SOS hairwashing basin, lighting, product corner & co. We asked some advice of Mauro Cimarosti, Gamma & Bross beauty salon designer.
Furnishing a hairdressing salon is not an easy task. Often we think it’s something we can do on our own, other times we underestimate elements and make irreparable errors.
“The Number 1 rule is to rely on a salon outfitter, not an architect who studied his own house, because he or she can’t understand the salon professional’s needs. This will prevent having to replan and re-structure everything after only a short time becuase it is not functional and efficient,” explains Mauro Cimarosti, designer Gamma & Bross, specialized in hairdressing salon furnishings.
We asked Mauro Cimarosti to come up with the 10 most common errors people make when furnishing a hairdressing salon.
1. Don’t plan a precise budget. Often the budget has been planned for the furniture, but one must also take into consideration, for example, electrical and hydraulic installations as well.
2. Save on the shampoo basin, above all if you plan to do treatments often. Nowadays shampoo basins are no longer simple armchairs where the client sits and puts his or her head back, but are reclining chairs that put the client in an almost lying down position, like the shampoo bowls Clubwash or the Flatiron by Gamma & Bross. The selection of the shampoo basin is very important and mustn’t be underestimated. For example, it is useless to select a high-end shampoo basin with massage if you have a commercial structure that has no time for such treatments. For high-end salons that instead aim for wellness, it is advisable to choose a shampoo basing that guarantees privacy and the makes it possible to lift the entire chair, including legs, like the Vip Lounge of the First Class line.
3. Underestimate the importance of lighting, which must studied ad hoc. It must not be too cool nor too warm, but sunny, to see the colour as precisely as possible. The mirror light must be balanced with the rest of the illumination to not create shadows on the face. When you need lots of light on the chair it is better to select a light in front of the mirror. Other mirrors, instead, are equipped with a reflected light that gives less illumination. To compensate for this, select a strong overhead lights. One workplace with LED illumination with plenty of appeal is Halo of the GammaStore by Gamma & Bross.
4. Skip a product showcase. The sale of products brings in a solid profit margin in a short time. Under ideal management, 30% of the turnover should be attributable to retail. A product corner near the cash register is indispensable, but another methods that is gaining popularity is the styling stations Action: a mirror with 3 illuminated displays. Indeed, the client has time to consult, with calm and without stress, the product while getting her hair colored or styled.
5. Skip a consultation corner pre-service to understand what the client needs. An example? The model Love Seat that consists of a unique seating solution with two armchairs positioned to facilitate conversation and a central space to connect the iPad or lay down informative material.
6. Skip making a clear division between the reception area and the work zone. Often hairdressers confuse these two things. A space that is divided appropriate facilitates carrying out various tasks. Avoid, for example, the invasion of your work space by clients who want to make appointments.
7. Skip providing a coat rack or room near the reception.
8. Choosing trendy colors, that follow fashion but do not represent the image you want to convey about your salon. My advice is to opt for neutral tones because bright colors can get tiring. Choose lively colors for a wall that can be changed easily. And for those who won’t go without color? The Dressing Beauty line by Aldo Coppola that can be changed as you please.
9. Skip organizing a space for tools. Often we don’t think about an equipped zone but it is indispensable to keep the salon in order and make the space functional. There are mirrors with compartments behind them for hiding tools, or another very popular option is the multifunctional cart, for example the iCart of the First Class line. How does it work? Each hairdresser has his or her own cart for tools, and when it’s not being used, it can be stored in the back room to avoid creating disorder. Indeed, it often happens that you rest tools on the counter near the mirror that are areas destined for the client, so they should be kept free and clean.
10. Details that make a difference. We often don’t think about little things, but a bag rack near the chair or a counter with an outlet to recharge mobile phones are little details that make your client’s salon experience much more comfortable. A very popular item is the Hourglass of the Dressing Beauty line by Aldo Coppola: a bag rack with a removable cover and a compartment, shelves, and hairdryer holder.
And then there are little secrets for furnishing a hairdressing salon while enhancing the space: “Those with a small salon can use continuous mirrors to make it seem bigger, while those with very big salons can position the furnishing in the centre to fill in the space. A salon design perfect for lending a touch of elegance to a large salon is the Nabucco work station: a large chamfered mirror, in a round shape, designed by Marcel Wanders,” concludes Mauro Cimarosti, Gamma & Bross designer.
