Designing a Hair Salon - Part 6
GENERAL TIPS & CONSIDERATIONS WHEN DESIGNING A HAIR SALON
Creating the optimal customer experience for your guests/salon clientele is very important for your business. Proggetti Inc. understands this very well and designs hair salons that are not only very functional and beautiful, but that also elevate the customer experience. Here are some tips you can incorporate into your salon design. Some suggestions are even free or for a minimal investment!
Introduce a comfortable waiting area with comfortable seating, away from cold drafts (adding a vestibule is ideal to avoid drafts). In larger urban centres like Toronto, it is generally preferred to have individual seating in waiting areas
Locate the coat closet so that a guest’s personal items are secured and can be monitored easily by staff or guests. Include an umbrella stand, shelves for hats, etc.
Use proper coat hangers – not flimsy ones that can damage guest coats, sweaters, etc.
Add purse/bag hooks at each styling and colour station to keep guest bags off the floor
A pretty brass coat hook is installed on the side of the styling station cabinet to keep the guest’s purse/bag off the floor.
Add a shelf for your guest’s coffee cup, water glass, etc. at the styling and colour stations (consider offering a paper lid to prevent hair clippings and product overspray from getting into the cup!)
Have receptacle areas and USB ports accessible to guests at various spots throughout the salon (have iPhone and Android cables available in case guests have forgotten theirs)
Custom-designed side tables installed in-between the shampoo units offer a convenient surface for guest items, as well as an electrical receptacle with USB ports.
Consider all sightlines and ensure privacy for guests, especially if reclined in shampoo units
Consider purchasing European-style shampoo sinks, where the hairstylist/assistant stands and washes from behind the bowl, rather than ordering the standard North-American sinks where you stand next to the bowl. It may take some getting used to but it provides a better customer experience for the guest, since you’re not hovering over their face
Consider purchasing shampoo sinks with an integrated footrest (powered is ideal). They improve the customer experience and help relieve discomfort on the guest’s neck and back, especially during longer processing treatments
European-style shampoo units with remote-controlled footrests.
Have a plan for servicing guests with special needs (i.e. a level floor service with no steps and no plumbing platforms; a stand-alone shampoo sink that allows a wheelchair user to comfortably have their hair washed; and if the salon is on multiple floors – an elevator or access to the same services on the lower level as on the upper levels)
Consider adding a staff washroom, even if it isn’t needed according to the building code
Keep the salon area neat and organised by having a place for everything
Consider where you will place your computer to access stylist schedules, appointment details, colour formulas, etc.
Take an inventory of all equipment and product (like trolleys, dryers on wheels, colour books, clean towels, clean capes/robes, soiled towels, soiled capes/robes, shampoo product, etc.) and have a plan for neatly storing them
Consider how many colour tubes you need on display/on hand for the present and possibly for the future. You don’t want to underestimate the storage needed and you want to have a plan for tracking inventory and ordering
Custom-designed colour lab housing Goldwell colour cannisters and colour trolleys.
Avoid clutter and dated interiors by eliminating posters in the salon (even ones created by colour and shampoo companies)
Locate quiet areas away from noisy areas, if possible
Add acoustic insulation at private areas like washrooms, staff rooms, esthetic rooms, hair treatment rooms
Add coat hooks and a shelf in the washroom for your guest’s convenience
The design of the guest washroom should not be overlooked and should continue the same look and feel as the salon area
Provide quality hand soap in the guest washroom, and possibly a moisturising hand lotion. Consider offering hand towels that can be laundered, instead of disposable paper towels, for an elevated experience (you will need a container for the clean hand towels and a separate basket for soiled towels)
Colours, textures, and tone used within the salon are repeated in the guest washroom.
Consider joining a recycling program, like Green Circle Salons, and have a plan for addressing the everyday waste produced within your salon
Consider where you can take good quality photographs of your guest’s finished haircut, colour, and style. The area can have either a plain backdrop so your work stands out, it can be branded with your logo, or have some recognisable design element relevant to your brand. Ensure there is good lighting too! (invest in a ring light)
HIRE A PROFESSIONAL INTERIOR DESIGNER
If you are in the Toronto or Greater Toronto Area and are considering renovating or opening a new hair salon or spa, please contact us. We would be happy to discuss your project over a complimentary discovery call.