Sara Brown is having a complete makeover. Well, not the hair stylist Sara Brown, but the Kilmarnock salon that is her namesake.
Working with Irvington architect Randall Kipp and his interior designer, Lauren Davenport, she is removing walls, blowing out the rooms in the 1920s vintage house (a Sears Craftsman kit) and creating a thoroughly modern look that will distinguish Brown’s salon from others in the area, even theCommonwealth.
“I spend a lot of time at work, so I wanted my work space to be extraordinary and to reflect my brand,” Brown said. “To do that, I had to make an investment in my business.”
While Brown had been thinking about a redesign, the retirement of a massage therapist who rented space from Brown spurred her to action. Brown had a few ideas and pictures, and consulted Kipp and Davenport, who helped her create the vision and the design which is open and breezy.
It will feature four work stations (she already has three stylists) and a special reception area for women to sit and read while their hair processes with foil and color in privacy, away from the view of her other clients. That will be a very welcome addition.
She carries Aveda natural hair products, so the team will use natural woods and tones to carry out her brand throughout the salon. She will keep her previous wall color, Silver Sage, a very soft blue-green that is soothing.
“The project just snowballed,” Brown said. “I’m 40 and my whole psyche is changing.”
In thinking about the project, Brown said that given her age, she will work for at least 20 more years. Her young son, Sully, now three, is growing up before her eyes. So, she thought it was time to act, if she was going to.
Colin Stanley of James Stanley Homes is the general contractor. And he and Brown are using local sub-contractors, something that Kipp Architecture tries to do all the time.
“I’m so excited,” Brown said. “This is going to be a visually terrific salon. And we’ll still do the same incredible job with hair.
And Davenport added: “Sara is just awesome to work with. She’s really awesome.”
320 South Main Street, Kilmarnock • 804-435-0373 • sarabrownsalon.com
