Ronna Plourd always knew her young daughter, Nicolette Plourd, would grow up to become a hair stylist, especially when the family Poodle, a curly-haired pooch, ended up with a very short trim.

“Luckily, she didn’t cut his actual ear,” Ronna says. “Just the hair that hung down.”

The mother was right. Her youngster who couldn’t keep her hand off the scissors and always needed her pony tail to be done just so grew up to become the confident pro she is today, with 11 years of experience in the beauty industry.

The mother-daughter team runs the The N Salon, at 306 105th Ave. N.E.

While Nicolette brings the creative vision, a strong fan base of clients and a resume which includes direct coaching from the Vidal Sassoon educational director; Ronna brings more than 20 years of experience at Bank of America, plus a friendly face at the front desk reception.

As Nicolette put it, the 1,727 square-foot space is swanky enough for the Seahawks and Sounders wives who flock to the new business, but low-key enough that college-age folks would feel comfortable booking an appointment.

The duo aimed for an urban art gallery feel with a palette of steely blue and green and contemporary art from Nicolette’s personal collection. The concrete, rust-colored floor provides an uncluttered scape for seven stations and full-length mirrors framed in mahogany wood.

The motto of the business, “Beauty Obsessed” was Nicolette’s idea.

She doesn’t mean she’s personally obsessed with being beautiful; she’s on a mission to find beauty for her client, whether that person is 20 or 50, Ronna says.

It’s that drive that pushed Nicolette up to being one of the top three most in-demand out of 60 stylists at  SEVEN salon, where she used to work in both the Seattle and Bellevue locations. In addition to SEVEN, she honed her artistry for cuts and color at various other salons in Greater Seattle and Hawaii for a stint, all the while, collecting good ideas for the day she could open up her own business.

What else does the N Salon bring to the Bellevue beauty mix?

A family-run, independently-owned business that’s more affordable than many of the biggies such as Gene Juarez.

Prices for a haircut range from $55-$70, depending on the stylist. Partial foils are $125 and up, Keratin treatments are $200 and up and extensions are $300 and up.

Look for the N Salon: at the Taste of Main Aug. 20 in Old Bellevue, online in the coming weeks at http://thensalonandspa.com/, on Facebook or call 425-502-8278.