How to take your dog grooming salon decor to the next level
Whether you're starting a mobile dog grooming business, a new trendy high street grooming salon or converting an area of your home, you'll be wondering how to style your business. Perhaps you're looking for a refresh or opening up for the very first time – either way, styling your premises is an extension of your skill as a dog groomer. To save you scouring Pinterest and Instagram, we've put together a list of ideas to get you on your way to a well-branded, calming and professional workspace.
Choosing a dog-friendly colour scheme
Did you know that dogs do better in agility training when the poles, tunnels and boards are painted in colours they can easily discern? Dogs vision is often mistakenly said to be in black, white and browns but dogs can actually see blues, greys, violets and yellows. You want your salon to be a calming, stress-free place for pups so consider using a blue or violet palette. These colours appear in lighter tones to animals but do not seem as abrasive as white or dull and boring like grey. For a more playful colour scheme, you could include pops of bright yellows and blues in the furniture, cushions, walls and toys.
Choosing dog-friendly surfaces
You'll want to make your countertops, flooring and surfaces easy to clean. Dogs can have accidents, and grooming can be a messy business, plus we all know how much dogs like to shake off any excess water after a bath! Wooden or concrete flooring makes it easy to sweep up hair, nails and mop up any water and accidents. Wooden countertops are easy to wipe clean, and most dog grooming tables come in a heavy metal frame with different colour mats – consider matching the colour to your walls for bonus colour scheme points!
You'll need to consider the sizes of dogs you'll be grooming in your salon when choosing a grooming table. If you're just taking one dog at a time and have limited space, choose a table that will be suitable for the largest size dog you'll have. If your area is more extensive and you want to be able to cater for more than one dog at a time, perhaps consider getting different sizes.
Designing a grooming salon reception
The first thing your clients see when they walk in the door is super-important. Your reception area should be comfortable for owners waiting to drop off or pick up their dog. It should also be a positive environment for the dogs coming in. You should consider having complimentary dog treats available on arrival so that your pooch clientele associate your salon with good things.
Lead hooks are a great idea so that owners can sign contracts and pay without worrying about their pup running off outside. You'll also want a gate into the salon area to stop excited pooches running out of your salon.
You could personalise your reception area with a photo wall of all your past clients looking happy and clean - maybe even consider some fun props to make your customers laugh (and share on social media!).
Dog-friendly branding for your grooming salon
There are so many fun knick-knacks out there for dog lovers, including bone-shaped fairy lights, dog-shaped chalkboards and fun wall decals. You should also consider some dog-friendly plants in different textures to keep dogs stimulated. Choose an air-purifying pet-safe plant like a spider plant to freshen up your salon and get rid of toxins.
Safety equipment for your grooming salon
It can be hard to get older or bigger dogs into baths and onto grooming tables, so a portable ramp or steps could come in handy. You'll also want to ensure you have a comfortable and secure area for the dogs once you've done grooming them while they wait for their owner to come and collect them. Also, dedicated PPE equipment is essential for all salons/academies
Adding a shop to your grooming salon
A lot of groomers make an extra income from selling products to their clients. This can be anything from shampoos to toys to food bowls – there's really no limit. You can have basically anything branded by online stores, and this can add to your marketing too.
Having a little shop area in reception is not only a great way to make extra money but can also be a good opportunity for decor. Install some wooden shelves, or even some fun pick and mix style dispensers for treats with branded paper bags for a unique and eco-friendly twist. There are so many fun, unique and stylish ways to refresh your dog grooming business decor, and we hope our guide has given you some inspiration on your decor journey!
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