Could you work from your living room?

[Lisa32]

Thinking ahead to when I'm qualified, I will more than likely be doing mobile as I don't have a spare room available but would it be acceptable to offer treatments in my living room or does this seem unprofessional? I've attached a pic to show you the set up :-D xx

 

[attitude]

What services?
I wouldn't feel right laying on a couch in someone's living room.
I have a home room I sometimes work from. It is separate from the living areas and has a door for privacy.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I doubt I'd be comfortable having anything done in a living room. Sorry.

 

[Lisa32]

Thank you, appreciate the reply.

 

[Miss_Redd]

I think this could be possible in certain situations. For example, say you've built your clientele by way of your mobile business and they find you are offering to work from your home as well. Perhaps if they already have a relationship built with you and you can assure them their privacy, then that could potentially work. As a brand new customer, you may get resistance. I guess I am thinking that if you have an existing client base who love your work and would be happy to go to your home, they too might pass the word on to their friends and family. It's a lot to think about, isn't it?

 

[cheekychick]

What treatments would you be offering?

I wouldn't mind having say nails or maybe a facial but waxing, massage etc I wouldn't feel comfortable wondering if someone was going to come in. x

 

[Emm87]

Yea I agree with all the above. I think when you work from home, we need to perhaps make extra effort to create a 'salon environment' therefore try to keep the client from feeling too much like they're in too much of a home environment if that makes sense? My home salon is in a room upstairs so I always make sure that the bits of my house they pass through are extra tidy and clean (no coats, shoes, personal belongings lying about) and always ensure doors to all other rooms are closed. Then when they are in my wee beauty room, the door is closed and they are then in a purpose made wee salon surrounded by things that have no relation to my home life.
However, I do agree with what someone else said that if you are mainly going to be mobile, and the client base that love you already may come to you if they need to, even if it is in your living room. But I don't know if they would be comfortable getting waxed or massaged in that environment as I don't think I would. Xx

 

[KrisKross]

I wouldn't be happy in that room having any treatment that involved removing any of my clothes. I'm not sure if I'd even be comfortable having a facial. It's obviously right in the middle of your daily living area. I couldn't relax, but that's just me.

I think as a PP said, when working from home you have to go that extra step to look totally professional - including wearing salon clothes/uniform, working from an appropriate room/area, making sure every bit of your house that a client will see/pass through is immaculately clean and tidy, no food or pet smells, etc and (my own preference) to some extent is depersonalised.

 

[Makeupandbeauty]

I completely agree with where the others are coming from, and for a year I didn't work from home as a result. Now, I will work in a salon from June, and a few people asked if they could come to me at home in the meantime, I agreed. They rebooked and recommended friends....now I advertise but I make it very clear they are in my living room but they still book and only one person didn't rebook which is absolutely fine. However I make sure my living room, entrance hall, front garden and stairs are immaculate and I mean spotless! No personal items, even photo frames are away, and I have retail ranges out. I have heavy curtains which stay closed, and I close the living room door and have a dimmer. Scented candles so no cooking smells. It's not ideal, it's not long term but my clients are coming back and I don't have another option right now.
In terms of treatments, I do facials, massage, waxing, brows, lashes, pedis (rarely manicures because I don't do gel polish).
I am completely professional and friendly and I don't cut corners as a result because I'm from home. However I do charge a little less because I am aware it's my home! I wouldn't choose to do this but I'd rather do this that work in a shop or something, I begin a salon position but couldn't until jUne for various reasons. If I was full time, or near full time, I would rent somewhere because to be honest it is a pain and I could charge more too, and I am sure there are people that WOULDNT book (that's fine, their choice) but luckily for me, people do, and more importantly, rebook.

 

[House Beauty]

Thinking ahead to when I'm qualified, I will more than likely be doing mobile as I don't have a spare room available but would it be acceptable to offer treatments in my living room or does this seem unprofessional? I've attached a pic to show you the set up :-D xx

I see no issue, as long as the room is shut off, nobody will be noisy or walking through..

I work from my flat and its a studio lounge kitchen.

