Intelligent Design

Black chairs from Belvedere at Fox & Co. in Floral Park, NY, help conceal haircolor stains.

With so many choices available, deciding on the furniture for your salon can be overwhelming. Here, Sal Chieffo, area manager and design consultant for Belvedere's New York City showroom, offers up a few things to keep in mind.

Comfort. Clients must feel relaxed and comfortable when sitting in a styling, color or shampoo chair. Any discomfort could lead to an unpleasant experience. The shampoo chair and bowl must be adjustable to accommodate various sizes and weights of clients and alleviate pressure from the client's neck.

Color. It's best to buy chairs that are dark because it's difficult to remove dye from lighter colored chairs. Black is best, but espresso brown has become the new black. You can add accent colors to your cabinetry and walls.

Materials. Salon furniture must be made of stain-resistant, durable materials. Traditionally, laminates have been the material of choice, but solid surface materials like granite, concrete and glass are becoming more popular. These materials will hold up well and look good even after many years of use. Shampoo bowls made of porcelain enamel will also last the longest.

Expense. High-quality, durable furniture is a must. Be careful of low-priced furniture that will break down in a short period of time and could do so at the most unfortunate moment, causing embarrassment, injury or leading to a work stoppage during the day. Stick with a reputable company that will stand behind their products if things are not perfect and that will provide a minimum five-year warranty on a styling chair. —C.W.