2 mins
The Inside Man
HJ chatted with Michael Roach, a design expert and furniture sales director at REM to find out what’s new in interior trends and his predictions for 2023
REM
We love putting together our interior features (check out this month’s on page 94) so who better to get an inside scoop on the salon design industry at the moment than a man that lives and breathes salon interior design? With an increase in energy costs and a global push to be more sustainable, not to mention the continued effects of Covid-19, how are salons and stylists looking to refurbish their spaces?
What are the key salon interior trends that you are seeing at the moment?
Salon owners seem to be embracing natural colours and choosing furniture that has an environmentally sustainable ethos. Internal foliage and leafy or floral designed walls are also in vogue. Gone are the white stark walls and boring black furniture. Now, most salon owners feel that look is boring and old fashioned.
Are you seeing customers look for more sustainable furniture choices?
Definitely, the big push is towards locally sourced furniture. The most frequently asked question on the REM stand at Salon International this year was ‘where’s the furniture made?’ Visitors were keen to know that it hadn’t travelled halfway around the world and was environmentallyconscious.
How are salons adapting post-pandemic?
This may be a bold statement from me, but salon owners feel Covid-19 is a thing of the past and something we have to live with now. This is evident from the sales of our wash points, recently we have seen a lot of people opting for the Cupid Sofa Washpoint where clients sit directly next to each other. It’s so comfy and intimate, that some people have reported it’s like sitting on their sofa!
What interior trend is on its way out?
Boring black furniture is not in anymore. Barbershops will always like the vintage feel, but we are seeing people opt for less cluttered and more organised environments. Organisation storage and smart retail displays are huge right now.
What do you predict will be 2023's key interior trends?
Natural colours and greenery. I love beautiful, simple pendant lights over key areas of the salon including styling areas and reception. Gone are the office grid ceilings and instead salons want flat or plastered ceilings – then recessed lighting is used with good mood lighting.
What's the biggest mistake you see when it comes to salon design?
Too many styling positions crammed into a small space. This reduces working space for stylists and makes clients feel cramped, not to mention it impacts the flow of the salon.
If you had one piece of advice for someone looking to refresh the interior of their salon, what would it be?
A well manufactured product is more expensive for a reason. At REM we spend one year developing and testing our new products before they are introduced to the market. Welltrained manufacturing staff are not cheap and want to be valued and treated with respect. Buy furniture that will last, you don’t want to buy poorly made furniture that needs to be taken to the tip after two years – it’s a waste of money and isn’t sustainable. You really do get what you pay for.