Having run Sultans Of Shave, a chain of male grooming salons since 2013, co-founder Lewis Lim knows that when clients step into one of their outlets, “they are looking for more than just a haircut they’re here for an experience”.

He adds: “The way a space looks and is designed is an essential component of this experience, from the scent in the air, to the colours and layout of a space. This all has an impact on a person’s mood, feelings and visual experience, be it conscious or otherwise.”

At its newest outlet at Jewel Changi Airport, award-winning interior design firm, Laank, was commissioned to design the interiors. “Jewel Changi Airport is a high profile and visible location, so we wanted a designer who would not only help us to stand out in the mall but also translate our quest for the finest barbering experience into design,” says Lim.

Cherin Tan, Laank’s principal and creative director, found inspiration from the salon name. “We asked ourselves, ‘how would a royal barber look?’ So the key thought of a palace was our inspiration for the space. We looked at castles, temples and other buildings with grand architecture,” says Tan. “The dome is an iconic structure in grand buildings, so we used that as a key feature in the salon.”

Tan created a dome over the main barbering area, while arches at the main entrance and inside the salon evoke the aura of Ottoman palaces. Lim adds: “We also didn’t want to lose the communal feel of a traditional barbershop and Tan came up with the idea of a central rotunda to house all the wash basins. The dome and rotunda also serve as a homage to Jewel’s centrepiece, the rain vortex.”

Besides the eye-catching ceiling, Tan says that another key aspect of the space is the customised intricate flooring, a series of black and white tiles laid out in a radial pattern, which was inspired by royal palaces. “But to avoid looking overly historic or old, we used a blue gradient as a modern and masculine touch to envelope the dramatic ceiling and walls,” says n.

With a cosy 800 sq ft space to play with, Tan also faced the challenge of creating multiple touch points within a compact 800 sq ft space. There had to be a retail space, a waiting area, a main grooming space, a VIP room and a private space for staff.

The final solution included a waiting area coupled with retail, centre-facing seats in the grooming area, and hidden doors in the walls that lead to the VIP room, and a staff area.

As a new multi-brand fragrance concept store, how do you stand out in a mall which also houses your competitors?

Virginie Petit Fournier, founder and director of Beyond Design Global, which specialises in retail design, believes that, in the case of Amaris, colours and the use of mirrors is the winning formula. She designed the store at Paragon.

Amaris, the retail store of Aura Prestige, a fragrance distributor, features a balance of masculinity and femininity through the use of colours such as dark blue, green and peach. Petit Fournier says that blue and green are an elegant combination, while peach is a feminine shade that is not too young or too old.

It fits the high end Paragon location and its sophisticated image, she adds. “Aura Prestige wanted a boutique that resembles a boudoir but with a fresh and modern feeling.”

Amaris carries niche brands such as Roja Parfums, Parfums de Marly and Nishane, as well as skincare and bodycare brands including Viliv and Compagnie De Provence.

With several brands under one roof, it would be easy to display the items on shelves like a normal shop, but Virginie begs to differ. “Buying a fragrance is an intimate process, so you want a space that is inviting and provides some privacy,” she says.

And even though buying perfume is largely an olfactory experience, “visually, the store has to complement the perfume bottles and be attractive to draw a crowd in”.

She designed for the perfume to be displayed on shelves and niches, while the use of arches add a touch of luxury to the store. Standalone tables and pedestals are all curved to “give the space a feminine look”, says Petit Fournier.

She’s also used terrazzo on the countertops, not only because it is a trendy and organic material, but the little colourful chips resemble gems.

A full length mirror near the entrance makes the space look bigger, while two dressing tables at the back offer some privacy. Some shoppers even take selfies in front of these mirrors or in front of a star-shaped neon sign.

While she didn’t intentionally set out to design photo spots, they have come in useful in attracting curious shoppers. “We do want shoppers to come in and discover what we have to offer,” she says.

Walking On Sunshine isn’t a name you expect for a hair salon, but that’s not the only way the Korean company stands out from its competitors. Clients may well step into its Orchard Central outlet thinking they’re there to buy a potted fern rather than get a shampoo and cut.

While most salons make do with a plant or two on its reception counter, Walking On Sunshine is literally an urban jungle.

Founder Luke Yi says, “Hair salons in Singapore or overseas are pretty much the same. They have looked the same for many years, so why not spice things up?”

The Korean expatriate who grew up in New Zealand and Australia where life was surrounded by nature, decided to create a garden theme at his hair salon. There is greenery at each seat, and even flowers hanging above the shampoo area.

His clients, largely the millennial crowd, are loving it. Instead of mindlessly thumbing through the pages of old magazines or scrolling through their phones, they are snapping pictures of themselves having their hair done surrounded by plants and also at specially set up photo spots.

The salon is unofficially Singapore’s most Instagrammable hair salon. “If our clients are taking pictures, it means we are doing something right,” quips Yi. For the record, his clients are returning also for the professional hair services.

The greenery is a mix of real and artificial plants. Anything below eye level are real, while artificial plants are displayed above eye level. A gardener comes in every two days to take care of the plants.

Yi adds that the garden theme is more than a marketing gimmick. The indoor plants, such as the peace lily and monstera, help to purify the air and “get rid of the chemical smells in a salon”, he says. “Having greens also instantly makes a place feel more relaxing.”

He also runs a cafe of the same name adjacent to the salon, which is also surrounded by greenery.

The plants are such a hit with clients, that Yi has also started selling them. “Customers have been asking if they can buy our plants, and so we started putting small pots of plants on sale a month ago,” he says. “Our gardener ensures that our plants are constantly replenished.”

Yi is no stranger to creating hair salons with a difference. He also owns the Singapore branch of Leekaja Beauty Salon, a well-known chain from Korea. The salon at Mandarin Gallery has birch tree trunks in them which complement the dark wood furniture, creating a forest-like feel.

He is in the midst of opening two more salons, one at Ngee Ann City and another at Bugis Junction. He declines to reveal too much for now but says, “plants will definitely feature largely in them too. They won’t be like your conventional salons.”

This article is adapted from a piece in The Business Times