If your salon business has multiple locations, it’s more important than ever to think about your decor. It should be cohesive across your locations to represent your brand. Yet, it also needs to be attractive to your ideal customers.
Decor may get pushed to the back burner while you focus on the more pressing aspects of building your business, like hiring stylists and building a service menu. However, your décor decisions can play a role in connecting with customers’ emotions and can keep them coming back.
Here, you’ll learn why salon decor contributes to success. Get tips on how to start improving your salon’s look today, including the basics of salon design.
Read on to get some top salon decor ideas.
Why Does Salon Decor Matter?
Choosing the right decor for your salon helps you stand out from the crowd when done right. You want to position your salon as a unique, desirable place for clients, not a carbon copy of other salons. So, having memorable decor for all the right reasons is essential.
Your salon decor communicates a great deal of information to customers. For starters, it tells them what they can expect at your business. Sophisticated luxury? Youthful trendiness? What image are you trying to project?
The decor you select should reflect your ideal client demographic.
If your customers are more mature, something more elegant and classic is probably appropriate. If your clients are all university students, though, you want a look that’s young, hip, and energetic.
Your decor is even more important when you have multiple salons in different locations. Each salon is an extension of your unique brand. You want clients to walk into any of them and instantly recognize the look.
Recognizability is more important than you might think. One recent study showed that branding consistency can increase revenue by 20%. That can translate to significant profit growth for salons.
Understanding the Basics of Salon Decor
Salon decor involves certain requirements you don’t necessarily find with other businesses. It must withstand high traffic and the use of liquids and chemicals. You need to make customers feel comfortable while also accommodating tools, multiple stations, waiting areas, and more.
RELATED ARTICLE: The Ultimate Guide to Buying Salon Equipment
Therefore, functionality usually comes first with salon decor. You want to assess what you need for technicians to do their jobs. Then, you can layer in aesthetics to create your one-of-a-kind look.
When dealing with more than one location, it’s helpful to list all necessary functional items first. For example, if you’re a hair salon, each space might need:
- A reception desk
- A waiting area
- Shampoo stations
- Styling stations
- Drying or processing stations
- A specialty station for visiting services (makeup, nails, etc.)
- Products for sale display
- A coffee or snack bar (optional)
- A selfie station (optional)
- A changing area (optional)
Using floor plans and architectural renderings will assist you with accurate measurements and placing things like:
- Electrical outlets
- Heating and air conditioning vents
- Doors and windows
- Sinks and immovable objects
- Cabinetry and storage
RELATED ARTICLE: How to Use Your Salon Square Footage for Maximum Revenue
One thing that’s crucial in any salon is the right lighting. You need lighting that’s both task-oriented and flattering to clients. They need to see their new hair or nail shades properly. And, of course, technicians need to see accurate colors, too.
Lighting also creates a mood in your salon. Bright lights signify energy and clarity. Dim lights may be more soothing and help customers relax. Ideally, you want a bit of both.
Your lighting fixtures don’t have to be purely utilitarian. Some fun floor lamps or glittering chandeliers mixed in with wall sconces and overhead recessed lights can help set your lighting mood.
9 Amazing Salon Decor Ideas for Multi-Location Salons
Ready to take your salon decor to the next level at all your locations? Here are nine decor ideas that are sure to wow clients and thrill employees.
1. Art Gallery
Turning your salon into an art gallery can serve multiple purposes. First, it will make your business unique, no matter which location clients visit.
Second, it’s a way to support the local art community. Where are your various locations situated? Could you feature art from different neighborhoods or towns? The art doesn’t have to be exactly the same across all locations. Just presenting it in a gallery style is enough to represent consistency.
Complete the look with colorful and artistic furniture in the waiting area. Neo-mid-century or post-modern designs would work well.
2. Statement Wall
If having art on every surface feels too maximalist, try a statement wall. With this theme, you choose one wall to emphasize, so it really packs a punch.
Think about where you have the space and want to make a big impression. Is there a space clients see the moment they step into the building? Maybe it’s the wall behind reception. Or it’s the back wall of the salon that everyone sees when they head to their appointment.
You can create something permanent there, or you can rotate the art. You could even use a projector so the image changes every few minutes. Or you might show a classic Italian black-and-white film for the ultimate in chic.
Statement walls can feature any number of painted images, too. Murals and graffiti are always options. A trompe l’oeil is another good choice, especially if the salon is small or windowless.
The wall can also be a consistent place to take photos of your work to post on your socials or website. Not only does it showcase your work, but it creates a recognizable focal point in your salon.
FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: 8 Salon Ideas for Small Spaces
3. Unique Color Palette
Using a recognizable dominant color is another way to have your salon stand out. This is especially effective if it either ties to a colorful logo or the name of your salon.
For instance, if your salon is called “Ocean,” using beautiful shades of blues and greens plays into the name.
Think beyond wall paint. Explore how you could incorporate your palette into draperies, flooring, and furniture. You can even carry the color theme through the business by having the staff wear smocks in the same palette.
4. Natural Elements
Nature has long been a decor element of choice for salons because of the essence of the industry. Natural elements bring botanicals and fresh scents to mind.
It’s the perfect way to exemplify your commitment to natural products or services that call to mind bucolic locations. Natural elements are also a great choice if you are a green or sustainable salon.
Try incorporating these components into your decor for a more natural feel:
- Real wood in warm tones
- Living plants
- Branches and pinecones
- River or beach rocks
- Sand or pea gravel
- Woven baskets
- Ceramics
- Textures like grasscloth, cork, and bark
- Seashells and beachcombing finds
5. Floral Fantasy
Another, perhaps more feminine, way to use nature in your salon decor is to go wild with florals. Using real flowers can be both expensive and time-consuming. A clever mix of live and artificial plants may be your best bet.
