Home salon ideas for mobile and freelance beauty professionals

Setting up a home salon is the perfect opportunity to grow your business in a more flexible environment. It’s right on your doorstep, so no more getting stuck in traffic on your commute. You have complete control over your working hours, no longer having to adhere to another salon’s opening hours. And you have total creative freedom to make the space your own!

But whether you’re transforming a spare room or investing in a purpose-built space for your back garden, running a successful home salon business requires careful planning and attention to detail.

From laying the foundation with a strong business plan to making the most of a small space, this guide to starting a home salon with our top home salon ideas will walk you through everything you need to know about turning your home salon dreams into a reality.

 

 

How to get started running a home salon

Before you begin considering home salon ideas to help you run a successful salon from home, there are a few administrative duties you need to take care of first.

Write a business plan

First, you’ll need to write a business plan. This document will cover everything from your services and target market to expenses and financial projections. A good place to start is your business name and niche – this should be included in the executive summary, which summarises your business’ mission and vision.

Next, move on to your services and target market. Describe what services you’ll offer and include details on pricing and unique customer benefits. You should include a market analysis to determine the current state of the industry. Include any beauty industry trends and how these fit into your service offering.

As a new business, you’ll need to provide the financial targets that you’ll aim to hit over the first few years. Also, a detailed breakdown of the costs incurred in setting up your business will include things such as equipment, furniture, and energy use. Don’t forget to account for any business rates you might need to pay, too.

 

Legal considerations & licences

Setting up a home salon in the UK requires you to obtain several licences and permits before you can begin treating clients. This ensures your business is legally sound and compliant with local regulations. Below are some of the licences you might need (it’s always best to check with your local authority which ones you need).

Register your business: You’ll need to register your business with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) as either a sole trader or limited company, so you can pay tax. You may also wish to become VAT-registered to reclaim any VAT other businesses have charged you.

Home business permit: Some local councils request that you have a permit to run a business from your home. You’ll need to check with your council if this applies to you. You might also need to seek permission from your mortgage provider or landlord.

Planning permissions: If you’re making changes to your property (like adding an extension) or your business will increase traffic in the area, you may need planning permission approved.

Beauty therapy licence: Sometimes specific licences or certifications are required to carry out your services. This will largely depend on the services you plan to offer. 

Waste disposal licence: If you produce hazardous waste (e.g. from hair dye, nail polish and removers, skincare products or disposable razors), you’ll need a waste disposal licence and to follow the correct disposal procedure.

 

 

Health and safety regulations

Complying with health and safety regulations keeps your clients safe and is also necessary to operate your home salon. Here are some of the regulations that might apply to your business:

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974: You must ensure a safe environment for yourself, your clients, and any employees you have. That means conducting a risk assessment of potential hazards and ensuring any equipment is safe to use.

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002: If you use chemicals for any of your treatments, you’ll need to keep Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all hazardous substances.

Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994: If you use electrical equipment (such as hair tools), regular Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is required to ensure that all equipment is safe to use.

Fire Safety: You'll need to conduct a fire risk assessment for your home salon, install smoke alarms and fire extinguishers, and ensure there’s a clear procedure in place in case of a fire.

Hygiene and Infection Control: It is important to maintain high standards of cleanliness to prevent infections. Regularly sanitise surfaces, furniture, and tools between clients.

 

Consider getting insurance

Having the right insurance should be something to consider when protecting yourself, your business, and your clients. Here are some of the insurances you may want to consider:

Public liability: Protects you against any claims for injury or damage to clients that occur from your treatments or whilst they’re on your property.

Professional indemnity: If a client claims the service you provided was inadequate, professional indemnity insurance can provide cover if you make a successful claim.

Employers’ liability: If you have any employees, this insurance covers any injuries or illnesses that occur during work on your premises.

Product liability: If a product you use or sell causes an allergic reaction, you'll be protected against claims.

Business interruption: If your salon is forced to close temporarily due to unforeseen circumstances, you can seek financial support through this policy.

Equipment insurance: You will be covered for any damaged, lost, or stolen equipment, tools, or furniture in your salon.

Legal expenses: Covers you for any disputes or legal claims, including contract disputes and employment issues.

Assess your needs to determine which ones are relevant to your home salon, then get a quote to ensure you’re fully protected if something goes wrong.

 

Set up a bookkeeping system

The easiest way to keep track of your expenses and sales is via a digital bookkeeping service. Receipts are easily misplaced, and software such as Xero or QuickBooks automatically note your sales and expenses, all you need to do is categorise them ready for your tax return.

