Salon Design

Keller International on Discovery Channel

Keller International — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:19:00 GMT

Keller International is proud to announce their association with CONSTRUCTION INTERVENTION, an all-new Discovery Channel series. CONSTRUCTION INTERVENTION follows Charlie Frattini, New York Construction Extraordinaire, and his trusted team of contractors and designers as they find businesses who are in danger of failing due to botched, delayed, or impossible construction jobs and rescue them from their construction woes Keller International was involved in the construction process for The Real Deal Barber Shop story by providing Professional Pro Shear Sets and US Salon Styling Mats.

CONSTRUCTION INTERVENTION will premiere in April 2010, please visit www.discovery.com <www.discovery.com> for more details.

Professional Styling Mat Tips and Care Information

Keller International — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:19:59 GMT

Do you suffer from:

muscle pain
lower back aches
calf tension
heel spurs
arthritis
sore feet

No matter if you are a barber, stylist or beauty/spa technician, you are likely to be working long hours standing on hard laminate, cement, or hardwood flooring. Working around your styling, all-purpose, or barber chairs for extended periods of time can lead to wear and stress on your body.

Professional styling mats are the easy, affordable solution. Stylist mats provide unparalleled design, performance, and quality. Easily rolled out to surround your chair or work station, they provide a cushioned workspace with virtually no installation. Mats are made of strong super soft materials(some are 100% polyurethane), providing lasting durability and unparalleled design. They feature a lightly textured, matte black or marbleized finish, offered in different sizing lengths and shapes; rectangular, semi-circular, or hex custom to fit your space and style. Also, a smaller shampoo mat is perfect for added comfort while working around your shampoo sink or shampoo station. A half-moon depression allows the mat to be placed comfortably under styling and barber chairs for a seamless look.

Have your choice of 1/2” to 1” ultra thick therapeutic anti-fatigue cushioning that reduces the discomfort associated with long term standing. Designed to interact with the body, they reduce the stress and strain of activity while promoting better posture, proper circulation and muscle conditioning.

Here are some easy tips for proper care of your styling mat.

Make sure the mat is placed properly on the floor with the top shiny surface facing up. A common mistake is when the mat is placed upside down causing hair to stick to the surface and the mat to work improperly.

How to Clean Your Mat:

Clean the surface of the mat with a mild household cleanser, followed by plain water and towel dry. Alternatively, a wet Swiffer/cloth and dry Swiffer may be used.

Mat Safety:

1. Insure that the surface where the mat will be placed is free from chemical or cleaning residue. The floor must be completely dry before placement of the mat. Placing on top of residue or moisture may cause sticking to the floor causing damage when lifted.

2. When removing the new mat from the box, do not roll backwards to force the mat to lie flat. Lay the mat on the floor and allow to flatten on its own. Rolling the mat backwards may split the foam and cause damage. If the mat must be rolled for short-term storage, it should always be rolled with the underside foam core to the inside with shiny top surface to the outside. This allows for the mat to lie properly when unrolled to be used again.

With proper care your styling mats will provide years of service with long lasting positive benefits to your health and workspace.

Beauty Salon Interior Design Ideas and Advice

Keller International — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:42:14 GMT

Each area of your beauty salon should be organized, functional and ergonomic as a benefit not only to you the owner, but for your employees and clients as well. Planning and careful consideration of the entire flow of your salon or spa will impact the experience for your clients. Remember that the quality of your beauty salon will effect the quality of your stylists, clients, and inevitably the success or failure of your business.

Salon Interior Design Tip #1: Consider Your Clientele

Is your salon strictly for “the girls” or do you cater to men’s grooming needs? Do you offer couples massage? Do you invite young teens to pamper themselves? Are you a family oriented salon? The most important element to interior design of your beauty salon or spa, is knowing who you will be serving and keeping your design decisions consistent.

Salon Interior Design Tip #2: Consider the Layout

According to an article published by “Entrepreneur” Magazine, the average salon space usually range from 1,200 to 2,000 square feet, although some can be considerably smaller (fewer than 1,000 square feet).

You'll need four separate areas in your hair salon:
-    Reception and retail (20% floor space)
-    Shampoo and Drying (10% floor space)
-    Cutting and service (50% floor space)
-    Storage, break room, and the employee/client restroom (20% floor space)

Salon Interior Design Tip #3: Color Palette

Colors affect people’s moods and attitudes. Consider how you want your clients to feel when they are in your salon or spa. Your service line will influence what colors you use. If you offer spa services, consider calming colors to help your clients relax. If you are going for more of a fast paced salon, you may want to use energizing-warm tones. Don’t be afraid to experiment with materials such as glass, metal, or stone to create a calming or energetic environment.

Salon Interior Design Tip #4: Lighting

The way you choose to light your facility can lead to a tranquil or an edgy atmosphere. Again, consider the image you are trying to project to your clients.

Low light settings include candlelight, lamps, and accent space with track lighting or small spotlights. This creates a tranquil atmosphere.

High light settings incorporate natural daylight, large lighting fixtures such as chandeliers, and open space that allows light to sweep from room to room, or through deep spaces.

Your best bet would be to incorporate the two lighting styles to create a unique atmosphere with ambient and direct light.

Salon Interior Design Tip #5: Quality Salon Equipment

Today, when you walk into a modern beauty salon, you will find a wide array of unique and comfortable chairs, manicure tables, and massage equipment. This is a sign of beauty salon that cares about it’s clients conform and satisfaction.

Not only will quality salon equipment increase your clientele, but will also enable your stylist with all the tools they need to ensure they can create a unique atmosphere and safe work environment.

The salon environment is part of the package. People will judge your salon based on how it looks, the flow of operations, and the cleanliness of the facility. If you create an appealing environment for your clients and employees, you will have greater success than if you ignore or neglect these elements.

Five Tips for Selecting Your Salon Space

Keller International — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:37:36 GMT

Just as no haircut is the same, no beauty salon or spa space will be the same (unless you are part of a franchise). There are several factors to consider when shopping around and finally selecting real estate for your own beauty salon or spa.

Here are some key considerations:

1. What is your vision for the salon?

What type of environment do you want to create and how will the physical space and layout impact or enable your vision to come through? Do you envision a large, full-service beauty salon and spa, or a small space that specializes in a niche market such as a nail salon or barbershop?

2. Consider your clientele

Will you be serving families or are you trying to create an exclusive salon and spa? Consider how many people you will be able to serve at one time: will you hire a staff or will you operate alone? A clear understanding of your target market and the scale of your market will have a huge impact on your space requirements and salon design.

3. How many salon stations will you need?

Once you know how many clients you want to facilitate, and how many staff you will hire, you can begin to assess how many stations you will need to order. Different styling stations can vary in size. Remember to factor in space for storage, reception, and retail.

4. Be creative with the layout

Even if you are working in an intimate space, you can make the most of it, by carefully crafting the layout of your salon stations. A small space can appear open with some planning.

Styling stations against the wall
- This layout works well for spaces without a lot of windows, in retail buildings, or residential locations. This layout creates a central area that may be used for reception.
Styling stations back to back
- Styling stations that are back to back as islands in a salon space work well for locations with many windows. This layout is modern and allows for customized salon stations, as opposed to a uniform wall of mirrors and styling stations.

5. Remember to keep it functional.

Plumbing and electrical connections will influence how you design your salon. As much as possible give yourself room to work and move around your clients. Avoid putting workstations or shampoo sinks into corners if you can.