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For growing salon brands, interiors quickly become part of the bigger business conversation. Do you replicate what works for brand recognition? Or do you adapt to the area and risk diluting your identity?
With Wimbledon marking the fifth location for So.Shell, founders Yana Galiyeva and Maria Sharova have had to answer that question more than once.
Choosing a salon location
For the duo, Wimbledon felt like a natural progression. “It's an affluent, residential area with a strong concentration of our clientele – women who prioritise quality self-care,” explains Galiyeva.
“The neighbourhood has this perfect mix of established community, excellent schools, and it's a major transport hub, so there's great energy throughout the week,” adds Sharova. “We'd been wanting to expand beyond Central London to make So.Shell more accessible, and Wimbledon just felt right.”
Communicating a business ethos through a salon interior
A key aspect of So.Shell’s business model is ensuring clients don’t have to compromise between quality and time, offering a “6-hand service” where multiple technicians work simultaneously to provide a manicure, pedicure, and brow treatment in 90 minutes.
But delivering that efficiently requires more than skilled staff – it demands a space designed around the service.
“When it comes to the design of So.Shell, it’s all about creating a calm, restorative atmosphere – a space where you can genuinely unwind and take a breath,” says Sharova. “We’ve designed modern environments specifically for women to escape their daily routine, even if just for an hour.”
That might sound at odds with a high-efficiency, multi-technician treatment model. In reality, the interior is what makes it work.
Every element is intentional. The layout allows multiple technicians to move seamlessly around the client without disrupting the sense of calm. Lighting is soft but functional. The signature turquoise and neutral palette reinforces the brand’s restorative positioning.
“It's not just about the manicure; it's about the experience of stepping away from everything else,” explains Galiyeva. .
For salon owners, it’s a reminder that interiors should communicate your ethos as clearly as your treatment menu does. If your USP is efficiency without compromise, your space has to prove it – operationally and emotionally.
Should every salon location look the same?
So.Shell has a clear visual identity. The turquoise and neutral palette runs through every location, reinforcing the brand’s calming ethos.
However, when expanding the business, Galiyeva and Sharova didn’t want each location to look identical.
“We've found the sweet spot between brand recognition and individuality,” notes Galiyeva. “Our signature turquoise and neutral palette runs through every location – it creates instant visual recognition. But, as we’re not interested in creating identical spaces, each So.Shell location has its own personality, expressed through carefully curated accent colours, materials, and architectural details that reflect the neighbourhood's unique character.”
“Just as every client who walks through our doors is different, every location tells its own story,” expands Sharova. “That's why you'll find unique touches in each salon that speak to its specific community.”
