
How to Get the Most out of Your Small Salon Suite
Top Tips for Optimizing a Small Salon Suite Space
So, you’re a salon suite kinda cosmetologist, huh?
Believe it or not, we love to hear that. At Elite Beauty Society, we’re big on small salon suites.
What reasons do we have to adore the small salon suite concept as much as we do? Let us count the ways.
- They’re accessible
- They’re easy to manage
- They don’t have a ton of overhead cost
- Decorating is a breeze
- They’re convenient AF
- They’re perfect for a one-man-or-woman operation running the show.
But let’s just be real and face it–a salon suite is small.
There’s no doubt about it; there are some major pros and cons of having a salon suite instead of a traditional salon.
How can you be sure you’re doing everything in your power to really capitalize on that space? We’re here to help you figure that out.
It’s not just about how you decorate your salon; it’s how you strategize your appointments, how you shuffle your clients in and out, what your space looks like, how it’s designed to function, and how you choose to think about your space, too.
In short, it takes a little bit of perspective, planning, and positivity to get the most out of your small salon suite–and this blog is going to brief you on some of the basics.
Top Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Salon Space
Decorate Minimally
We’ve got an entire blog on this subject, but you’ll want to ditch the cluttered vibes and opt for something smart, sleek, and minimally decorated. Read: this doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with your decorating and add personal branding touches (you absolutely should lean into this, more on that later).
But you should be thoughtful with your décor and finishes. Things that take up a lot of floor space are a no-no–hanging décor is a better idea. (You don’t want to minimize the footprint further, do you?).
Don’t Overcrowd; Do Space Out Appointments
Being intentional about décor is the first step–being intentional about your guests is the next. Just like you wouldn’t overcrowd your salon with stuff, you wouldn’t try to jam a bunch of people in there at once.
Try to build in some buffer time between appointments, so you’re not trying to finish up with one client in your tiny space while another one waits awkwardly in the remaining room available. In traditional salons, clients who are a little late or early aren’t usually that much of an issue–you’ve got a whole waiting area to put them, right?
With your appointments in a smaller salon space, try to build in a little extra buffer to avoid the multiple-clients-in-the-small-space scenario.
Be Realistic About the Space & Have a Plan
A lot of what makes a salon space work is a perspective and mindset your put into it. If you’re stoked about this small space, you're already a few steps ahead. If you’re trying to deal with a small space, it’s time to adjust your perspective a bit.
Be realistic about your space, what you can do, and what you can’t–and importantly, have a plan in place for how long you’ll be in this space if you already know it’s going to be a struggle for you mentally.
Setting goals for when you can “upgrade” your space will help you work toward something and hopefully appreciate this unique stepping stone in your career.

Design Your Salon Suite to Work for Your Needs
Unlike other salons with lots of space, a salon suite needs to be designed with workflow and function at the forefront. With traditional salons, you’ve got space to let your décor lead the way, but the best way to optimize a small salon suite’s success is to let workflow and functionality lead the design process.
Create a Luxury, Boutique Experience
Don’t apologize to your clients for the small space–lean into it! This isn’t like other salons–this is a luxury, boutique experience where your clients get a one-on-one experience with you. How freakin’ cool is that?
Play into that luxury experience–offer your clients bougie water, maybe a snack, extra soft towels, etc. Don’t be afraid to lean into these amenities–you’re saving money on your overhead after all.
Choose Tools that Do a Little Bit of Everything
Your equipment is going to take up a bit of space, so why not make sure that the equipment you do invest in is multifunctional? Your workstation?
Why not have it double as your color station and back bar (if you can pull it off?).
Your sink? Think about having it built into your storage system in a clever way?
Your bulkier items? Try to ensure they’re 2-in-1 functionality. Obviously, this is easy in concept but hard to make happen for everything. But to really use the full salon suite space, try to minimize the equipment you’ve got in there.
Are you ready to take that small salon suite of yours and start capitalizing on that space better than ever? We hope so!
If you’ve got salon suite tips of your own to share with the community, drop them as a reply in the comment section below. We’re here for it!
For more tips, tricks, and helpful advice, be sure to follow Elite Beauty Society on Instagram and subscribe to our blog so you never miss any career-changing insight.
P.S. if you’ve got any other burning questions about how to go about this salon suite thing, we’ve got good news–we’ve got an entire eBook on this very topic. Take a peek, download it, and kickstart your salon suite success ASAP!