I know a lot of people don’t like going to the hairdresser for various reasons, but I’ve never been one of those people. It’s the one pampering thing I do and I love sitting in the chair letting someone sort out my mop. I’ve had some great hairdressers over the years so maybe I’ve also been lucky in that regard. There’s one thing I’ve never enjoyed though – having to look at myself in the mirror throughout the process.

Fortunately, a friend introduced me to DKUK a number of years ago and it’s revolutionised my hairdresser experiences. Instead of looking at yourself in the mirror while they work their magic, you get to look at art. Throughout the year they have 4-5 exhibitions so you get to see different types of art by a range of different artists almost every time you go. They also have a disco toilet!

I’ve spent the majority of this afternoon sitting in the hairdressers chair as Rosa worked her magic on my hair colour and Daniel gave it a sharp cut. I trust them both to be creative, do what they want and think will look best, avoiding me from having to make yet more decisions as life already has too many of them. I just sat back and enjoyed reading Miriam Margoyles’s book “This Much Is True” as I had some much needed R&R time. It’s one of the few places where I can read a book without distracting myself by something else.

DKUK believes in “anxiety-free hairdressing” and after an anxiety fuelled week that was exactly what I needed. Daniel talks more about the salon’s approach in this recent article in Stylist Magazine.

For anyone thinking “but how do you see the end result if there’s no mirrors?” they do have mirrors – you just don’t have to sit in front of one for the duration of your appointment. A mirror is wheeled out for a consultation at the beginning and at the end of the appointment so you can inspect their work.

If you don’t like the small talk with hairdressers about where you’re going on holiday, or just want to be able to sit in peace, you can also book in for a ‘talk free haircut’. They don’t cram as many people in either so it feels far more spacious and less overwhelming in that regard too.

The current exhibition is “That Was Close” by British painter and Royal Academician Humphrey Ocean. Last month I went to a special exhibition view outside of normal salon hours so it was easier to explore the space and enjoy all the pieces of display. I’ve dug out some photos from this and other exhibitions over the years and you can read more about the art and artists on the DKUK website.

I feel lucky that I’m able to make the most of such a unique experience without having to go far from home. It’s been a bit of a running joke that it often rains when I head outside with freshly coiffured hair, but fortunately today I was greeted with a beautiful sunset on a lovely spring evening.