Beauty Salon/Spa Interior Design

My Background

I opened my first nail salon in 2019. The interior was basic. White walls, fluorescent lights, plastic chairs. Clients came but they never stayed long. They finished their appointments and left. No one wanted to hang around or book extra services.

In 2023 I decided to expand into a full spa. I knew the interior had to be different this time.

What I Changed

"The old salon had 6 pedicure stations crammed together. Clients could hear every conversation happening around them. Privacy was zero. I hated it. My clients hated it too but they were too polite to say anything. I only found out from online reviews."

Color Selection

I picked three colors for the new space. A warm beige for most walls. A darker taupe for the accent wall behind reception. White for the ceiling and trim.

I almost went with grey. Every spa on Pinterest uses grey. My contractor talked me out of it. He said grey looks cold in photos and even colder in person. He was right. I visited two spas with grey interiors before making my final decision. They felt like doctors offices.

The beige cost me an extra $200 because I needed a specific undertone. The first beige I picked had too much yellow. It looked like nicotine stains under the LED lights. I had to repaint the reception area twice.

Warm Beige

Main Walls

Darker Taupe

Accent Wall

White

Ceiling & Trim

Lighting Setup

Lighting took 3 weeks to figure out.

My Electrician Installed:

Recessed LED panels in the ceiling (4000K for work areas)
Dimmer switches in every treatment room
Wall sconces near the mirrors (2700K, warmer)
A small chandelier in the waiting area

The chandelier was not in my original budget. I found it at an estate sale for $180. It needed rewiring. Total cost with installation was $340. Worth it.

Mistake Learned

I made one mistake with lighting. I put a bright overhead light directly above the facial bed in room 2. Clients complained. The light was in their eyes during treatments. I had to pay my electrican to come back and move it. That was another $150 I did not plan for.

Flooring

Main Areas

I used luxury vinyl plank throughout. The color is called "weathered oak" but it looks more grey-brown in real life. I ordered samples first. This is important. Online photos lie.

The vinyl was $4.89 per square foot. Installation was $2.50 per square foot. Some people use real hardwood in spas. I think that is a mistake. Water damage, nail polish spills, wax drips. Vinyl handles all of it.

Vinyl Plank

Wet Rooms

I put tile in the wet rooms only. Two shower areas and the bathroom. The tile is a large format 24x24 porcelain. Fewer grout lines means easier cleaning.

Porcelain Tile

Furniture and Equipment

Curated for comfort & function

Here is what I bought for the main areas:

Reception

1 curved reception desk (custom built, $2,800)
2 velvet armchairs from Wayfair ($289 each)
• 1 small side table ($85)
• 1 coat rack ($45)

Treatment Rooms (4 total)

4 hydraulic facial beds ($890 each from a supplier in LA)
4 rolling stools ($120 each)
4 metal side carts ($75 each)
8 wall shelves for products

Pedicure Area

4 pedicure chairs with built-in basins ($1,100 each, used)

I bought the pedicure chairs secondhand from a salon that closed down. They were 2 years old. I paid someone $200 to deep clean and sanitize them. They look brand new.

Storage Solutions

Storage is the thing most salon owners forget about. I forgot about it too in my first salon.

This time I built a dedicated supply closet. 6 feet wide, 4 feet deep. Floor to ceiling shelving inside. All my backstock goes here. Towels, sheets, products, disposables.

Each treatment room has a narrow cabinet. 12 inches wide. It holds what the esthetician needs for that day only. No clutter on counters.

Ventilation

Nail salons need serious ventilation. The fumes from acrylics and gel polish are bad. I installed an exhaust system above each nail station. The system cost $3,400 total. My HVAC guy said most salons skip this step. They just open a window. That does not work.

I also put an air purifier in each treatment room. The units are from Levoit. $150 each. They run all day.

What I Would Do Differently

I would plan the electrical layout before anything else. I had to add outlets after the walls were finished. Ugly.

I would skip the wallpaper in the bathroom. It started peeling after 4 months from the humidity. I replaced it with paint.

I would buy more storage furniture from the start. I added two more cabinets three months after opening. Moving furniture around with clients watching is not professional.

Final Thoughts

The renovation took longer than I expected. I planned for 5 months. It took 8. Contractors delay. Materials get backordered. Permits take time.

My revenue increased 40% in the first year after reopening. Clients stay longer now. They book multiple services. They take photos and post them. Free marketing.

"The interior matters. I did not believe this before. I thought good service was enough. It is not. People want to feel something when they walk in. They want to feel like they are somewhere special. The design does that work for you."

Budget Breakdown

Category	Cost
Paint and wall finishes	$1,800
Flooring	$8,900
Lighting	$4,200
Furniture	$9,600
Equipment	$12,400
Ventilation/HVAC	$5,100
Plumbing updates	$3,200
Permits and fees	$890
Unexpected costs	$2,400
Total	$48,490

I went over budget by about $1,500. Most of that was fixing mistakes. The repainted wall. The moved light fixture. The extra outlets.

If you are planning a salon renovation, add 15% to whatever number you have in your head. You will need it.