29 Inspiring Hair Salon Design Ideas for 2024

Choosing the right hair salon design is an essential part of opening a new hair salon process. With the latest salon interior design trends being shown online and in industry publications, it can be hard to decide on a hair salon interior that works for you. So, how do you find salon decor ideas that fit your vision for your interior design? And, more importantly, how do you decide on your vision for your hair salon interior design in the first place?

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1. How to Design a Hair Salon?
2. Salon Design Ideas to Best Utilize Your Space
3. Salon Interior Decor Ideas to Impress Your Clientele
4. Hiring a Professional Salon Interior Designer
5. Conclusion

Clients are often happier to share photos of their salon experience or post about your location online if the interior design looks great and stands out. Your salon design ideas design must communicate your brand, values, and the overall style of your business.

This means choosing a theme or general “feel” for your space that fits with your desired clientele and the services and products that you offer. This can be a lot to take on at first, but with the right planning and a little creative inspiration, it’s also a fun and rewarding process.

Salon interior design ideas can come from anywhere: a conversation with your friends and family, input from clients and staff, or information and images you’ve found online. You may surprise yourself once you get started.

How to Design a Hair Salon?

Choose a Layout

Choosing the right layout for your salon space will help set the tone for your entire business. A good layout will allow light and people to flow easily through your space, while still providing a private or comfortable feel for clients during services.

You’ll have to consider different things, including your salon budget, your staff’s needs and the architectural features and limitations of the location itself.

What works really well in one space- such as an open area with large windows and high ceilings, might not be a good design for a smaller or narrower salon location with a more intimate feel.

For more information, check out our post on Salon Layouts.

Depending on how your location is designed, you may want to go with:

• Open salon layout - with minimal or no inside walls, this uses mirrors on the walls and double-sided workstations to make a smaller hair salon look bigger and more spacious.

• Narrow salon layout - this makes the most of a long layout by investing in wall mirrors and creating a shared area in the center and down the sides for a modern look.

• Small salon layout - these tiny spaces are designed for multipurpose uses and can be really unique, with combined services able to be completed in one area and furniture that’s either multifunctional or has a smaller footprint.

• Suite salon layout - offering stylists privacy and autonomy, suites usually include the freedom to decorate or design your own small space and are increasingly popular options for those who want to rent their own location within a salon.

• Multiple room salon layout- walls can be used to separate salon suites, or they can be placed across certain areas for clients who prefer privacy during their visit. This can work well if your salon offers services such as waxing or massage, which require more privacy. You can even put up curtains across certain areas or screen them off for the same effect.

Choose a Theme

Some of the best hair salon decor ideas are based on a single theme. Salons that subscribe to this strategy select a concept or overall “vibe” and use this to help shape the design and details of your salon, including everything from the walls and mirrors to the lighting, sign and even the furniture.

For instance…

• Minimalism - a simple, clean and professional design without too many things on the walls or a lot of furniture. You might choose white or light-colored walls to accentuate the style. This is one of the top options for making a modern or smaller hair salon feel comfortable and roomy.

• Natural - this design favors eco-friendly and natural materials such as wooden furniture or shelves, curtains made from natural fabrics, lots of plants and light. You may want to include fair-trade or eco-friendly decor items to hang on the walls or place in the reception area, too.

• Retro - fun and nostalgic, this theme creates an atmosphere like the good old days, with design elements ranging from the “funky” retro including vintage decor items on the walls and brightly-colored, nostalgic furniture and stylist chairs, to salon design ideas based on an old-fashioned beauty parlor. These interiors are unique.

• Glamour - expensive and exclusive are the adjectives that describe this design theme. From the floor to the shelves, every item that you see should communicate elegance and luxury. This is the kind of salon that people visit when they want to feel like royalty.

• Modern - ideal for hair salons that boasts the latest services and technology, you may want to design your location with a sleek and modern hair salon decor in mind. This can include floor-to-ceiling mirrors, shelves and stylist chairs with a small footprint, and even one or two colors that “pop” instead of the more traditional black and white decor.

Choose a Colour Scheme

First, decide which color or colors represent your salon brand. Often, these will also be present on your salon’s sign.

Next, check out how these colors will look if you use them on the interior. The results might surprise you- sometimes, what looks great in outdoor or natural lighting doesn’t work as well indoors.

Ask your friends and family for information and ideas. They can help you to decide based on the mood of the color choices and how well they will attract your target clients.

White is often a good choice because it reflects light well, but it might not work with your specific salon design ideas or themes, so keep an open mind and have fun.

