Salon in the Spotlight: Posh Claws, Wootton, Bedford
By Kat Hill | 22 May 2019 | Feature, Salon & Spas
After starting out from her dining room three years ago, Kate Haskell has worked hard to grow and establish her nail and beauty business. “The step into the beauty world was a complete career change for me,” explains Kate. “I had always been in business, running an IT recruitment company and then a domestic cleaning company.
“I suddenly fell ill and could no longer do a physical full-time job. I had always loved nails so I decided to retrain as a nail technician three years ago. I have gone from strength to strength, learning so much along the way. For the last 17 years I have also volunteered as a magistrate and work this into my salon part time. Two diverse careers but very rewarding nonetheless!
“Now, I have a fiercely loyal client base who support my business,” smiles Kate. “I currently offer manicure and pedicures; nail health comes first in my salon.
I trained with Bio Sculpture originally but have recently introduced The Gel Bottle Inc to the salon. I think the brand has a similar ethos to Bio Sculpture which is why I decided to give my clients a choice.”
Soon out growing her dining room set-up, Kate wanted to create space for her clients a world away. “I decided to renovate the garage so I could offer a separate work space and use some of the things I had collected on my travels,” Kate explains. “I wanted the salon to be individual and unique to me with lots of stories to talk about.
“The theme started with the Turkish lantern which I had bartered for in The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. I thought I wanted a grey, industrial look – but the exotic theme of Moroccan just took hold.
“From the design of the tiles lining the kitchenette walls, to the vintage Moroccan floor tiles, I wanted the space to reminded me of my trips to Marrakesh and Istanbul.
“For the soft furnishings, I decided on a geometric Moroccan design accented with opulent tie backs. I accessorised with ornaments I already owned, including an old silver and brass teapot which I had been chased with through the medina in Marrakesh! The tea cups I had been persuaded to buy that had fallen out of the van on the way to the airport but had survived in tack. Finally, I added the brass embellished jug that my grandfather had bought my grandmother back from the war before he later died in Arezzo.
“So many memories have come together to create my salon set-up.”
