Essential Salon Furnishings for Success

It can be confusing figuring out what equipment you need for your beauty salon. There are so many types of equipment in the market that many owners feel overwhelmed when researching their options. Besides the obvious items necessary for performing salon treatments (combs, scissors, dryers, nail polish, hair dye, etc.), these are some essential furnishings you'll need to run a successful salon! 

Chairs 
There are a couple of chairs that you'll want to have for your salon. Starting from when customers walk in, you should have comfortable chairs open and inviting to let clients feel cared for even before they start their service. 

With hair styling, most customers will have their hair cleaned professionally, so you'll want to have comfy shampoo stations and shampoo bowls for that step. If you have extra funds to put into this, there are even options for massage chair/shampoo bowl combinations that are sure to send your clients into blissful relaxation -- one of the biggest perks of getting a salon treatment! 

For hairstyling, you'll want styling chairs with height adjustment to accommodate clients and stylists of any height, as well as chairs with adjustable reclining. For comfort, be sure to find chairs with comfortable padding, and maybe even a footrest. Many clients will be spending the majority of their time in these chairs, so you want to ensure they are comfortable. 

If your salon offers nail treatments, you'll want to ensure comfortable seating there as well. This might be another place to invest in those massage chairs -- mani/pedis are a key treatment for promotion of relaxation and wellness, and massaging boosts that relaxation! 

Work Stations 
Another important part of your salon will be your workstations. No matter what part of the salon and whose station it is, you'll want your workstations to look neat and clean, from the front desk to the shampoo stations. 

At the front of your store, you should have a nice reception desk from which a member of your staff can welcome clients. Keep this area organized, with business cards, brochures, and sign-in sheets kept neat and orderly. 

In your shampoo area, you'll need storage options that keep your shampoo stock organized. With the high-volume of clients many salons have, having labeled shampoo shelving will be a time-saving essential for your stylists to use. It will also look better to clients if they can tell that everything is organized. 

At the styling station itself, you should have a mirror (obviously), and drawers and cabinets for equipment. Many salons also opt to have tool sanitation supplies clearly displayed on the counter -- a great option for increasing the trust between client and stylist. The styling station is somewhere you can reflect your salon's general style too, whether you get specialty color countertops or elegant lighting. It is also a way to save space in your salon -- look into getting double-sided stations to accommodate two stylists at once! 

Another useful addition to your workstations can be a mobile trolley to move supplies between counters or sections of your salon. This can especially be useful if your stylists share spaces, or if you have areas dedicated to hair coloring vs. hair styling. Keeping some of your equipment mobile will let your staff be flexible and help you maintain efficiency!