You can also paint floral designs on the walls or around the mirrors. Using floral fabrics is another way to introduce flower themes.
Don’t forget to use the other senses (besides sight) when indulging in a floral decor motif. You want your salon to smell fantastic when guests walk in the door. Jasmine, lavender, and rose are all good underlying scents. You could even sell a unique room spray that’s a blend of your flowers.
6. Bohemian Rhapsody
Boho (short for bohemian) design is extremely popular right now. But it’s not new.
It never really went out of style since its start in the late 19th century. It stems from an era when Americans traveled “on the continent” (to Europe), and Europeans traveled to places like India and North Africa.
These people often traveled in artsy circles. They brought back exotic artifacts and fabrics from their journeys, which they mixed with more traditional decor for a unique look.
Today, that vibe is still going strong. Boho decor can be taken in any number of directions like:
- Scandinavian mid-Century
- Moroccan
- Indian
- Middle Eastern
- Central African
7. Old-World European
This is a wonderful theme if your salon serves a cosmopolitan demographic. You can mix and match items like embroidered pillows and vintage chandeliers. The idea is to make your space look worldly and well-traveled.
Exposed brick and rustic flooring also work well with this décor. So, if your locations are in older buildings, this may be an especially functional theme.
8. Geography Theme
Maybe you want to transport your salon customers to a world far away. In that case, a geographic motif can be fun.
Pick some desirable location from around the globe—ideally related to your salon name or your personal heritage—and use that for inspiration.
It could be a calm, monochromatic desert. Or perhaps you like the look of a Mediterranean island or Canadian mountain lodge. Your goal is to replicate that with your decor to give clients a respite from their regular lives.
Another idea that works with multiple locations is to pick a geographic theme and make each shop a version of that theme. For example, if you pick the beach, one location might be Rio, another Goa, and a third Mykonos.
9. Historical Notes
A theme based on a specific time in history can really help your salon stand out. People love nostalgia. Why not leverage that for a totally unique experience?
You can use paintings, literature, and film for inspiration. Some possible themes include:
- Ancient Egypt
- Ancient Rome
- The Baroque period
- The Regency period
- The Roaring Twenties
- Vintage 1950s and ‘60s
- Disco ‘70s
For instance, if you want to recreate the airy, tranquil feel of an old Roman spa, you could use tons of marble, columns, fountains, and potted fruit trees. Use gauzy curtains to separate different zones.
10. Futuristic Journey
Maybe the period in history you love most hasn’t happened yet. A sleek, hyper-minimalist space-age salon would appeal to many younger patrons.
You could incorporate lots of mirrors and shiny surfaces. Ambient light panels in soft tones would complement your décor and lighting with this theme.
Be sure to use the latest technology for everything. Touches like personalized texts, when the stylist is ready, might be a tech-forward choice. Consider placing a QR code that connects patrons to beauty content, a customer questionnaire detailing what they expect from their service, or salon playlists rather than print materials in the waiting area.
Your soundscape is important here. Avoid oldies and country music, as they will conflict with your theme. Instead, go for ultra-modern and chill instrumental music with a futuristic feel.
FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: The Ultimate Guide to Managing a Salon for the First Time
How You Can Start Decorating Your Multiple Salons Right Now
Now that you’ve read the tips above, you’re probably eager to start decorating or redecorating your salons. Use these expert tips to make the most of the experience for you and your guests:
Start With a Budget.
A well-defined budget will realistically determine what you can and cannot do. If cost is a concern, consider thrifted or secondhand items. Refurbish them into similar color schemes or leave them as is for an eclectic, lived-in look.
Offer to trade free services with local contractors or artists in return for painting or special artwork. Or, let them leave their cards at your reception desk for a discount on their service.
Think About What Your Patrons Have in Common.
Consider customer similarities across all your salon locations. How can you use them to tie together decor in multiple shops?
For example, perhaps you’re in a university town where you can use school colors. Or maybe there’s a local landmark, like a river or mountain, you want to highlight in every location.
Develop Your Palette.
Understand that your color palette is a major statement. It says volumes about your brand and affects how clients perceive you.
You can use color to evoke different emotions that influence consumer behavior. For instance, blue is associated with trustworthiness. Green feels fresh, and yellow is considered youthful and happy.
Your color palette needs to be somewhat practical for assessing things like skin tone or hair color. You can always use white or neutral shades throughout and add pops of other colors with accessories. This approach has the added bonus of letting you swap out pieces to change your decor as they age without redecorating completely.
Group Your Salon Services Into Zones.
You can utilize different shades of color to create zones in your salon. Use one color for reception, one for waiting, one for hair washing, and one for styling, for example.
Zones move clients through the different stages of a service and make it easier to direct them to where they need to go.
Finally, Your Salon Must Be Easy To Clean.
Cleanliness is paramount no matter what style of decor you use. Salons can be prone to messes. Make high-traffic areas simple to wipe down and sweep or mop.
Hard flooring is a must. You don’t want stylists having to vacuum up hair after every cut. Not only would it waste time, the noise would make communicating difficult. Flooring can be a design choice, though.
If wood is impractical, a terrazzo floor in your color palette could be striking and durable. Golden sandstone is easy to maintain and nonslip, and it brings to mind sandy beaches if you’re going for that type of theme. Bold, graphic tiles are trendy as well.
Save those fussy fabrics and wall coverings for small areas that won’t take so much wear and tear. You might even go with stain-resistant performance fabrics that are a breeze to care for.
RELATED ARTICLE: 5 Salon Decor Ideas to Wow Your Guests All Year Long
