KOHORT Studio at 234 Bridge Road, Richmond is a co-working salon built around the needs of working hairdressers, including colourists who need more than a chair and a basin. There is a colour bar with real product, dedicated processing space, and a floor of technically minded stylists who know what a proper colour session looks like. If you are an independent colourist in Melbourne thinking about chair rental, this page is for you.

What colour-heavy independents need from a rental space

A colourist's day is different from a cut-and-blow day. You are managing multiple heads at different stages of processing, running back to the colour bar to mix, checking timing, doing pre-treatments before you even apply lightener, and finishing with a toner or gloss that changes depending on what came out of the foils. The space you work in either supports that workflow or it fights you the whole day.

A lot of chair rental setups are built for dry work. A styling station, a mirror, maybe access to a basin. That is fine if you are doing cuts and blowouts. For a colourist, it is not enough. You need a colour bar that is organised and stocked, basins that are actually available when you need to rinse, processing space where your client can sit comfortably during a long lift, and ventilation that handles the chemistry of a full colour day.

KOHORT was built by hairdressers who do colour work. The infrastructure reflects that.

The colour bar and product setup at KOHORT

The colour bar at KOHORT is a working setup, not a prop. The products available to renters reflect what the stylists here actually use in their colour work. That includes L'Oreal Metal Detox for pre-treating hair that has mineral build-up before you lift, which anyone doing serious blonde work on Melbourne water knows is not optional. Olaplex and K18 go through lifts as standard to protect bonds during lightening. Kérastase Blond Absolu and Chroma Absolu are in the mix for post-colour treatment, depending on the result. Wella and Redken toners for finishing.

If you have a specific product you prefer to work with, that is your call. You are running your own business. But the baseline infrastructure here is set up for technical colour, not an afterthought.

Processing space means your client is not sitting at the styling chair for two hours during a foil lift. There is space to move clients while they process, which keeps your column free for prep and the next stage of the appointment. For colourists doing full-head work, balayage hand-painting, or colour corrections, this is a material part of how your day flows.

Why the co-working model suits independent colourists

Colour work does not lend itself to high volume turnover. A colourist doing proper technical work typically takes longer per client, charges more per appointment, and needs to run fewer heads per day to make the numbers work. That is a different economic model from a cut-focused stylist seeing six clients a day.

In a commission salon, that dynamic can work against you. If your revenue-per-client is high but your appointment volume is lower, you are subsidising a structure that rewards volume. Chair rental changes that relationship. Your cost is your rental. Your revenue is the fee you set and collect from clients who value the work.

For a colourist with a developed technical repertoire and a client base willing to pay for serious colour work, that model tends to be significantly better. The clients who are already seeking out independent colourists in Melbourne are usually not price-shopping. They have had enough bad colour experiences to know the difference, and they are willing to pay a colourist they trust.

Building a colour-specific brand from KOHORT Richmond

When you are a colourist renting a chair at KOHORT, your brand is entirely yours. The way you describe your work, the clients you attract, the visual identity you build on social media, the name you trade under: none of that is tied to KOHORT. You are using 234 Bridge Road, Richmond as your address and your professional home. What you build from there is your business.

Colour specialists who develop a clear niche, blonde and balayage, colour correction, lived-in colour, or technical work on darker bases, tend to build strong followings in Melbourne. Inner-city clients talk to each other, and a colourist who genuinely excels in one area gets referrals because of it. The KOHORT floor gives you experienced colourists around you to think through technical challenges with, which is something you do not get working alone.

To get a sense of the kind of colour work that already happens in this space, meet the stylists currently at KOHORT and have a look at what they do.

The practical side: what renters at KOHORT actually get

For a colourist considering chair rental at KOHORT, here is the practical picture:

• Your own designated styling column and storage
• Colour bar access with product support including Metal Detox, Olaplex, K18, and Kérastase lines
• Backwash and basin access for rinsing and toning
• Processing space for clients during longer colour appointments
• A professionally fitted environment on a high-traffic inner-east strip at 234 Bridge Road, Richmond
• A floor of technically minded stylists, all operating independently, in a genuine co-working environment

Rental rates depend on the days you want and the space. There is no single fixed price published here because the arrangement needs to make sense for your situation, not a generic number on a page. Get in touch and we will talk through what works.

For more context on what makes KOHORT different from a standard rental arrangement, read about how KOHORT was built.

Frequently asked questions

Is KOHORT set up for colourists or mainly for cut and style?

The space was built by hairdressers who do colour work, so the infrastructure, including the colour bar, processing space, and product setup, is genuinely suited to colour-heavy days. It is not just a styling space with a basin bolted on.

What products are available at the KOHORT colour bar?

The colour bar includes L'Oreal Metal Detox, Olaplex, K18, Kérastase Blond Absolu and Chroma Absolu, and Wella and Redken toners. This is the product environment the stylists here actually work with. You can also bring your own preferred product if your practice calls for it.

Is there dedicated processing space for clients during colour appointments?

Yes. Clients do not have to sit at your styling station for the full duration of a foil lift or balayage application. There is processing space in the salon, which keeps your column free and your workflow moving. This is a real consideration for colourists doing long-session technical work.

Do I set my own pricing as an independent colourist at KOHORT?

Completely. You are running your own business. Your prices, your packages, your consultation process, and how you communicate your value to clients are all yours to decide. KOHORT provides the space and infrastructure; your business model is your own.

Can I build a colour-specific brand while renting at KOHORT?

Yes. The KOHORT name and address are your professional home base. What you build under your own name, your own handle, or your own business name is entirely separate. Many stylists in co-working arrangements in Melbourne maintain their own distinct brand identity while using a shared address.

How does chair rental work financially for a colourist?

The arrangement is based on the space and days you need, agreed with you directly. For colourists with a consistent book of clients paying at the higher end of Melbourne colour pricing, an independent setup often works out well. The numbers depend on your specific situation, which is why we have the conversation before anyone commits.

Is Richmond a practical location for Melbourne colourists?

Yes. Bridge Road in Richmond is central to the inner east and accessible from Fitzroy, Collingwood, South Yarra, Hawthorn, and Abbotsford, as well as the CBD via Richmond and East Richmond stations. Clients who book serious colour work tend to be loyal and willing to travel for a colourist they trust, so a central, credible inner-city address works in your favour.

How do I apply to rent a chair as a colourist at KOHORT?

Head to our join KOHORT page and get in touch. We want to know about your colour practice, your current situation, and what you are looking for. We are straightforward about whether the space suits what you do.