It sounds pretty weird but it works brilliantly.

I'm a raw foodie so I don't cook, nothing smells and I air the rooms out just in case then warm them up. I have a nice screen to hide my tv, a sofa with nice throw & pillows, little coffee table with tissues, leaflets & candles. One side is seating, the other side is the couch/trolley/cute ikea shelving. So useful having my sink in there to make them a cup of tea or fill up bowls etc. I don't keep anything out in the kitchen side except the kettle & tea /coffee pots. My bar area is my nail bar (perfectly laid out..couldn't have been designed better)

As long as you make them feel welcome, it smells nice, it looks nice, they can walk around, look in a mirror, you can leave them to get changed, then they will enjoy themselves.

I haven't had a problem with waxing or massaging, as usually they are clients that have already been in and know what to expect (for some reason I seem to attract 90% spray tans for my first appointments...)...no reason for them to feel uncomfortable as it's just me and them, closed blinds, candles, blankets, towels. Lots of space.

I am thinking about getting some voiles to hang from the ceiling over the kitchen area, but my clients think im barmy because they love it how it is.

I did go to someone that was previously mobile & her home space was just her couch set up in the middle of the room. I did expect more, but she does amazing treatments so I didn't think anything of it.

Then I went for a 'luxury' manicure the other day in a salon and was really irritated at how dirty/dusty it was, how there were dirty towels folded back on shelves, and the staff spoke to me like they didn't even want to be working. Plus the 'luxury' was actually a 30 second rub on my arm with a grainy cream with the end cut off so they could scrape the last of the product out...rubbed in while my nails were still wet and the polish was nudged off when she shoved my arm down on the towel..... Made me think I should charge twice as much!! I was horrified.

I still get new clients come in and say that its lovely then ask further down the line whereabouts I live.. like they had no idea.

 

[Lisa32]

I see no issue, as long as the room is shut off, nobody will be noisy or walking through..

I work from my flat and its a studio lounge kitchen.

It sounds pretty weird but it works brilliantly.

I'm a raw foodie so I don't cook, nothing smells and I air the rooms out just in case then warm them up. I have a nice screen to hide my tv, a sofa with nice throw & pillows, little coffee table with tissues, leaflets & candles. One side is seating, the other side is the couch/trolley/cute ikea shelving. So useful having my sink in there to make them a cup of tea or fill up bowls etc. I don't keep anything out in the kitchen side except the kettle & tea /coffee pots. My bar area is my nail bar (perfectly laid out..couldn't have been designed better)

As long as you make them feel welcome, it smells nice, it looks nice, they can walk around, look in a mirror, you can leave them to get changed, then they will enjoy themselves.

I haven't had a problem with waxing or massaging, as usually they are clients that have already been in and know what to expect (for some reason I seem to attract 90% spray tans for my first appointments...)...no reason for them to feel uncomfortable as it's just me and them, closed blinds, candles, blankets, towels. Lots of space.

I am thinking about getting some voiles to hang from the ceiling over the kitchen area, but my clients think im barmy because they love it how it is.

I did go to someone that was previously mobile & her home space was just her couch set up in the middle of the room. I did expect more, but she does amazing treatments so I didn't think anything of it.

Then I went for a 'luxury' manicure the other day in a salon and was really irritated at how dirty/dusty it was, how there were dirty towels folded back on shelves, and the staff spoke to me like they didn't even want to be working. Plus the 'luxury' was actually a 30 second rub on my arm with a grainy cream with the end cut off so they could scrape the last of the product out...rubbed in while my nails were still wet and the polish was nudged off when she shoved my arm down on the towel..... Made me think I should charge twice as much!! I was horrified.

I still get new clients come in and say that its lovely then ask further down the line whereabouts I live.. like they had no idea.

Thank you for your reply. Your set up sounds lovely xx

 

[gemmadorney]

Thank you, appreciate the reply.

I think it’s a great idea hun! If you are good at what you do and are a nice person and ur prices are fair then no reason why this wouldn’t work ! I’d just say on ur advertising it’s from home so ppl know what to expect xxx