 

 

Home salon ideas: Layout

Whether you have a spare room, want to extend your house, or set up a salon in your garden, you’ll need to decide on a designated space for your home beauty salon.

Make use of a spare room

If you have a spare room, can you fit it out with furniture to transform it into a salon? Consider what furniture and equipment you'll need to ensure it doesn't just feel like a spare room in your home. How do clients get to the space too? They don't want to feel like they're just walking through your home. How can you make the whole experience feel warm, inviting, and professional?

Salon pods

A salon pod is a compact solution that houses everything you need to carry out beauty treatments. Whether you buy one pre-made or custom-built, they’re a great solution to setting up a home nail or hair salon. They’re usually fitted with furniture, but some even come with the chairs and equipment you need to carry out your services. You can position them in your garden, with a separate entrance for clients that enhances the customer experience.

How to make the most of a small space

Next on our guide to home salon ideas, you'll need to consider how you're going to maximise the space available. Designing for a small space isn't always easy, and running a home salon often requires lots of tools and equipment to carry out services. But don't worry—we've got some tips to help you optimise your home salon's layout and create a comfortable and professional environment.

Clever storage solutions

Look for storage solutions that maximise space – wall-mounted shelves, under-counter cabinets, storage baskets, and moveable drawer units are all great for neatly storing PPE, equipment and formulas.

Functional zones

Define the areas in your space that you'll use for certain treatments. For example, if you offer hair and beauty services, designate a corner for hairdressing and another station for facials and lashes. Keep in mind the flow of your work, making sure the tools and products you need are located near the respective station or area.

Utilise vertical space

Mount shelves, hooks or hanging baskets on the walls for extra storage space. These are handy for keeping essential items within easy reach, but with less clutter on the floor, your space will instantly feel bigger and more inviting.

Buy multi-functional furniture

Look for items like foldable workstations with storage and mobile trolleys to keep your supplies on hand but tucked away when not in use. To save on space, could you also use the same chair for all of your services?

 

 

Tips for a successful home salon

Running a successful home salon is more than just legalities and furniture. You may have many home salon ideas around storage and design, but it's also about delivering a professional and friendly customer experience, building brand awareness and working on your customer retention strategy. Here are some essential tips for ensuring long-term success.

Create a seamless client experience

Creating a welcoming and relaxing environment for your clients is key. The atmosphere in your home salon sets the tone for the rest of the experience. How can you make your space inviting? Think about how they enter and exit your space, is this separate from just walking through your front door and into the house? Small, thoughtful touches go a long way, such as calming music, lighting candles and offering refreshments.

Marketing your home salon

Nobody will know your home salon exists if you don’t market it. Building a strong online presence is a great way to attract clients. Create a website that showcases your beautiful new space, you as a beauty therapist and your service menu. This is the first place many of your clients will “meet” you before booking an appointment, so make that first impression count.

Email marketing is another great tool for growing your business. Use it to update your clients on exclusive discounts while building long-lasting relationships.

Networking in your local area is a great way to get in front of potential clients and increase word-of-mouth referrals. Building meaningful connections with people in real life is a powerful marketing tool.

Research the right furniture & supplies

Buying the right furniture, tools, and products will help increase customer retention. Comfy chairs, high-quality products, and innovative tools all add to the customer experience and can make or break a customer's return.

Research beauty suppliers and choose the ones that align with your business goals and vision (you can always refer to your business plan). Renowned brands and high-quality products will make a huge difference to the results, so choose your suppliers wisely!

 

Building a professional and successful home salon

There's no doubt that setting up a home salon has many advantages—from lower overheads to the flexibility of setting your own working hours. But success depends on how well you plan for and execute your business.

Focus on delivering a seamless client experience, creating a strategic marketing plan and staying compliant with legal obligations to ensure each client keeps coming back for more.

 

 

Specialist hair and beauty insurance through Ripe

Whether you run your own beauty business from home or rent a chair in a salon, a career in the beauty industry is not without its risks. Insuring your beauty salon through Ripe can help provide financial protection and peace of mind should the worst happen.

Ripe specialist hair and beauty insurance includes Public and Products Liability cover as well as treatment risk cover, with the opportunity to build your own policy so you’re never paying for more than you need.

Find out more about specialist hair and beauty insurance through Ripe or get a quick online quote today.