitchen. From the colour trolleys masquerading as cookers to the lilac oversized washing machine which doubles as a reception desk, owners Luca Jones and Scott Humphrey really nailed their concept. The inspiration behind it? “My mum was a home hairdresser so there was always someone having their hair done in the kitchen,” explains Luca. “Scott and I wanted to recreate that relaxed feeling of getting your hair done in the kitchen with friends within our salon space.”

Everything at Kitch is pastel, light and bright. “We both worked in dark salons and barbershops previously and now we love working in a bright space with lots of natural light,” explains Luca. The shop was a plain white box before the duo began renovating it.

The small and awkward space really spoke to them and they realised the size would work in their favour as they wanted the salon to feel intimate: “We made use of every centimetre. The mirrors are doors so we have storage behind them and our colour trolleys are integrated cookers that sit between chimney breasts.” On the staircase oversized vintage cereal and soap boxes with built-in beauty lights cover the wall – perfect for client selfies.

It was the client journey that was at the forefront of every design decision made by the duo. “The salon is for everyone. We believe the salon experience should be fun and relaxing. We wanted to create a safe space for people to express themselves. We’ve gained an amazing clientele since opening in summer 2020,” point out Luca and Scott.

The proud owners had all the fixtures and fittings custom-made by a company called Fables Creative. The duo have nothing but positive things to say about the team: “They exceeded our expectations and made our crazy dreams a reality!”

The renovation process, however, wasn’t all plain sailing. “Our carpenter left us with a half-done salon and promised to be back in two weeks. This turned into 11 weeks and then we had to ask Fables Creative to finish the build, and then another lockdown came along!”

It may have taken time and lots of determination but it’s fair to say Kitch Hair has been well worth the wait. Luca best sums it up when he says: “Nothing is what is seems at Kitch. Our toilet door is a pink fridge door, our fridge is a lilac tumble dryer and our towel heater is a fridge freezer.” You could say they’ve utilised everything but the kitchen sink!