Unique salon décor: The Birmingham nail salon featuring a piano as its reception desk

Founder of Birmingham-based nail studio, Icey’s Beauty Lounge, Aysana Druga, shares the story behind the salon’s impressive entrance…

In 2015, Aysana and her husband spotted a piano in the window of a charity shop. She recalls: “We had no idea where it was going to go at the time, so we stored it in the garage of our rented flat.”

It wasn’t until the following year, during a visit to her now salon space, that Aysana had the ‘lightbulb moment’. “As we were walking through the space, we joked and said, ‘we could bring the piano here!’ and that’s exactly what we did,” reveals the tech.

Though, the nail desk isn’t the only unique feature in the salon that tells a story. The nail station is crafted out of old wood that was once used to make railway sleepers.

Aysana first trained in nails in 2009 at a small academy in Birmingham, having decided she was ready for a new challenge. “I instantly fell in love with the trade and was so excited to do it for a living,” she shares.

“I remember training six days and four nights a week, eagerly trying to better myself so that I could create nails that I could only dream of at the time. I remember often waking up in the middle of the night, panicking that I hadn’t practiced enough,” she reminisces.

The hard work paid off when Icey’s Beauty Lounge opened its doors in 2016. “It was a dream come true,” Aysana smiles. “The space felt right straight away, and I could visualise all the beautiful things that could come with it.”

Her husband played a key role in bringing the space to life, wanting to create her work station, sign and ‘pretty much everything else!’ Living up to his word, she credits him for his contributions to creating her idyllic ‘beautiful and homelike space’.

Setting out to design the salon as a home from home, Aysana believes that a workplace should feel like a sanctuary: “I believe your workplace should feel like home, where you can catch up with clients during each appointment and make them feel relaxed from the moment they arrive until they leave.”

Boasting a bohemian-modern hybrid vibe, the salon features a gold, white and green colour scheme, designed to create a ‘peaceful and relaxed atmosphere’.

Aysana is joined in the salon by fellow nail tech Angela, who she says she would ‘be lost without’. Both techs offer a variety of treatments, including builder gel manicures, L&P acrylic services and pedicure treatments.

Brands used include OPI, Navy, The GelBottle Inc and NSI. Aysana also mentions the salon’s VODEX dust collector, which she describes as ‘one of the best investments for keeping both techs and clients safe and healthy every day’.

When asked about her favourite aspect of the salon, Aysana says: “It’s peaceful; it’s my happy place. No matter what, as soon as I step into my salon, I feel at home and calm. I feel like I can achieve anything when I’m there.”

Looking to the future, Aysana’s goal remains the same: to continue creating a welcoming atmosphere where clients feel safe and look forward to their next visit.

Follow Icey’s Beauty Lounge on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.