Charlie Price is a force to be reckoned with. The handsome, tattooed, larger-than-life hair savant - who is responsible for styling the likes of Gigi Hadid, Charlize Theron and a pack of Dallas bloggers - currently has two wildly successful salons, and a third set to open in Dallas later this year. That means more work for longtime friend Jessica McIntyre, owner of Jessica McIntyre Interiors, who designs all of his spaces, including the Fort Worth location on Foch Street that opened in late 2016.
After interviewing some of the most prominent designers in Dallas, Price was cut-and-dry in explaining why he elected to work with Fort Worth's McIntyre. "So many designers "overdesign" … I am simple, clean, and I want my space to speak of me, not what my client or guest expects. Jessica blew me away from the moment we started working together," he says.
"Charlie's personal style is a reflection of how he wants surroundings to look and feel. He is so full of life and has a certain aesthetic that is evident as soon as you meet him. I'd describe it as creative, edgy, comfortable, with a bit of rock star," McIntyre says.
Photo byJenifer McNeil Baker
When Charlie approaches the design of his salons, he comes armed with inspiration from his incessant globe trekking and beaucoups of illustrative visuals on how he'd like to transform the space, including preferred materials and styles. He says his Fort Worth location, which previously housed another salon, was all about creating a big-city loft feel. The 2,100-square-foot salon incorporates soaring ceilings, natural light, an open floor plan and communal seating. McIntyre says, "The first thing we did was gut it. Nothing from the previous space remained. We painted everything white, enlarged the windows and added skylights."
Photo by Jenifer McNeil Baker
Price felt it was important that all of the stylists work in the same open area. All colorists work at a large concrete table in the middle of the space "with no mirrors to mind the sludge being applied to their hair," Price says.As a self-proclaimed fragrance connoisseur, Price imports Coqui Coqui room diffusers from Tulum, Mexico, and makes them available for purchase to all of his guests. They expertly dominate a glass table near the entry.
Photo byJenifer McNeil Baker
Boasting an organic, laid-back ambiance, Charlie + Co. balances natural materials and subtle glamour. McIntyre says that Price's salons feel simple and clean; however, every detail is carefully planned and orchestrated. "In his Fort Worth space, I love the excess mortar seeping from the white brick walls.It's a touch that makes the salon feel as though it has been there forever," she says. It works perfectly with gray porcelain floor tiles laid stack bond style. McIntyre sourced the modern lighting from LightSpek in Dallas. The square LED panel is optimal lighting for the salon because it doesn't cast shadows and shows accurate color as it's applied to clients" hair.
Photos by Olaf Growald andJenifer McNeil Baker
Artwork adorning one wall of the space is by Australian painter Brian Connolly. "I gave him complete artistic freedom for the pieces in the salon," Price says. It's a decision he says he made without McIntyre's blessing. "I have to do some stuff behind her back," he jokes. But McIntyre was involved with the art on the back wall of the salon, featuring the message "Another Day in Paradise" emblazoned in neon. It's a phrase that Price is notorious for saying whenever his staff or clients ask him how his day is going.
Photos byJenifer McNeil Baker
Before opening his first namesake salon, Hair by Charlie, in the Dallas Design District, Price spent seven years in Manhattan styling for editorial shoots and for the runway at New York Fashion Week. Yet he has remained relaxed, unconventional and unpretentious, making him the go-to guy for low-maintenance hair color and effortless waves."Making every woman look and feel her best is what makes me tick," Price says. Part of that experience is encouraging his clients to ditch their worries at the door and use their time in the salon to unwind. "When my guests come to an appointment, I want them to feel like they are coming to a friend's house."
Photo byJenifer McNeil Baker
Charlie + Co.
1057 Foch St., Ste. 1057
817.585.1006, charlieandco.com
