In addition to our expertise in creating high-quality furniture and inspiring work spaces, we also have a depth of best-practice experience in branding, presentation, and atmosphere management we would like to share.

Please consider implementing the following tips and reminders to make the most of your salon. We realize that some of these tips may seem small and simple, but decades of experience as a company have taught us that each one of these minute details can make or break the brand experience in your salon–that is why we are eager to share them with you.

1. LIGHT IT

In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary. -Aaron Rose

Light illuminates, inspires and defines. This is a friendly reminder to utilize the light sources in your salon to make it glow. Make sure all fixtures have working lamps and that adjustable fixtures are focused on your key areas. Utilize these light sources to direct your guests to signs, graphics, and merchandise. Your salon environment is a large part of your brand; make sure all who enter see it in its best light.

Light Color

Use the correct color of light for the job. Light colors are rated with a Kelvin (K) Scale. The higher the number, the bluer the light appears; the lower the number, the more red the light appears. An incandescent light bulb in your home is 2700-K and would be warmer light. 3000-K would be typical of a Halogen light bulb, a slightly more white-colored light. Both 2700-K and 3000-K are suitable for display, accent and mood lighting. 3200-K and 3500-K are whiter in color and are best for work or task lighting.

Type | Efficiency

There are four bulb types that offer varied levels of efficiency: Incandescent, CFL's and LED, and Metal Halide.

Incandescent bulbs are the least expensive & least efficient. They create more heat and have the shortest lifespan. Incandescent bulbs create light by passing electricity through a metal filament until it becomes so hot that it glows. Incandescent bulbs release 90% of their energy as heat.

CFL (or Compact Fluorescents) bulbs need a little more energy when they are first turned on, but use about 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and generate less heat. In a CFL, an electric current is driven through a tube containing gases — this reaction produces ultraviolet light that gets transformed into visible light by the fluorescent coating (called phosphor) on the inside of the tube.

LED bulbs are even more efficient than CFLs. LEDs are more expensive to buy, but save energy and money over the life of the bulb. LED lighting products use light emitting diodes to produce light very efficiently. A small amount of heat is released backwards. LEDs are basically cool to the touch.

Metal Halide bulbs are a type of high-intensity discharge (HID) lamp that offers long lamp life, and good color rendering properties. These qualities make them attractive for applications such as retail establishments, where both low operating cost and good light quality are important. Because of their long life, metal halide lamps are also appropriate for buildings with high ceilings and other facilities in which lighting is constantly in use for many hours at a time.

Replacement

Consider the message you send by having burned out bulbs in your salon - does this reinforce or undermine your attempt to convince your customers that you are attuned to fine detail when it comes to their personal style? It is a simple thing, but it can say so much. Always replace bulbs with the same color or Kelvin rating to ensure consistent light color in the correct areas. Mixed light color looks cheap and also may not provide best working results.

Position

Utilize all directional (adjustable) lighting to its maximum potential. Adjust to effectively illuminate working areas or focal points such as retail product shelving, merchandising displays, posters and signage. Check work or cutting areas periodically to ensure that the adjustable track lighting is directed to light working space.

Bulbs for track heads come in varied beam spreads, narrow/spot and wide/flood. Wide/flood are typically the best option unless the distance from your fixture to the intended focus area is a long distance or you desire a focused pool of light directly on your subject matter.

2. CLEAN IT

It ain't cool if your chrome don't shine.

Polish, dust, and sweep, because a clean and sanitary salon reflects well on you and instills confidence in all who enter. It is amazing how much of a difference a little sanitizing and eliminating clutter can make — it will be the biggest return on your few-minutes-per-day investment you can get. Don't allow guests or team members who enter your salon to wonder about the quality of your services or brand because of an unclean environment. Your salons interior design and furnishings are great tools for selling products, services, and your brand. Make the most of that potential by cleaning and maintaining your furnishings and facilities.

