How an award-winning beauty salon transformed from funeral directors to feel-good sanctuary
By Jess Watts | 03 March 2026 | Techs & Salons
Before NT Beauty Salon became a salon, the Shropshire space was a funeral directors. So, how did the shift come about?
Owner, Nicole Taylor, trained as a beauty therapist in 2012, continuing her education to complete a Level 2 Beauty Therapy qualification the following year.
The first years of her career were spent working for salons, spas and hotels. However, Nicole found that her ‘bubbly and chatty’ character was not so suited to the serious atmosphere that most of the workplaces required.
In 2022, she found her dream space. “The building I now call my ‘second home’ became available,” Nicole says. “I went in with nothing but a massive dream, and put in an offer on the spot.”
A year later, the doors to NT Beauty Salon opened – thanks to help from Nicole’s dad and partner, who assisted with planning and decoration. “It was a huge gamble to start again in an area I didn’t know and had no clients in,” Nicole admits. “But it turns out, it was a gamble worth taking.”
Her goal is simple: that walking through the doors of the salon feels like coming home. “I want it to be a calming but fun place: somewhere my clients can be silly, but also leave feeling relaxed and refreshed,” Nicole says.
The salon’s décor feeds directly into this atmosphere, with neutral tones characterising the interior, and pops of pink keeping the vibe relaxed, ‘but still a little girly’.
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An avid user of nail brand, Glitterbels, Nicole offers gel polish, acrylic and builder gel manicures, with the latter proving to be the most popular. “I’m totally obsessed with Glitterbels,” Nicole enthuses. “The brand fits perfectly with my colour scheme and salon theme.”
As a multi-faceted business, NT Beauty Salon provides ‘a full range of treatments including nails, facials, waxing, lashes, massage and spray tanning’.
“The business is built around the idea of a relaxed, one-to-one environment where clients feel comfortable, known and cared for, while receiving high-quality, modern treatments,” Nicole comments. “My aim is to combine the warmth of a community salon with the professionalism and standards of a larger beauty brand.”
Nicole’s passion for education has inspired her future goals. “I plan to invest in more training to bring new treatments into the business,” she shares. “I also hope to launch my own training academy in the future, allowing me to share my knowledge and support others entering the beauty industry.”
Follow Nicole on Instagram, Facebook & TikTok.
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