Choose Lighting

Good quality salon lighting is necessary to work and to create the right atmosphere.

On a practical level, your team will need enough light to see and do their work well without straining their eyes.

The right lighting (or even adjustable lighting) can improve a stylists’ attention to detail during services, and a flattering lighting level (instead of harsh fluorescent bulbs) can make a client’s visit more pleasant and increase their overall satisfaction.

You’ll need to decide on fixed or adjustable lights (or a combination of both, depending on the services you offer) and whether you want the design of the fixtures to be concealed or eye-catching.

Remember, mirrors and white or light-colored walls will reflect things and make everything seem brighter, but a darker or warm color scheme will require a different quality of lighting to achieve the same results.

Consider Your Clients’ Perspective

Whether it’s choosing the best salon design or getting them to subscribe to your salon’s social media pages and mailing list, you’ll improve your chances of success if you figure out what your clients like, what they enjoy and what they find attractive.

Start by considering things like the age and demographic that you’re hoping to target as your clients, then take a look online and at other successful businesses in the community to get in touch with some ideas that might work for you.

Hiring a Professional Salon Interior Designer

Although this can cost more than doing the planning and research on your own, you’ll get salon interior design ideas from someone who’s being paid to deliver professional results.

A professional salon interior designer won’t miss any detail, and in the end, you’ll save time and money and get 100% of the quality that you’re looking for in your hair salon design. You’re guaranteed to like what you see, since you’re the customer.

Do not miss our post on Hair Salon Logo.

Salon Design Ideas to Best Utilize Your Space

• Install hidden storage wherever you can, including recessed or hidden shelves and cabinets

• Put your main retail area where clients can reach the products easily to encourage them to browse and make purchases

• Use mirrors to expand the space, especially if you have fewer windows or a narrow layout

• Try using floor levelling and colors to differentiate areas. This works well if you offer multiple services, such as nail care or spa services, but you can even use it for the reception area, too.

• Use darker colors where stains are common, such as on chairs, in coloring areas or even at the back wash stations.

• You can use plants as partitions and to improve acoustics, especially across areas where multiple stylists and clients share a common floor space.

• Try using lighting as a zoning tool. This works well when you want to divide areas based on the level of light needed to complete a service or set a relaxing mood as clients wait for their color to develop, for example.

• Avoid leaving your walls empty. Nobody likes to stare at a blank, while wall while they wait. Even if your decor is minimalist, you should still use some well-placed pictures or art to break up the space and add a bit of color.

• Make sure to plan for any future adjustments. Even the best award winning salon interiors are likely to undergo some changes as the needs of clients and stylists change over time.

You may want to add new furniture, replace used items like stylist chairs or even change out the floor later on based on your business’s needs. Keep an open mind and, if possible, allow room to grow by adding extra hookups for fixtures or space for more chairs later, if need be.

When looking for small salon design ideas, pictures can help you to visualize and make the most out of your space. This can be very helpful in planning for future growth, too.

Do not miss our post on salon station ideas.

Salon Interior Decor Ideas to Impress Your Clientele

If you’re still wondering how to decorate a hair salon, we’ve put together some examples to help inspire you.

Click on the links below to read more about each design.

HARI's Hairdressers

Hari’s Hairdressers is a great example of a very natural design theme that incorporates a lot of plants and eclectic elements. Notice the small footprints of the chairs and minimal furniture on the floor.

Volume One Salon

Volume One Salon in Pensacola Florida uses an open-concept design with urban elements to add a modern touch. White walls keep the interior feeling open and airy, while warm colors in the brickwork and lights tie everything together into a single theme.

Ten Salon

Ten Salon uses a classy salon decor with natural elements such as plants to provide privacy during services. Note the styling chairs with two-sided workstations to make the most of the space.

We recommend you to check out our post on salon waiting area design.

Salon Posta

Salon Posta was the first runner-up for Salon Today’s 2021 Salons of the year. This is a very modern and minimalist salon design with excellent use of natural lighting and white walls.

L'Evation Salon

L'Evation Salon design is an excellent example of luxury and glamor in a modern salon setting. Click on the image to see how they took advantage of the large windows by placing styling stations and mirrors next to them for great views and lighting.

Style Club Salon

Style Club Salon is certainly something to see, with its retro-themed salon interior, vintage chairs and bright colors. Clients and stylists will both like it.

Conceptual Memphis Design

Conceptual Memphis Design is another salon with its own funky, retro meets modern feel. The sign on the wall, along with the clack and while checkered flooring and bright colors separating different areas feel new and fun.

