An Interview with Townhouse Nail Salon Founder Juanita Huber-Millet
Townhouse is an award-winning, London-based luxury nail salon brand that has expanded to the United States. Courtesy of Townhouse
Founded in London, Townhouse quickly built an international reputation for elevating the traditional manicure experience through fashion-forward nail artistry and a polished, modern salon aesthetic. The brand has since expanded well beyond its British roots, opening locations in cities including New York and other major metropolitan hubs, bringing its signature approach to nail care to a global clientele.
How to Create the Best Nail Shape for Your Hands
Now with two salons in Los Angeles, the brand continues its growth under the leadership of owner Juanita Huber-Millet, who oversees the Beverly Hills and West Hollywood locations and helps carry forward Townhouse’s commitment to precision, style, and exceptional service.
In this interview, Huber-Millet discusses the salon’s origins, its international expansion, and what makes the Townhouse experience distinctive in today’s competitive beauty industry.
What inspired you to create Townhouse Nail Salon, and what was your vision for the brand?
I created Townhouse because I felt there was a huge gap between the quality people expect from other lifestyle experiences and what they were getting from nail salons. No matter where I lived—London, Switzerland or elsewhere—I kept encountering the same problem: inconsistent quality, rushed service, and environments that didn’t feel relaxing or elevated.
My vision was to completely reimagine the nail salon experience. I wanted Townhouse to feel more like visiting a beautiful hotel or café, somewhere you genuinely enjoy spending time. It’s about meticulous attention to detail, exceptional nail care, and creating an environment where clients feel looked after from the moment they walk in.
I also wanted to set a new benchmark for hygiene and professionalism in the nail industry, because clients should never have to question the safety standards behind a service they book regularly.
Tell us about your background and how you first entered the beauty industry.
I’ve always had a deep love for nails and design, but my background wasn’t traditionally in the beauty industry. What drew me in was the opportunity to build something that combined creativity with experience design.
When I started looking closely at the nail sector, I realized how underserved it was despite how many people rely on nail salons as part of their regular routine. That combination of passion and frustration really drove me to create Townhouse.
Townhouse founder and owner Juanita Huber-Millet. Courtesy of Townhouse
What gap in the market did you hope to fill when you opened your first salon?
The biggest gap was consistency and trust. Nail care is one of the most frequent beauty services people book yet the experience was often unreliable—whether that was the quality of the manicure, the environment or the hygiene standards behind the service.
With Townhouse, we wanted to create a place where clients could expect exceptional quality every time. That meant investing heavily in technician training, experience design, and sanitation protocols so clients know they’re in expert hands.
How has the concept evolved from your first location to the salons you operate today?
The core philosophy hasn’t changed—exceptional nail care in an elevated environment—but the scale and sophistication of the concept has grown enormously.
We’ve expanded across the UK and into the United States, refining everything from service protocols to store design along the way. Today Townhouse operates more than 40 locations and continues to grow internationally, bringing that same attention to detail and premium experience to new cities.
As we’ve grown, we’ve also continued raising the bar on hygiene and operational standards. That’s particularly important in markets like Los Angeles, where clients are very knowledgeable and expect complete transparency around sanitation and safety.
What makes your salons different from other nail salons in cities like Los Angeles, New York and Europe?
What sets Townhouse apart is our focus on precision, experience, and hygiene.
Every service begins with meticulous nail preparation and shaping, which is really the foundation of a beautiful manicure. But equally important is hygiene. At Townhouse, all of our tools are either single-use and recycled or sterilized in hospital-grade autoclave machines between every client, which is the same level of sterilization used in medical settings.
For us, that level of care isn’t an upgrade, it’s simply the standard. Combined with thoughtful interiors and highly trained technicians, it creates an experience that feels both luxurious and reassuring.
What nail trends are you currently seeing clients request the most?
Right now we’re seeing a strong move towards refined, minimal nails—milky neutrals, micro French tips, and soft sheer tones that enhance the natural nail rather than overpower it.
