Hair By Renique, The Studio Salon

In a land not so far away from Captain Hook’s shipwreck, Pixie Hollow and Peter Pan’s Neverland, you will find in the southernmost Caribbean a twin island state called Trinidad and Tobago. From the earliest settlers, the indigenous Amerindian tribes to the colonial masters of Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch and British heritage to the enslaved and immigrant people of Africa, India, China and Syria, the island has become a creative hub. Today, the bloodlines of the ancestors are survived by the unsurpassed creative energy of the current citizenship. In the mist of the morning pixie dust that covers this land, the creative pixies are easily identifiable. They are passionate about their craft as master craftsmen and women in their trades. They are always upskilling to hone their craft and to be their best to all those who they are called to serve. The pixies stand in their indelible power with the affirmative that when they show up they are standing with the support of their ancestors and all those who came before them. In this feature, two equally gorgeous and talented pixies bring their styling superpowers to fulfill their purpose to uplift all those who bask in their presence.

 

The gregarious art form of styling is far from restricted in the pixie hollows of hairstylists. Hair by Renique, The Studio Salon is conveniently located in Woodbrook, Port of Spain. The studio offers cut, colour, styling and keratin treatments. Hair by Renique, the Studio Salon accommodates for every hair type from curly to straight and everything in between. The chief in command is the beautiful hairstylist Renique Brown. This boss babe is joined by another bombshell stylist, Summer Honnock from Hair by Summer H. The synergy of their personalities and talents combine for a comradery that is hinged on a platonic friendship that is nurturing and supportive of the other. They inspire and aspire to be their best selves in their creative professional space. They continue to educate themselves and never fail to share what they have learned with each other. This is extended to client consultation where they are excited to empower clients to take care of their hair.

 

The Studio Salon exudes a class of untouched excellence with a burning passion for their craft in hairstyling. The pixies go the extra mile to ensure client satisfaction. They respect themselves, their craft and their clients even more. They consult with their clients and never forget to have empathy for them. It is crucial that Renique has realized from the get go the critical role that stylists get to play when they are invited into the lives of their clients to share in being part of their client’s life story. There is no moment that is too big or too small  for Hair by Renique, The Studio Salon from vacation and travel hair  to fixing a “diy” hairstyle gone wrong to lustrous wedding or proposal hair to some much needed self-care.  A haircut and hair colour treatment is a discovery of self where the participant enlists the aid of the pixies to guide them as they shed layers of self before dreaming in colour. It is a bespoke and transformative experience that is cleansing and detoxifying as they prepare you to reset to renew and realign.

Hair By Renique Before & After

 

Hair by Renique offers a sacred space for all. Renique’s passion for her craft is reflected in her mindfulness of her clients’ experience from booking to arrival to wait time, to hairstyling and follow up. She ensures client bookings are seamless and hassle free. It is worth noting the humility of the creative pixie who embraces rather than expunges client feedback. Hair by Renique, The Studio Salon always follows up with their clients post transformation as it is key to their lifelong journey of continued growth and development.  The stylists take the time to listen and talk effectively to all who grace them with their presence. The management of clients’ needs, wants and expectations is gravely considered before they sprinkle their pixie dust.  Renique acknowledges the creative power that lies within her hands and that of her team; to create something from nothing and to create from chaos comes with an irrevocable responsibility for creation,  for themselves and for their clients.

She values the divinity of hairstylists’ gifts, the importance of creating from a clean heart, mind and space and that of blessing all those who enter her sacred creative space and leave with blissful and healing vibes through the sacred exchange of energy. Hair by Renique, The Studio Salon embodies a creative prowess that empowers other pixies to own their respective gifts so they can reciprocate the blessing of their presence in the lives of others.

Book Your Appointment

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hairbyrenique/?hl=en

Whatsapp: 1.868.722.9832

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hairbyrenique

Email: Renique.Brown@hotmail.com

The T-Room Review

Have you been to the T-Room at Hotel Normandie located at Nook Avenue in St. Ann’s Trinidad?!  Peep their work on their social media sites. The T-Room is not a tea room so don’t get ahead of yourself. It’s a salon run by Tanja Banduwong, a German and her powerhouse creative team. Germany among other nations has understood creative culture and the value of it for their society. They have done exceptionally well in providing innovative contributions to the world in the past decades. They have taken the time to value learning about creative culture and design management and teaching this to their own citizens via various institutions in their society. Their whole creative thinking process, their mindset to progressive culture and education seem to be constantly evaluated and improved upon. They understand the critical success factors of creative culture to their country’s national development and diversification. This is one of the reasons I like the T-Room among others because here lies the most honest and authentic example of the birth and growth of a creative culture in a stable and eponymous field of hair styling.

