An Interior Guide: Crafting a Functional Hair Salon at Home
Working from home is all the rage post-COVID and with the soaring prices of retail spaces, opening up a salon from your home could be a great business opportunity for you.
Of course, there is a lot you need to consider. If you’re ready to transform part of your home into a business, here are some key aspects to get you up and running.
Waves salon, design by Lisa Colahan
Defining Your Style and Brand
Utilising your home might be key to bringing your salon to life, but your brand and ethos must be reflected in your interior design. Since you want to distinguish between your home and business, you need to think about what will make the space more welcoming and equipped for the services you offer.
What are your USPs and how can you translate this into your space? Successfully displaying these
will help you stand out from your competitors.
To get some ideas, have a look at Lisa Colahan's shed-based salon in Brisbane call WAVES.
Zoning and Layout
First, it will benefit you to brush up on beauty salon legislation and regulations to ensure you’re legally allowed to open a home salon on your property.
Once sure that you’re on the right side of the law, you can start thinking about the layout and flow of your salon space.
Dedicating an area entirely to your work goes a long way to boosting the credibility and professionalism of your brand. It will also help you create a clear divide between your business and personal life as working from home can make it difficult to switch off at the end of the day.
Whether you have the space inside your home or in a large shed style/ garden building structure, it is important that the space has lots of natural light and good ventilation as well as is insulated properly and has heating.
Products and Organisation
Clients will expect the same levels of organisation and cleanliness that they would find in a salon so your products should be on display. This gives them something to browse through while they are waiting and could encourage extra purchases. Additionally, be aware of any ongoing issues, such as the hair relaxer lawsuit, to ensure you are informed and prepared to address any client concerns regarding product safety.
Having high-quality bleaches and hair toners, alongside any other treatments you use, will get the best results for your client’s hair. Showing that you are investing in premium products displays your investment in their well-being and can encourage repeat business or referrals.
Décor and Colour Scheme
Working from home means you might not have the luxury of too much space, but that doesn’t mean you’re limited when it comes to your décor and colour scheme.
It’s best to avoid dark colours and maximise the brightness of your salon wherever you can. This means white, beige and light hues and adding mirrors where possible to make your space appear larger.
Comfortable seating is a must, whether it is in your waiting space or front of the mirror. Functionality should be the foremost priority so include enough storage and shelving to keep your salon organised.
Jenny Kakoudakis likes to blog about interiors. She launched award-winning Seasons in Colour in 2014 and the luxury interior design blog All The Pretty Homes in 2024. When she is not chasing criminals out of the financial system (her day job), she gets creative by redecorating her own home.
Download her free bathroom renovation guide here.
