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SEARCHGet the most out of your furniture investment with these helpful tips from The Salon Chair Guys.
Daniel Johnson, one half of The Salon Chair Guys, shares strategies for prolonging the life of your chairs.
Clients care about where they sit. And they’ll not be impressed if your chairs are scruffy, grubby or uncomfortable. One speck of dirt and they likely notice, giving them the unfair impression the rest of the experience may be similar. But there are ways to extend a chair’s life, keep them spotless, and avoid harmful chemicals. Daniel Johnson, one half of The Salon Chair Guys, experts in the repair, maintenance, and replacement of salon furniture, knows how. Here are his five tips on how to keep your chairs as well-groomed as your guests.
If the pandemic taught us one thing, it is the value of thorough cleaning. Guests now expect nothing less. However what you are cleaning with can add or subtract valuable years off the lifespan. Standard or all-purpose cleaners, especially those used during the pandemic, often contain bleach, ammonia, volatile organic compounds (VOC) or other harsh chemicals. These can damage and discolour your chairs. Plus, it means you are repeatedly exposing your guest and team to unhealthy chemicals.
A cursory glance over your chair occasionally won’t wash. You need to inspect them regularly including the condition of the fabric, the state of the seams, the foot and armrests, even the bolts that hold it together. Keep an eye on the moving parts, cleaning, servicing, and oiling them regularly.
Don’t reject a chair because it’s looking a bit tarnished. Check locally for upholsterers to breathe new life into your chairs with a fabric makeover. It will be way cheaper than buying a new chair, usually costing less than $100. Reupholstering your chair could mean another five years of use, or more if you care for it.
Before you buy, check on the manufacturer’s spares and repairs policy. If they don’t have one, run. It’s also good practice to keep spare parts - bolts and such - or at least a list of where to get them so if a chair should break, it can be quickly repaired. This is as much about safety as it is about protecting your investment.
What’s the worst thing you can do to ensure your chairs won’t last? Go cheap. We are flooded with chairs for repair that are sadly unrepairable. The material is cheap, the seams split and the padding can’t cope with the traffic. But worse, those chairs bought online for less than $100 or $80 also have cheap hydraulics. Instead of metal parts, they have rubber, which immediately begins to rot in hydraulic fluid. They last a few years tops before needing replaced. When you are buying chairs, go for the long haul from the beginning. We are repairing chairs that are decades old and still going strong after a little bit of TLC.
Good hair starts at the scalp. But most salons aren’t offering services or products that address scalp health. Relish, a new product line from the founders of Signature Formulations, has everything salons need to deliver an effective head spa service and offer guests a robust at-home scalp care line.
Join us in exploring 24 of the nation's most aesthetically pleasing salons. Hear the owners explain what inspired their design choices and see why their guests love visiting these beautiful spaces again and again. See what's new in furniture and equipment, and gather advice in our Inspiration Center. Brought to you by Minerva Beauty and Phorest Salon Software.
New lounge-style design from Minerva delivers spa-grade comfort, modern aesthetics, and fast nationwide shipping.
Each year, Oribe turns its holiday gift sets into works of art and 2025’s “Golden Threads” collaboration with Finnish artist Kustaa Saksi is no exception. Inspired by mythology and master craftsmanship, the limited-edition collection blends luxury with meaning, transforming salon retail into an elevated client experience. See how Flaunt Hair Salon brings the collection to life with immersive displays, team engagement, and record-breaking holiday sales.
Sponsored by Oribe
Owner Reagan Baker creates a whimsical salon that blends old-world charm with modern flair in the heart of Soho. She takes delight in the fact that her clients often discover new aspects of her salon design during subsequent visits.
The new collection features nine electric massage tables, three facial chairs, and a range of spa carts and stools—each designed to deliver superior comfort, functionality, and modern design at an attainable price.
With its luxurious flagship location in Austin, Texas, Mirror Mirror continues its brand exploration into the world of open spaces, high-end finishes, and sumptuous blush tones. This pretty-in-pink space captured the grand prize for our 2024 Salons of the Year.
Inside the spa within the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Darius Davie and Matthew Sears build a two-chair, upscale barbershop that caters to discerning golfers and resort guests.
With a photo lab, design library and storyboarding/collaborations rooms, the JUUT New Artist Salon+Creative Hub addresses the educational needs of all the staff members, no matter where they are in their career journey. Join us as Owner David Wagner takes us on a tour of the expansive space!
Crown Extension Studio Owner Jenna Bowden designs a royalty-inspired luxurious space that caters to extension clients in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The updated space includes 11 stations, a private room for bespoke wigs and hairpieces, three large treatment rooms, two nail stations and two separate areas for makeup and lashes services. Take the tour.
A hairdresser's offspring pay tribute to his legacy with a breathtaking salon renovation that creates a warm environment for clients and staff alike.
A custom van company works with an Austin-based barber to create a fully mobile salon in a Ford Transit.
New interactive tools help salon and spa owners visualize furnishing before purchasing.
Originally a textile mill, the 120 year-old building that houses Six Ten Salon and Boutique brings historic architectural charm to the design, while a mural painted by a local artist brings modern character. Take the tour of this Salon of Distinction from our 2024 SALONS OF THE YEAR.
A bespoke circular front desk, fully reclining wash stations and an Aveda wall that infuses artistry and nature are favorite design elements at the oasis that is Zinke Hair Studio, one of our 2024 SALONS OF THE YEAR.
This year, our annual design competition names a Grand-Prize Winner, a Barbershop of the Year, a School of the Year, a New Talent Salon of the Year and a Specialty Salon of the Year, as well as 19 other gorgeous honorees. Tour each of their spaces, as the owners detail their design choices. Brought to you by Minerva Beauty.
