Salon Trends for 2023: Small & Memorable Moments

The idea of nooks and niches in workplace design is not a new one (and I’ve personally been designing offices for the last 10 years with these features), however it seems to be an Interior Design Trend in 2023 to introduce these into Salon & Spa spaces. The idea behind these nooks, corners, and small zones is to provide spaces off the side of the busy workspace to provide small intimate areas for individuals or smaller groups to work quietly while still feeling like they’re part of the team & avoiding total isolation.

We touched on this Salon Trend for 2023 briefly in our post “Home Design Trends for 2023 that are perfect for Salon & Wellness Spa Design”. Here we’ll expand on this in more detail.

Could this trend in Salon design be a lingering influence of the Covid ’19 pandemic lockdowns? There has definitely been significant influence on interior design by the almost worldwide shared experiences of 2021-22, particularly here in Victoria where we had some of the harshest & longest lockdowns in the world.

I’ve recently been reading books on the research of Weik Wiking, about the idea of Hygge. “One of the reasons we like to sit in a hyggekrog [a nook] could be that it makes us feel safe; overlooking another room or the street gives us the advantage of spotting any potential threat. We feel relaxed when we’re in a hyggekrog – we feel that we have control over our situation and do not feel exposed to the unpredictable”, sayes Weik Wiking, Author of “The Little Book of Hygge – The Danish Way to Live”

The trick with these intimate areas is that they need to be cosy and inviting; somewhere that people want to be. It’s a salon decor trend for 2023 that suits every budget, and even the smallest of Salons can benefit.

The added bonus is that these spaces can do double duty in a small Salon or Space, serving as a backdrop for Instagram lives or Zoom calls (or clients can use for those Insta-worthy selfie moments).

So, how do we go about creating corners, niches, nooks, zones that entice? These spaces need to look enticing, grab our attention, and have that WOW moment for impact.

If we took Mr Wiking’s advice to the letter, we’d be packing blanket, fireplaces & candles into our nooks and niches. While great at home, we can instead take the idea of these things, and using different elements to translated that feeling into the Salon, Spa (or even a small office!)

Introduce a sense of warmth & light

Lighting is an interior designers secret weapon when it comes to creating the intimacy we’re after. The key here is using warm light temperatures of 2700 to 3000K or even lower; this is the warm light that is getting close to the range of candle light. Don’t use anything 4000K or greater.

Overhead downlight lighting is great for areas where you need even light levels, however in our small intimate spaces, we need the opposite: a pendant light, floor or table lamps that cast pools of light and leave some spaces in shadow. It’s more dramatic & creates visual interest.

Another way of going about this is to indulge in warm colours in your Small Memorable moments space. The salon basin area below uses warm tones of textured off-white paint, textured penny-round tiles on the ledge, the warmth of copper tinted mirror lining on the walls, and an acoustic pendant light that brings that WOW factor to the space.

Look for opportunities to add extra warmth into your small space. An area rug (round ones are great for a even more cosy feel) & cushions provide a tactile warmth and comfort to seating areas.

Wood & Nature

Timber, veneer (or even laminates that mimic the look of timber) is an element that is indispensable in the colour palette for any salon or spa. The organic texture & neutral colours of timber are essential when creating a balance colour palette. Even better if your budget can accomodate expanses of oiled timber – the smell is divine, and can make you feel like you’re in the middle of a forest (explore our design of the Aurora Wellness Centre; for a great example of this). Consider the use of real timber floors in a Spa, where patrons often walk in bare feet – one of my favourite experiences of the Endota Spa. Even the pendant in the salon basin area above mimics leafy elements.

Hot Drinks in tactile ceramics

If offering refreshments is part of your forte, up the ante in your space by offering hot drinks (coffee, tea, hot choccy) and biscuits or pastries, all in lovely ceramics (carefully selected to suit your style and branding of course).

Don’t forget your Branding

In every element you selected for your salon space, consider how it works with everything surrounding it, and also if it complements your branding colours, look and feel. If that vintage look is part of your branding, an added bonus to introduce objects, images and elements that have a sense of history.

(please pin the below graphic to your pinterest board for reference)

You’ve go no idea how grateful I am to have had you alongside my family. And the Salon’s everything I’ve dreamed of. You made it come alive! The opening was so amazing – very overwhelmed”

Absolu Hair Salon – Kara Mac Issac

(please pin the below graphic to your pinterest board for reference)

(please pin the below graphic to your pinterest board for reference)

(please pin the below graphic to your pinterest board for reference

So, why Hire an Interior Designer?

Unfortunately many people get confused or intimidated by the idea of hiring a professional Interior Designer for their project, and might be concerned about the process of working with a designer & the costs of doing so.

A lot of people I meet feel that they can hire a builder and do the design themselves, selecting materials and fixtures in dribs and drabs, often at the last minute (leading to less choice) with poor planning & lack of an overall vision. This will lead increased costs due to changes, additions and variations that the builder will not have allowed for.

You will save money & time. Your designer will plan functional and appealing spaces, provide drawings, visualisations & material / furnishing selections in a strategic manner so you can get competitive quotes, and you know what the design will look like & cost right from the start.

You require a Qualified Interior Designer & Registered Building Practitioner for any commercial project or residential project that requires a building permit; a proper interior designer is a highly trained & experienced registered professional, not just someone with ‘a good eye for colour’ and a knack for picking furniture.

Image: Omar Rodriguez @ormphotography