Restrooms

Please don't forget the restrooms. Restrooms are a tell-all indicator about your business. If there is one area in your salon where you should be obsessive about cleanliness and order it should be the restrooms.

3. REPAIR IT

A well-oiled machine needs a periodic tune up.

Maintenance provides long-term reliability and return on investment. Extend that length of time in your salon by tuning up your equipment. Just like oil changes and tune-ups for your car, furniture and accessories periodically need screw tightening or adjustment to ensure they perform and look great. Repair dents, dings, chips in walls, counters, flooring or cabinets, and recover torn or stained upholstery. Give your clients the attention they deserve not only in the service you provide, but also in the salon environment, while they are in your care.

4. REFRESH IT

Who doesn't need new color or a touch up once in a while?

Recharge your interior branding with a new coat of paint, fresh pictures in frames and a change in your retail and merchandising displays. Give your team and guests something new to look at by periodically refreshing your interiors.

Rearranging

Switch up the placement and look of furniture and displays. It doesn't have to be a major remodel — changes, even subtle ones, are inexpensive and an easy way to freshen things up.

Paint

A new coat of paint will go a long way toward making your salon look fresh and vibrant.

Posters

Poster updates are a fantastic way to change things up and refocus attention, and something you can do periodically without much cost.

5. ORGANIZE IT

A place for everything, and everything in its place.

Order creates efficiency and tranquility. Efficiency saves time and money. Capture profitability and serenity through simple organization. As you know, the business of beauty often begins and ends in the details. It is the same thing in branding–the details are what set you apart. Taking time to organize product, magazines, and supplies will communicate that you are a notch above the rest.

Presentation

Take a minute to look at the information posted around your salon - notices, business cards, brochures, graphics, policies, menus, displays/product merchandising. Do any of these look out of place? Are you taping paper notices on the wall? Are the fonts you use readable, consistent, and appealing? Is it obvious what you are trying to say, or is the observer left guessing until they read and re-read the information? A simple frame or holder will organize and present information in a more impactful manor. Consistent frame sizes and styles will improve continuity and presentation. Choose a font and layout that fits with your brand and products - use it consistently on all that you do.

6. DESIGN IT

Contrast. Balance. Repetition. Create harmony with design principles.

Utilize the Elements and Principles of Design to create visual impact and a dynamic brand presence in your salon. Beautiful salon interiors are comprised of design elements and governed by design principles.

Elements of Design

Line is a mark on a surface and can be heavy or light. Line can be actual, implied, vertical, horizontal, diagonal and contoured. Line has personality - excited, lazy, formal or casual.

Color refers to specific hues and has 3 properties: Chroma, Intensity and Value. The color wheel is a way of showing the chromatic scale in a circle using all the colors made with the primary triad. Complimentary pairs can produce dull and neutral color.

Texture is about surface quality either tactile or visual. Texture can be real or implied by different uses of materials. It is the level of roughness or smoothness in objects.

Shape is a 2-dimensional line with no form or thickness. Shapes are flat and can be geometric and organic.

Form is an object having volume and thickness. A form can look 3-dimensional with the use of light and shading techniques.

Space is the area, 3-dimensional or 2-dimensional where the elements and principles exist.

Value describes the degree of dark and light and all the tones between. Value applies to color as well as black and white.

Scale is the difference in the proportions of objects, lines or shapes. There is a variation of sizes in objects either real or imagined.

Principles of Design

Focal Point is the area that first attracts attention. This is where your eye is drawn first compared to the other objects or elements.

Balance is a feeling of visual equality in shape, form, value, color, etc. Balance can be symmetrical or asymmetrical balanced. Objects, values, colors, textures, shapes, forms, etc., can be used in creating a balance.

Harmony is combining the elements and principles to create a unified result.

Contrast is key for creating variation and interest. Contrast can be shown in numerous ways with size, shape, color, texture, light and dark.

Movement is achieved if the eye is drawn to a focal point then led by proper use of elements and principles.

Rhythm is a movement created by using repeated elements. Like dance and music, visual things can also have rhythm.