André Luís Coiffeur Beauty Salon

André Luís Coiffeur Beauty Salon uses powder pink, vintage looking colors and double-sided workstations to make the most out of a narrow layout.

Salon Blu

Salon Blu is the epitome of contemporary glamour with a customized mural which uses the entire wall space. This is definitely something that clients are likely to share after their visit.

Salon Sisu

This modern design uses natural elements like a moss wall and bright red chairs for a splash of color.

Andreas Hogue Salon

For salons with a large square footage, click on this link to check out an upscale-modern layout with an 18-foot illuminated retail product display.

Beauty Artisan & Co.

The Beauty Artisan & Co. hair salon features an upscale and “rustic chic” cozy interior with oversized styling chairs and a lot of white walls with wood accents.

Whitehouse Salon

Whitehouse Salon is exactly as it sounds: very bright and white with a pristine, urban and trendy feel. Whitre framed mirrors next to clean white walls make everything look new and fresh.

Blos Roses

Blos Roses hair and nail salon is everything retro and fun with manicure stations next to a Barbie-esque blow dry bar.

Karen Joseph Salon

Karen Joseph Salon has a simple hair salon interior design with enough things to give it a luxurious, relaxing and urban feel. Note the central waiting area where clients can sit and read that still feels private and cozy.

Lindsay Griffin + Co.

Lindsay Griffin + Co. salon is a great example of eclectic minimalism with clean white walls and modern storage that resembles filing cabinets. This is a great way to keep things ready without any clutter.

Nikki|Lay Atelier

Nikki|Lay Atelier salon boasts a very classy and modern reception area for that “wow” effect when clients first arrive. The main floor boasts twenty styling stations with hanging lighting next to each chair.

Style Loft Hair Studio

If you like something different, yet urban and very chic, Style loft Hair Studio in Honolulu Hawaii will make you want to continue coming back. With custom details like green styling chairs and a black quartz reception desk, this salon feels new and classic at the same time.

Therapy Hair Studio

Therapy Hair Studio is a salon with a large, upscale interior layout. Their roomy design features wood elements and white accents for a classic look.

G Space Hair Salon

G Space Hair Salon makes excellent use of lighting and industrial accents as well as natural elements like reclaimed bamboo for a warm but modern atmosphere.

Supernova Salon

Supernova Salon in North Vancouver combines things like a second level and clean, modern lines to make the most of a narrow salon layout.

Beauty Salon in Dubai

Glamorous Beauty Salon in Dubai is certainly unique with modern, metallic finishes and glittery decor elements as well as uniquely shaped mirrors and chairs to continue to draw your attention.

Skills Barbershop

Skills Barbershop is a salon with a minimalist and modern design, using recessed lighting to creatively separate and illuminate the room.

FGP Atelier

FGP Atelier is a must-see salon with futuristic elements, pops of bright pink and flowing lines that’s sure to make clients want to subscribe to their social media just for more pics of it.

Takara Belmont Salon

Takara Belmont Salon just celebrated their 100th anniversary and boasts a spacious interior with a nail care bar in the center and styling stations along the walls. Check out the unique flooring, too.

Taylor Taylor London salon

Iconic Taylor Taylor London salon is the height of glamor and luxury with vaulted ceilings, an elegant wall decor and one of a kind furnishings.

Linnaean Salon

Linnaean Salon is contemporary and cozy with warm lighting, manicure and styling areas and treatment rooms laid out over two floors.

Vibrant Hair Salon

The greenery-filled ceiling in Vibrant Hair Salon gives this open and minimalist layout a surprising “wow factor” which will continue to draw the eyes.

Milek Design

Milek Design has the retro-style, beautiful, sublime and unusual interiors, with a very soothing vibe.

Do not miss our post How To Make a Salon Selfie Wall Ideas.

Conclusion

Whether you’re fitting out a small local salon or trying to plan a large multi-floor space, figuring out how to design hair salon decor that works for your business is both a fun and challenging endeavor.

Every salon space should be unique and reflect the personality of the brand and the clients. You can read up online and research different salon interiors that inspire you, then pick and choose elements from each salon interior design and make them your own.

Citations

The profit zone: How strategic business design will lead you to tomorrow's profits
https://books.google.com/books?hl=ru&lr=&id=SunHELRB7SsC&oi

The design of business: Why design thinking is the next competitive advantage
https://books.google.com/books?hl=ru&lr=&id=CvpAgm8dQQkC&oi=fnd&pg=PR1&dq=

Interior office design and visitor response
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1981-02281-001