Salon transformation case study

Concept

Problem: Sound Beauty was bored with their black and white space. They wanted a space that felt as unique and colorful as their hair creations. Owners Josie and Kim didn’t have a specific concept in mind, so I asked them to pick out some of their favorite pieces of mine, and we discussed use cases for their space. They wanted their space to feel joyful to their customers and inspiring to their stylists. They really liked the idea of the murals being a backdrop for their hair transformation photos on social media.

Challenge: The salon is in a small space, so the design needed to be bold and immersive, without feeling overwhelming. Sound Beauty already had many existing design elements, such as furniture and plants, so these elements needed to feel seamlessly integrated into the design or risk feeling disjointed.

Solution: The design mockups integrated the salon’s existing decor and brand colors from their logo and website, amplifying the space and seamlessly uniting Sound Beauty’s brand. I ran the concepts past a few testers for feedback, then presented to them to Kim and Josie who excitedly chose their favorite. The color burst mural in the front of the salon, viewable from the street, provides a splash of color and backdrop for content. The other mural, an understated yet bold tiger print soundwave in metallic bronze, subtly incorporates the concept of sound and provides another content backdrop.

Keep scrolling to see the transformation and results!

Before

Mockups

After

Here’s a process and reveal video. Frog Tape shared and promoted this video on Instagram, garnering over 70,000 views and increasing engagement for Sound Beauty!

Results

In today’s world where customers often find their next stylist on social media, the murals help draw customers in and set Sound Beauty apart. Sound Beauty uses the murals as backdrops for their hair transformations on Instagram, making the immersive murals a part of their marketing strategy and creating seamless branding from in-store to online. The murals also elevate their customers’ experiences, with customers often commenting on how fun and happy the space feels.

Rave review

Here’s what Sound Beauty has to say about their new space:

“Dez recently did an amazing job transforming our salon, Sound Beauty, with two stunning wall murals. She is kind, professional, and meticulous in her craft. She was accommodating, tidy, and courteous as we had clients at certain times throughout the two weeks while she was painting. Her artistry brings color and joy to our space. She had great ideas and took all of our requests into consideration when creating the design and was excellent at communicating during the process. Her use of color and line work is incredible... We are so happy with our new cohesive space.”

— Josie Berenz, Owner of Sound Beauty Salon

Press

• Frog Tape, Instagram feature, December 2020

• Volume One, article feature, September 2020