Six Most Relaxing Paint Colors for a Salon

Everywhere we go, we see colors, whether it’s in the signs on the street or in our places of employment. Each color is associated with a certain mood, though, and how can you bring the best moods into your salon? What kind of paint colors make the best relaxing salon décor?

The Six Most Relaxing Paint Colors for a Salon are:

1. Light Purple
2. Light Blue and Light Aqua
3. Light Green
4. Pale Pink
5. Light Brown or Tan
6. Off-white or Beige

But how do you choose a paint color? How does it affect the person who sees it? Read on to find out more about the psychology of color, what each color represents, and how you an choose how your clientele perceives your business.

Psychology of Color

What many people don’t realize is that every color you see, you associate with a particular mood or vibe. Each color has positive and negative traits, and no matter what your upbringing or current life situation, you choose the colors around you based on those traits and how you react to them.

Don’t just choose your favorite colors—if your favorite color is black, it could make your salon look dark and uninviting. When it comes to picking shades, try to avoid anything bright, bold, or warm—those can be too loud for a relaxing salon. Colors like red, orange, and yellow can push too much energy and excitement, which is the opposite of what you want in your relaxing, calm salon business. Strong emotions can be evoked with bold colors, as well, even with those that are considered good for your salon—too many dark colors can make it seem dark and dreary, which is not what you want to arouse in your business.

For many salons and spas, they focus on evoking the idea of relaxation and relieving stress. Many of the colors in the green and blue color family fall within this category but be aware that using too much can actually encourage depression.

One thing to remember when painting your salon is that colors can mean different things across cultures. Where white is considered a neutral color in the Western world, in other cultures, it is a color of mourning. Purple is another color that may be associated with wealth, but in other countries around the world, it is also a color of mourning.

Before you pick a color scheme, understand your clientele and make a decision based on them, not just what colors you like the best. Strike a balance in your décor between shades, and you can create not just a business, but an experience.

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1. Light Purple

When you consider the purple color family, it represents spirituality and deep calm. It is also the color of healing, making it very popular for salons and spas. It also represents wisdom and bravery while appearing unique.

Colors such as African violet, lavender, lilac, orchid, mauve, periwinkle, thistle, and wisteria are all great choices if you wish to pick purple for your salon. To offset the light color purple, you can accent with other darker purples in your décor or add some greens or blues. Pale beige or browns are also great complementary colors to purple.

 

2. Light Blue and Light Aqua

As mentioned before, shades of blue evoke relaxation and stress relief. Using this color is known to slow your pulse rate and lower your body temperature, actually physically helping you stay calm. Like pink, it can be considered non-threatening, which makes it a good color for a public space. It promotes serenity and calm.

While it is a tranquil color that brings about calm, too much of it or too dark of colors can help foster depression.

Some shades of blue and aqua that may work best for your walls include baby blue, blue-gray, Columbia blue, Carolina blue, light blue, sky blue, powder blue, light aqua, moonstone, or Tiffany blue. Temper that color with other shades such as peach, dusty rose, whites and creams, or darker blues.

 

3. Light Green

Green, being a very natural color, can bring a sort of harmony into your salon. It symbolizes growth, freshness, and can also be calming while not being overbearing. Because shades of green are very positive, they also are associated with healing, creating a great color scheme for your salon. Don’t go too crazy with the green, though, because you do not want to represent a negative feeling such as envy or jealousy.

Some colors to consider include aquamarine, asparagus, celadon, emerald, sage, seafoam, jade green, light green, mint, light olive, and pistachio. Consider offsetting greens with some soft pinks, purples, or darker greens.

 

4. Pale Pink

While you should avoid any vibrant pinks in your décor, lighter shades of pink can evoke calm and tenderness in your salon. It also is a non-threatening color, and while it is mostly associated with the feminine now, it can still create a sense of hope and kindness in your salon. Focus on using this refreshing color in moderation or in lighter shades.

Shades of pink you can consider are light pink, champagne pink, pale pink, baby pink, orchid pink, cherry blossom pink, cotton candy, and pale dogwood. Pale pinks match best with both lighter and darker blues, purples, and browns. Gray is also a great option for working with pale pink, along with muted greens.

 

5. Light Brown or Tan

You may expect shades of brown to be less applicable to a relaxing salon, but if you consider the color symbolism, brown evokes grounding, rest, and a nurturing spirit. It also promotes strength and resilience, which is something you definitely want to show in your salon—your customers can trust you to create an experience geared towards them. It is also a secure color, promoting warmth and comfort.

Brown shades you can use for your salon include rosy brown, almond, beaver, brown sugar, camel, buff, desert sand, ecru, khaki, terracotta, driftwood, sand, tan, and wheat. Avoid using darker colors and go softer with your shades of brown to keep it relaxing and not too dark. It can be balanced with more earthy tones.

 

6. Off-white or Beige

While white can sometimes come off as clinical or unexciting, using it properly in your décor can bring around a sense of fresh, clean, and calm. It can also represent purity or innocence, which can also help bring a certain mood to your salon. It is also a great tool if your salon is smaller; if you need to create the idea of a larger space, painting it a lighter shade is beneficial to you.

Colors to consider in the beige or off-white family include eggshell, beige, cream, slate, alabaster, champagne, ivory, linen, old lace, snow, and white. To offset whites, you can you any other color on the list to make sure it is not too overbearing.

Picking the color for your salon is one of the most important and most major decisions you will have to make at the start your business plan. While picking the color is important, make sure you also pick something that you will want to look at every day, since it is your business. Choose something that evokes not just what your business is, but what it stands for—bring in your personality to the colors you use to show off your talents and the business you’ve created.

 

Related Questions

How does my salon décor contribute to my salon’s image?

Your customers will receive their first impression about your salon the moment they step inside, so your décor is the first thing they notice. You want to not only create a great impression every time but reflect your values and who you are as a business, in your colors, your style, and even your organization. A clean, well thought out interior of your salon will set your customers at ease and keep them coming back.

How do I make my small salon look bigger?

Darker colors tend to make a room seem smaller, so make sure your paint and décor have lighter color schemes. Do your best to use mirrors to your advantage—they can reflect parts of your salon to trick the eye and make it appear bigger. Purchase your furniture to fit in your space, not the other way around—you’ll want to make sure that everything you need already fits in the space that you have.

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Please note: This blog post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult a legal expert to address your specific needs.