Due to the need for discretion during the early planning stages, Vicki requested that we wait on posting her first few weeks of blog posts until now. Vicki wrote this one on February 20. Don't worry; we'll be caught up to the present day soon!--NAILS Eds.

So now we are on the hunt for the perfect manicuring table.

We have looked on every website that has tables, none of which are what we are looking for. So the question is, do we settle or build our own? For the moment we will be creating our own tables, and hopefully later have some custom ones built. We have been discussing the decor -- what we can use from home, what Kim has in storage such as furniture, client chairs, mirrors, what plants I have at home (I have a green thumb), etc. We want a shabby chic look that is comfortable, warm, inviting, and fashionable.

The last thing I want is someone to look in the window and think it is a non-compliant salon, which I think are sometimes marked by spa chairs all lined up. We are going to build polish racks, and I am going to handpaint (at least, that's the plan) our logo on the wall. Later we are going to get some small chandeliers. I have a file going where we are tearing out photos of what we like and discussing how we can create the look on a budget.

--Vicki, Polish Salon, Brea, Calif.