When it comes to salon style and service, luxury is earned, and Rixon Hair has put in the work to earn their luxe cred. The salon, created by Sharon and Brad Rixon back in 2000, is built on an entire floor of a heritage building, lifting it above the city streets of Brisbane to a secluded space that would feel equally at home in Paris or London. For this inimitable energy and design, it was awarded the 2018 prize for Best Salon Design at this week’s Hair Expo Awards, a fitting and notable nod to its intentional and strong luxury design practices. The salon is comprised of earthy textures, plenty of light and peak functionality, with a hero pink hue that surprises and calms in equal measure. The goal is both individual expression and pared back luxury, which the salon creates through its high-class, clean, simple and chic design. “The space that has been created takes you on an unexpected journey of dedicated upmarket service,” the team explain in their Hair Expo submission. “Our clients arrive to an indescribable energy both peaceful and uplifting. The expanding dusty pink floors and natural light glistening through the floor to ceiling windows makes clients feel like they have been transported out of the city into a private oasis.” The salon structure includes a retail haven that boasts luxury brands such as KEVIN.MURPHY and Oribe. High class details such as a private lift and bespoke lighting instantly ensure the client feels as if they have entered an exclusive, relaxing and important space. Floor to ceiling windows illuminate the styling and cutting area, complemented by simple décor such as oversized custom framed mirrors, brick walls, tan leather styling chairs and handcrafted, locally produced side tables. The salon also incorporates a meeting and café area as another functional and relaxing feature for clients, allowing the clients to openly communicate and feel at home in the space. The private colour space creates its own secluded energy, using an oversized colour table and individual consulting stations to ensure this is a place for excellent, bespoke service and one clients are happy to spend plenty of time in. Contrastingly an open and spacious colour bar focuses on engagement between client and colourist. The salon makes salon comfort and relaxation a main priority, even offering six Joiken ‘Dream’ massage shampoo units that offer the pinnacle of indulgence at the basin. Moreover a fully equipped kitchen and dining, with two bathrooms, offer the utmost convenience to staff and clients. The salon caters to a 25 per cent male clientele, and offers a soft and neutral colour and design aesthetic to suit this client base. Their target market focuses on clients between the ages of 25 to 44 in Brisbane’s rapidly growing professional environment. Environmental factors were also key in the salon design, including the use of brickwork to reduce the need for artificial heat and cooling, with the space supplemented by plants for energy. The salon remains energy efficient through cool and warm LED lighting, paired with a surplus of natural light, and Ecoheads and Easy Dry brands used in salon. Building materials, finishes, flooring, cabinets and other construction elements were also produced with ethical consideration top of mind. This unique, considered and stylish approach to design, the environment and their salon clients made for a well-deserved award win in a very competitive field for Rixon Hair. “We’re feeling really shocked and really grateful,” said Sharon Rixon on the night. “Thank you to our team… The inspiration [behind the salon design] was really about the bones of the building. It’s got a New York kind of feel, it’s upstairs – it’s a lofty kind of feel. We wanted it to have a soft, industrial look. It was more about a relaxed, comfortable space for our clients to feel like they could kick back.” Congratulations to Sharon and Brad Rixon, and their whole team, on taking home the trophy.