Maybe you have already done a big spring cleaning in your grooming salon. Now it's time to think about the interior too. When you design and furnish your salon, you want to be sure that it is a place where you, your colleagues and your (four-legged) clients have a pleasant experience. You want to create a place where you can work safely, cleanly, efficiently and ergonomically, but above all an environment that is pleasant to be in.
The ultimate goal is to make it your personal paradise. After all, it is where you will spend many hours a day, where you can develop and realise your skills as a groomer. So let it be a place that fully corresponds to the feeling, the atmosphere and the look you want to create. Your salon should reflect the image of your company. An optimally designed and equipped grooming salon is essentially a reflection of yourself, and customers should immediately be able to form an image of what you stand for as a dog groomer. Important elements are qualities like professionalism, trust, quality, hygiene and safety. Basically, you can compare a grooming salon with a day care centre for children. Owners trust you with their four-legged children and expect you to keep them safe and in good hands. Have you just started your own business, do you want to start a grooming salon or are you a groomer looking for extra practical instructions to take your salon to the next level? Below we give you some useful tips that can help you set up your grooming salon in the best possible way.
Safety
To make your salon an optimal grooming environment, you need to take safety into account when designing the layout. If you have a space that still needs to be filled, then the safety of the dog always comes first! The following points of attention are relevant:
- Floors must not be slippery, this for the safety of the dog and of yourself. In case of a wet floor around a bath, slipping danger is great. When working with certain sprays, a floor can become extremely slippery too. Floors, however, must not be too rough, because then hairs will stick to it more easily. Use an anti-slip floor covering to ensure a safe and efficient salon.
- Cover or drape all furniture surfaces with non-abrasive and dog-friendly fabrics and avoid hard materials such as glass or metal.
- Avoid loose (hanging) heavy objects that could fall on the animals. Make sure that all wall brackets (for example for dryers, hair clippers or clipper blade holders) are securely attached to avoid injuries and accidents.
- Organise your salon in such a way that doors cannot accidentally be left open to prevent dogs from escaping to other parts of the building or outside. Ideally, your grooming salon should have several sash doors so that the dog cannot immediately see the front door and risk running away. For this reason, placing a waiting kennel in the reception area is not a good idea. Make sure that the waiting kennel is placed in a room where you have control over the situation and the dog, so that he can lie or sit and wait in peace while you can continue working. Apart from this: Dogs should never be left unattended during grooming!
- Store chemicals and cleaning products safely behind closed cabinet doors, away from animals but also from children who may enter the salon.
- Decorating the reception area of your grooming salon with plants creates a homely look but: avoid placing poisonous plants.
- Avoid electrical cords where possible. Keep extension cords concealed along skirting boards, so that animals do not chew through them and perhaps cause an electrical short circuit, which could result in fire hazard!
Optimally and functionally designed
If your grooming salon is adjacent to your home, you can usually decide on the layout yourself. If you buy or rent a building somewhere else, you have to make do with what you have, and then it is not always easy to set up and design a practical grooming salon.
If you want to increase efficiency and profitability, you will benefit from optimal space utilisation and functionality! Keep the flow in your grooming salon as stress-free, quick and easy as possible. To ensure this, it is a good idea to arrange the areas of your grooming salon according to the order of the working process. Ideally you should have at least 3 different areas: a reception area, a finishing area and a washing and drying area. The reception area is intended to provide optimal advice and assistance to your customers. Because this separate area is far away from the noise of dryers and barking dogs, your customers can wait here quietly without disturbing you or colleagues during your work. It also makes it easier to keep the reception area tidy throughout the day. Are there dogs in the working/grooming area and do you need to go to the reception area for clients? Then make sure that the dogs in the working area are safe and cannot jump off the table or out of the bath.
Do you work together with several people in your grooming salon? Then having a separate washing and drying room is an absolute must! In this room there is often a lot of loose flying hair and noise from dryers, so keep the washing and drying room separate from the finishing area. The latter offers the space and tranquillity to finish all the dogs perfectly, away from moisture and noise. It is also better for your equipment that the washing and finishing area are separate from each other. Scissors, clipper blades and other material that is in the same area as the washing area will rust more quickly.
Transparent, see-through (glass) panels or walls are ideal for separating spaces from each other. Perhaps there are several dogs present at the same time or maybe you are working with several people? If an emergency arises in these situations (e.g., a dog having an epileptic fit or a colleague having problems with a dog during grooming), you will have a direct view of what is going on and be able to act quickly. Do you have a lot of space? Then a separate waiting room for the dogs is also ideal. Also pay attention to comfortable and functional furniture everywhere in your salon.
Furthermore, good lighting is very important during washing, drying, brushing and certainly during finishing. Tilt and turn windows and a lot of natural light are a must, not only to make the work easier but also to be able to ventilate your grooming salon sufficiently.
Also think about low maintenance when designing your salon. The fewer nooks and crannies there are in the floor plan and structure of your grooming salon, the better. For example, a rectangular or square space is the most practical in terms of maintenance. Also consider the furniture and the floors. Easily maintained and disinfected floors in water-resistant material are the best choice. It may also be interesting to install a floor drainage system. Another crucial factor: choose furniture and surfaces that are easy and quick to clean.
Painted walls are best coated with a protective varnish. That way they are better protected against moisture and can easily be washed and kept clean. After all, a lot of dust and hair ends up on the walls! Around the bathtubs, it is important to provide a splashback. Nowadays, you can buy very low-maintenance stainless steel bathtubs, and some are even height-adjustable. For the drainage of the bathtub, always provide a drain with a larger diameter. The large amount of dog hair, but also residues of disinfectants, shampoos, conditioner and other care products can cause blockages. Be sure to consult a plumber to avoid extreme clogged or blocked drains.
Inviting and attractive
The visibility of your business is also important. Is your grooming salon at the back of your house? Then provide enough attention triggers so that potential and existing customers can easily find the grooming salon. By providing enough visual advertising you can lead people to your business, and they will immediately get a look-and-feel. If you have a shop window, make sure it looks professional and clean. By always having an attractive window display, you can showcase your work, so that passers-by see what they are missing and consequently may come in for a consultation.
How you furnish your business will have a direct impact on the number of customers you attract, on the satisfaction of existing customers and thus on the profitability of your salon. The interior should be welcoming, attractive and functional, with modern and tidy furniture and carefully chosen decoration. Everything should fit together well and form a clear whole. Create a calming environment with soothing music in the reception area. By paying thoughtful and adequate attention to the interior, the customers will feel good, comfortable and relaxed. Your grooming salon should feel like coming home, both for yourself, any colleagues and your customers.
The above tips can help you to (further) develop your business and make it a success story. If you have questions about the optimal layout of your grooming salon (floor plan, functionality, facilities, etc.), then do not hesitate to ask our professional Transgroom team for guidance. Together we will surely find a nice, customized solution.
Need more tips for your business or about dog grooming? Then be sure to read our other blog posts as well.
