A FAMILY AFFAIR

KEY FACTS

Name: Collinge & Co
Address: 45 Castle Street, Liverpool, L2 9SH
Owners: Andrew, Liz & Charlie Collinge
Size: 250 sqm
How long have you been in the premises: 19 years
How many staff members: 25
Budget: £250,000

Collinge & Co is a fourth-generation family business based in Liverpool, fronted by Andrew and Liz Collinge, and their son Charlie. Over the years the salon has been branded both Peter Collinge and Andrew Collinge, however they recently rebranded the company Collinge & Co as a nod to their roots – and their many talented team members.

"The salon now boasts multiple lighting sources to provide a soft light with high clarity – perfect for colouring hair"

The family opened their first salon in 1940, however they moved into their current premises, which was formerly a building society, 19 years ago. While they were largely happy with the layout of the salon, the family decided to make the entrance feel more welcoming, and with the rebranding of their salons, the redesign also allowed them to be more cohesive.

The renovation provided the perfect opportunity to enhance the building’s elegant architecture while achieving a modern look. Warmth and texture have been added throughout, with timber, concrete terrazzo and soft paint finishes all working to achieve this.

While the family managed the project themselves, they hired an interior designer, quantity surveyor and contractor to support the process.

Charlie explains that the lighting was probably the greatest improvement they made to the space, sharing: “We’ve had clients say how relaxing the lighting feels and how flattering it is.” The salon now boasts multiple lighting sources to provide a soft light with high clarity – perfect for colouring hair – in addition to two large windows at the front of the salon, and two large skylights at the rear. They’ve also added a custom neon light, which works as a focal point to their wall-mounted retail display, and a custom feature light, to emphasise the height of the building.

Changes to the salon also included repositioning the reception desk closer to the door, to make the space feel less imposing, and introducing a video wall, to help turn heads as people walk past. Charlie notes that the latter in particular has been really effective in allowing them to promote the work of their stylists and the Collinge & Co brand.

Something that didn’t change was the salon’s floor – made of ceramic Italian tiles. “They look good after 19 years, so repairing and renewing the floor was a more sustainable option," explains Charlie. However, they did decide to update the furniture: styling chairs and backwashes from Aston & Fincher, Catar styling chairs from Pahi, and Yuto backwashes from Takumi were all selected because of their high quality and clean, graphic presence. They also opted to keep one backwash chair detached, so wheelchair users are easily able to access the space.

Meanwhile, workstations, mirrors and retail units were all bespoke, with Charlie adding: “Having some bespoke items is important to make your space unique, and it’s a great opportunity to further reinforce your brand identity.”

Reflecting on the renovation, Charlie notes that from design to build, working with great people was the best decision they made: “Good teamwork produced a great salon.”