 

Photo Credit:  The T-room Squad

https://www.facebook.com/pg/HairbyTanja/about/?ref=page_internal

Tanja is a qualified and skilled professional in hair and makeup styling. Although she is an educator in this field she has her fair share of stripes and stars to prove that she has the caliber of experience to take salon style in Trinidad to the next level. Her leadership style is open and collaborative without compromising respect among her team. She has managed to foster a work ethic and creative culture that is second to none in Trinidad. Although Tanja is the girl boss here she is far from being the stereotypical aloof “manager” as she is also on the floor “working it” with her squad. The team is constantly learning and expanding their skills. The squad is professional and the family type of camaraderie she has fostered with her staff is reflected in how they treat each other and  their clients. Tanja took the ladies of the T-Room to  Italy for training and development and creative culture immersion last year. A great experience in one of the more established fashion destinations in the world!  The ladies at the T- Room set the bar high as one of the few examples I have seen of women supporting and advocating for each other to be and do their best in the creative field. The T-Room is a fun and exciting salon where their love for what they do emanates from their A-class  haircuts, colour treatments, corrections, keratin treatments and styling services for men and women (and of course their overall aura and vibes).

Photo Credit: Pastel Hair

https://www.instagram.com/thetroomsalon/?hl=en

Photo Credit: Undercut

https://www.instagram.com/thetroomsalon/?hl=en

 

Photo Credit: Braided by the T-Room Braid Bar at The Decibel Expo

https://www.instagram.com/thetroomsalon/?hl=en

Photo Credit: Bridal Hairstyle (On Location)

https://www.instagram.com/thetroomsalon/?hl=en

Every detail of design has been accounted for at the T-Room.  The logo is pretty cool too with strong lettering enclosed by a wreath like crown.  The salon even has a  mascot, his name is Chino. He is a well behaved groomed family member of the T-Room. The staff members come in all shapes and sizes with so much soul and passion for their job. They usually wear black but there is so much flexibility and personality that they get to play with outfitting and expressing themselves without the confines of a uniform. The interior design of the salon is another major appreciation factor about this creative space. People underestimate the role that design plays in our lives. For instance you may wear a particular silhouette, style, colour or fabric because it makes you feel some type of way. You may love a salon or spa because it makes you feel special. In these instances people neglect to ask themselves that one question, “why?”  Why do I like this space? What is it about this shirt or this hairstyle that makes me feel this way? Why do I want to cut or colour my hair? Why did I choose this cut or colour? Some of us are not even conscious of the power behind “wearapy” and design therapy which is a “must have” for any thriving creative lifestyle and culture.

Photo Credit: The T-Room Squad at Milan Fashion Week

https://www.instagram.com/thetroomsalon/?hl=en

 The interior design for the T-Room was done by Christy Maingot, a local interior designer of CMID in Trinidad. The T-Room looks like a combination of modern, contemporary styles and a bit of glam. This is no easy task for an interior designer to acquire the skill of mixing styles. Christy’s management of elements and principles of design in this space is magically harmonious. Although the salon works by appointment only, the spatial planning is sensible, on point with proportion and scale, rhythm and flow for easy breezy functioning during peak times.  The colour scheme looks more monochromatic as the shades of white, cream, brown, gold and bronze are well placed throughout the T-Room. The space is perceptually bigger with the application of vanity mirrors, white washed walls and the obvious reflection of light from the artificial light sources on the smooth and shiny surfaces. There is open and closed storage with shelving which makes the perfect balance in a room that is neither too warm nor too cold. The salon has a huge glass window so the positioning of a window bench with the view of the hotel lobby was an ideal use of space. The throw pillows are nice additions as their textures and patterns soften and accentuate the style and vibe in the salon without emasculating it. The use of leather (if not leather like upholstery) for salon chairs and benches appeals to the sleek modernist in all of us whilst being easy to maintain and durable.  Intriguingly, the flooring has a wood grain finish appearance and the ceiling hints to subtle industrial vibes. Another example of style mixing is seen here. The dynamic diagonal lines on the ceiling beams are painted in white to blend in but still stand out by creating some transformational, directional and exciting energy in the room. These diagonal lines form triangles which pair up with the geometric shapes of the overhead rectangle lighting to manage earthly grounded feelings.

CMID (Christy Maingot Interior Designs)

http://www.cmidinteriordesign.com/the-troom-salon/

 

CMID (Christy Maingot Interior Designs)

http://www.cmidinteriordesign.com/the-troom-salon/

 I love that this space is a haven where anyone, any age can feel safe to put themselves in the hands of internationally trained professionals. The T-Room squad allow their clients; to explore and experiment, to challenge style status quos, to redefine, to reclaim and redeem an unprofessed love and care for themselves that has been long overdue and often resonates in the mantra, “I am beautiful and I am ready to take on the world, now hear me roar.”

Photo Credit: Braided by the T-Room Braid Bar at The Decibel Expo

https://www.instagram.com/thetroomsalon/?hl=en

The T-Room gets my 5 stars for excellent customer service, professionalism and creativity.

Keep up the fabulous work ladies !!!

To see more of T-Room

Visit their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HairbyTanja/

Visit their Instagram Page : https://www.instagram.com/thetroomsalon/?hl=en

Book an appointment: 1.868.235.3679

Email: tbanduwong@gmail.com