Salon design inspiration: Lara Johnson Lifestyle in Swansea

Wales may not be commonly known for its chic French-style boutique style, but Lara Johnson Lifestyle salon in Swansea is changing all that.

The owners of the salon, husband and wife Dom Capel and Lara Johnson, has a very clear vision for their décor and design. This, of course, is key to creating a salon that looks and feels exactly as you planned, and will hopefully be able to live up to the demands and expectations of your target clientele.

Lara Johnson Lifestyle is a mix of French boutique and luxurious gentlemen’s club, in a design that the owners say was intended to be completely different from the simplistic décor and clean lines of many contemporary salons.

In a feat of extraordinary planning, the couple managed to transform a huge three-storey building into a salon that somehow feels cosy and welcoming, as well as having just a splash of European sophistication. Johnson says:

“We wanted to create an ambience unmatched in Wales and give it the same feel as our home,”

Lara Johnson Lifestyle features soft, warm-looking wooden floors throughout, Barber station,  beautiful and ornate feature mirrors (which also add a splash of colour), and alternating designs of salon chairs on each floor.

Read our next blog : Styling Station and Trolley Packages

Making the necessary improvements to your salon

There is nothing more rewarding than knowing that you are onto a winner when it comes to a salon. There are many different hair and beauty salons up and down the country who are competing against each other. In order to make sure that you are ahead of the competition, you need to make sure that your salon is to an appropriate standard and able to meet the demands of your clientele.

The beauty and hair industry are all related to the fashion industry, so you need to make sure that you are ahead of the trends and know what is to be expected from a fashionable hair cut.

As well as knowing what your clients will want from your salon, you also need to make sure that you have a sufficient amount of furniture within your salon. Salon furniture is readily available and can be installed into any salon very quickly. Whether you are looking for styling units, salon chairs or a new reception desk, you should find everything that you are looking for. There are different styles of salon furniture so you should be able to find furniture that fits in with the current decor of the salon.

Read our next blog : Designing a salon to suit your client’s needs

Planning a reception area

For any salon or beauty spa, the appearance of the reception area is of crucial importance. This is because this space is your first chance to make the right impression on the client, to really let them know what your salon is all about.  What’s more, many salons are designed so that the reception area can be seen from the street, so you can use attractive, eye-catching décor to entice customers inside.

So what makes a good reception area?

The overall principles to bear in mind when designing a salon reception area are comfort, colour and style. Remember that this is a place where clients will be waiting for appointments, so you need to offer them comfortable seating and plenty to look at and read.

Attention to detail is also important, as your waiting clients will often have ample time to observe your décor in minute detail. Even the smallest aspects like a fresh vase of flowers or the very latest style magazines will impress, whilst others like a cracked tile or cobwebbed corner will not.

The reception desk

This piece of salon furniture is extremely important, as it is a focal point and the center of activity in the reception area. Whether you opt for sleek, classic design or bold and bright; always ensure your reception desk is clean, uncluttered and staffed by a friendly, smiling face.

Pedicure Units for Your Salon

The pedicure has become an ultra-popular service, offered either in a specialized locale or as part of a comprehensive spa treatment. Pedicure customers look to be pampered in luxurious surroundings while enjoying the sensual pleasures and health benefits of their session. Many salons also choose to integrate foot and back massages during a pedicure. With high expectations and steep competition, you need a massage pedicure chair can deliver the complete therapeutic experience.

DIR Group offers pedicure chair and pedicure station products capable of handling even the most rigorous of spa treatments. Take the Dragon, an engineering marvel that features a full range of massage functions – kneading flapping, knocking or even a synchronous tandem of both kneading and flapping. Its 4-wheel driven airbag massage system applies powerful and accurate pressure with minimal noise. Soft, water-resistant exteriors, thick memory foam cushioning, solid metal construction, and fully adjustable recliner, seat, and armrest positions provide for an unforgettably relaxing experience.

Meanwhile, the Dragon’s pedicure tub complements its comfortable seating with a pipeless, LED-lit water jet system and integrated temperature control. The tub, along with the chair base, is constructed from durable fiberglass, not plastic, and will resist long term moisture, cracking, and wear. The Dragon’s easy-access flow control and built-in drain pumps ensure simplicity and hassle-free maintenance. Salon Stool. Factor in DIR’s industry-leading warranty, and this is a salon pedicure chair that will serve both patron and proprietor at the highest level.

Accessories for all your Salon Furniture and Equipment

Salon furniture, like all other multi-part equipment, will eventually require maintenance and replacement parts to continue functioning at peak efficiency. Locating parts in the hopes that they are both reputably sourced and compatible with your original equipment can be a major challenge. How does one even begin, especially when the original seller may just be a middle party whose interests are more prioritized to marketing than product support? How much time and effort would it save if your purchase was supported by a company that actually makes the product themselves, and who would be able to provide original parts, down the line? How much business would be lost if a crucial chair or station is kept out of order, waiting for replacement parts?

This is precisely the advantage that DIR Salon Furniture affords our customers. Unlike other vendors, we are intimately involved over the entire life cycle on all our products, from concept and design to production and support. Simply put, nobody knows our products better than we do. That puts DIR in a position to provide unparalleled warranty and technical support, and to complement the entire customer experience. Since DIR manufactures all of its own products, we will always retain the flexibility to supply parts and accessories, according to need. As our customer, you will never need to purchase parts from a third party supplier for a product that we make ourselves.

There is a priceless assurance in knowing that the replacement part you need is not only readily available, but also tailored for the original equipment, by its very manufacturer. If a problem does arise, DIR’s customer support is just one email or phone call away. So whether you need a LED light strip of a styling station, accessories for a barber chair, plumbing components of a shampoo chair, or the remote control unit of a beauty bed, take comfort in the peace of mind that only DIR can provide.

Making your salon relevant without trying too hard – can it be done?

Many salon owners don’t recognise that their salons are dated and dull, and that their clients are heading elsewhere for the latest treatments in a fresher environment.

If they do realise that their salon décor needs an update, the instant reaction is to throw all of the latest gimmicks, technology and achingly bright colour at the design. This tends to be an appeal to a younger, hipper or more high-end clientele, but it usually fails hopelessly and alienates existing clients in the process.

Clients are more perceptive than you might think, and they are starting to demand more from their salon environment as well as the treatments on offer. What you see as cool and on-trend could end up looking pretentious and showy, with no indication that your salon is a professional business offering high quality service.

So, how can you appeal to a younger market without it looking like you’ve tried too hard? The key is attention to detail, not flashy gimmicks. Things like comfortable salon chairs, professional salon chairs, a wide range of treatments and a light, attractive salon space will make more difference to your client’s experience than the latest LCD TV or a neon, light-up merchandise display.

Put a lot of thought into what you want to achieve with your salon’s décor – for example, do you want the space to feel relaxing and peaceful, cosy and homely, or simple and functional?

Styling Station and Trolley Packages

Styling Stations and Trolley stations go hand-in-hand at any beauty or hair salon. Chances are, if you need one, you need the other. For your convenience, DIR Salon Furniture offers beauty salon packages for our most popular salon Styling stations and trolley stations and  Each salon package combines one trolley station and one styling station. This is a great way to match the aesthetic theme you have in mind for your salon while ensuring the high quality and luxurious comfort that has come to define all of DIR’s salon equipment. These salon package deals represent a substantial discount compared to purchasing the same items individually, but supplies are limited. Purchase a set now and save. Please visit our website https://www.dirsalonfurniture.com/salon-spa-package-sale to view our various salon packages.