Thinking of opening a new Beauty salon or planning to revamp your current one?
Making the most of your space, getting the layout right, and creating the right look all on time and within budget can seem a ‘big ask’. So I asked Mr. Goutam Acharya Owner of Decorite, Beauty Salon Furniture Jaipur specialists salon interior design specialist to share some professional secrets.
Good salon design starts with the basics
Poring over a Farrow and Ball paint chart may be more fun than checking your water pressure, but don’t be tempted to skip the essential basics warns Trevor.
- Have your salon’s water pressure tested as early as possible. Most local water companies will do this for you. You need a minimum of 1.75 to 2.5 bar of water pressure otherwise a booster pump will be necessary.
- Contemplating wall-mounted dryers/processors? Check your wall construction as soon as you can. You need solid concrete or brick – partition walls aren’t suitable.
- Locate your wash area as close as you can to water and waste outlets. Not only will this be cheaper to install but a shorter pipe run is less likely to cause you future plumbing problems.
- Make the most of natural daylight whilst thinking about your clients’ privacy. No one wants to sit with foils in their hair in full view of passers-by. It’s not a good look.
- Think carefully about the floor surface. Do you need to combat high levels of noise? Can you access under-floor services easily?
Tips and ideas on designing your salon styling area
The big challenge: more styling stations mean more potential revenue for your salon yet you don’t want to overcrowd it with too many workstations.
If you’re struggling with ideas on how to work with your space, Trevor suggests chatting to a professional salon designer early on. They will talk you through the options for your particular premises.
- Allow sufficient workspace. The first styling unit should be 1m (3′) from a window or wall, second and subsequent units should be 1.2m (4′) from the center of the first unit.
- Working space out from the unit to the rear of the stylist should be 1.5m (5′).
- Consider island styling units to fit more clients into a tight space.
- Stains will happen. It’s inevitable. So darker upholstery tends to be more practical for a hardworking hair salon. If you really want a lighter colour to think about fitting clear chair back covers.
- Consider using different light styles to create the right atmosphere. Hang task lights above each section and add wall-mounted secondary feature lighting for ambience.
- Stay legal. All salon electrical fittings/appliances must conform to basic electrical EU and UK legislation. Check every electrical item you purchase has the CE logo proving it conforms.
- But beware advises Mr. Goutam Acharya, “many imports sourced and bought on the internet do not comply with Indian Regulations and are illegal for use in salon businesses. This could cause problems with your salon insurance. So if in doubt ask to see a declaration of conformity from the vendor to prove the CE logo isn’t a fake”.
- Are you going to have the colour mixed out of sight or are you going to put it in the spotlight with a colour bar? Weigh up the pros and cons.
- Small shallow salon? Use a mirrored wall to trick the eye and ‘double’ your space.