Wondering how you can keep your salon décor up to date with the seasons? James Roper, Co-Founder and Manager of Warren & The Hare in Bournemouth, shares insight into how seasonal decoration can enhance the client experience and attract new ones.
How important is it for hair salons to refresh their décor throughout the year?
It’s huge for keeping things fresh, not just for clients, but for our team too. Changing up the workplace boosts staff morale, keeps the environment exciting, and prevents that stagnant, uninspired feeling from creeping in.
What impact can a seasonal switch-up have on the client experience?
Clients notice everything, often way more than we expect. We purposely design our seasonal switch up from the very first point of view, which is the moment they see the shop window.
Because it's a window that is forever changing and staying in keeping with the seasons, it signals attention to detail, creates an immediate talking point, and gives returning clients an exciting, fresh experience before they even step inside.
How can salons reflect the changing seasons without compromising their overall brand identity or completely redecorating?
Stick to your core foundation and swap out high-impact, temporary accents. Bringing in seasonal florals, tweaking ambient lighting, or shifting colour tones via accessories lets you embrace the season while keeping your core brand completely intact.
What are some of the easiest ways to transition a salon from spring/summer into autumn/winter, and vice versa?
Our absolute secret weapon is changing our main garland every season to suit the time of year. It’s our central feature, keeps us the centre of attention, and acts as a massive head turner that gets people stopping to take photos.
Which elements are most effective to switch up seasonally?
Statement florals and garlands, window displays, and your client hospitality menu. Even simple updates to your drinks menu, like moving from iced coffee in summer to warm spiced options in autumn, make a massive impression for very little effort/cost.
How can salons use colour, texture and lighting to create a different atmosphere depending on the time of year?
Layer warm, deep tones and textured soft furnishings with soft, golden lighting for autumn and winter, then strip back to bright ambient light, crisp light linens, and vibrant natural shades for spring and summer.
Does seasonal décor have to mean obvious themes? How can salons acknowledge occasions such as Christmas or summer without the space becoming overly themed or gimmicky?
Not at all, subtlety is far more elevated. Focus on mood, natural textures, and seasonal colour palettes rather than literal gimmicks or tacky plastic props.
Can changing your salon environment seasonally have a commercial benefit?
Absolutely. On the retail side, redesigning your display units to align with the season allows you to directly highlight and market specific seasonal hair needs. For instance, putting UV protection products front and centre with targeted summer styling naturally draws the eye, and we see a massive spike in sales for those specific ranges.
Beyond retail, our seasonal garland alone has landed us in local papers multiple times, generating free press, endless social media tags, and foot traffic.
How can salon owners achieve a seasonal refresh on a realistic budget?
Invest in one high-impact anchor piece, like a versatile garland base. For smaller budgets, simply changing the salon scent using reed diffusers, potpourri, or seasonal candles instantly shifts the autumnal or spring vibe without breaking the bank.
Are there any current interior trends that lend themselves particularly well to a seasonal salon switch-up?
Biophilic design and immersive sensory styling are huge right now - using dried botanical installations, seasonal scents, and natural elements that can easily be rotated throughout the year.
What mistakes do salons commonly make when updating their décor for a new season?
Over-decorating is the biggest trap; adding new pieces on top of existing clutter makes a salon feel chaotic. Always edit down and remove the previous season's elements before adding new ones.
How can salons approach seasonal updates more sustainably, rather than buying new décor every few months?
Invest in high-quality reusable structures, like our main garland frame, and re-wire or tweak the foliage each season while storing and rotating core decor items year after year rather than buying single-use items, we re- use vases just change the florals, and same for reed diffusers, we just change the scents.
You can also work with local florists to source dried or naturally preserved botanicals that last for multiple seasons, rent statement pieces for peak holidays like Christmas, and repurpose natural elements like autumnal pinecones or branches that can be composted once the season wraps up.
How far in advance should salons be thinking about their next seasonal switch-up, particularly around key periods such as Christmas?
At least 3 to 4 months ahead for major periods like Christmas to lock in supplier stock, plan press moments, and ensure seamless installation without disturbing client bookings.
If a salon owner wanted to make just three changes to refresh their space for the new season, what would you recommend?
- Update your signature feature floral or garland (this could also be a high-impact window display or your retail display area). It’s the very first thing clients see, setting the visual tone for their entire journey the moment they arrive.
- Switch out your salon scent profile by placing reed diffusers in the bathrooms and candles throughout high-traffic areas where clients will actually smell and enjoy them.
- Refresh your seasonal drinks menu to match the time of year.
Image credits: Warren & The Hare
You might also like:
- How To Spring Clean Your Salon and Incorporate More Sustainable Practices
- @66 Hair & Lifestyle Turns Dead Diary Time into £12K with Frame Me Up
- How B Corp Certification is Raising the Bar for Salons