In our salons, shades like Milkshake, Strawberry Milk, and Meringue from our Townhouse Flawless Polish collection are incredibly popular because they create that clean ‘your nails but better’ finish. We’re also seeing growing demand for soft pastels and warmer tones—colors like Blueberry Milk or Peach Crème that feel fresh and optimistic for the season ahead.
At the same time, clients in cities like Los Angeles love finishes that add a little extra dimension—subtle chrome, shimmer or light-reflecting effects layered over these softer shades.”
Are there differences in nail trends between your European clients and those in the United States?
Yes, there are definitely some subtle differences in how clients approach nail trends in Europe compared to the United States.
European clients tend to lean towards understated elegance - shorter lengths, sheer finishes and minimalist designs. Soft neutral shades like Milkshake, Meringue or Strawberry Milk from our Townhouse Flawless Polish collection are consistently popular because they create that polished, effortless look.
In the U.S., and particularly in Los Angeles, clients are often more experimental with nail art and playful finishes. We’ve seen a lot of enthusiasm for designs that feel expressive and fun, which is why we recently introduced our Festival Edit in LA—a curated collection of nail art looks featuring fresh florals, soft gems and light-catching details designed to make a statement, especially during the summer and festival season.
We’ve also launched a Sticker Edit, which allows clients to personalize their manicure with delicate decals or bold stickers placed anywhere on the nail. It’s a really easy way to elevate a look and reflect your own style.
Both edits are currently exclusive to our U.S. salons, which reflects how creatively clients here engage with nail art”
Townhouse has elevated the traditional manicure experience through fashion-forward nail artistry and a polished, modern salon aesthetic. Courtesy of Townhouse
Do you have a signature service or treatment that clients especially love?
One of the treatments our Los Angeles clients are particularly excited about right now is our Cat Eye add-on, which creates a beautiful light-reflecting effect using magnetic pigments.
It’s a mesmerizing finish—the shimmer shifts as the light moves across the nail and it can be worn on its own or layered over a gel color for extra dimension. It feels very modern and expressive, which resonates strongly with our L.A. clientele.
How has the nail and beauty industry changed over the past few years?
The biggest change is that clients are far more informed and intentional about beauty now. They care about nail health, the quality of products used, and the hygiene standards behind the service.
There’s also been a huge shift towards nails as a form of personal style. Manicures are no longer just maintenance; they’re an extension of fashion and self-expression.
What are your future plans for Townhouse Nail Salon?
Our focus is continuing to expand internationally while maintaining the same standards of quality, service, and hygiene that define the brand.
Opening in Los Angeles marked an exciting new chapter for us, and we’re continuing to grow across both the U.S. and the UK.
Are there new services, products, or cities you are excited to expand into?
We’re always exploring ways to evolve the brand—whether that’s introducing new nail treatments, expanding our product offering or bringing Townhouse to new cities.
For us, growth is about thoughtful expansion. Every new location is an opportunity to introduce our elevated nail salon experience to a new community while maintaining the same meticulous standards that define Townhouse.
Townhouse nail salons in L.A. are located at 9001 Santa Monica Blvd in West Hollywood and at 9532 S. Santa Monica Blvd in Beverly Hills. For more information, visit their website and follow on Instagram: @townhouse
[Photos courtesy of Townhouse]
Shaena Engle is a lifestyle, travel, entertainment, and food writer for a variety of publications including the Los Angeles Times, AOL, The Daily Meal, Justluxe, Perception Magazine, NARCity, The WeHo Times, and the San Diego Union Tribune, among other outlets.
She has authored three books, The Cheap Bastard’s Guide to Las Vegas (Globe Pequot Press), The Best Places to Kiss in Southern California (Beginning Press, a romantic travel guide) and Silver Linings: Triumphs of The Chronically Ill and Physically Challenged (Prometheus Books).
She is also an amateur magician and often writes on gambling, poker, and magical happenings. She travels the world covering stories and resides in Los Angeles.