Today has been a long day. I am beginning the process of converting my unattached garage into a salon. As part of the planning process I conferred with people who know a little about the process: My ex (the plumber), my mother (a groomer of 17 years), her fiance (a contractor), and another friend who just happened to stop by and offer his advice to add to the pool. Until today, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Now I'm being pulled in different directions.
I understand the need to keep things close together to minimize all the extra steps between cages, tub and table. I also know that I would get to feeling very claustrophobic in too small a space. Initially I wanted an open floor plan, something with plenty of room to move around in. But in taking all the advice I've recieved into account my work space has been effectively cut into a third. I'm just not sure how I'm feeling about it.
The placement of a toilet is the most difficult part of the design. Unless I put the enterance to it in the lobby, nothing is the modified floor plan flows efficiently. I think that is what I'm going to have to do. I suppose that will also keep clients out of my groom room if they have a toileting emergency.
At this point, my head hurts, but I feel like I'm reaching some sort of compromise. I'm still not completely happy with the design, and suppose I wont be sure of anything until I get out there and measure everything to see how it all fits together, and how much room is left over. I'll admit this is not my favorite part, and I'll be glad when it's all said and done, and the work begins. I'm just a tad overwhelmed by all the decisions to be made!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteWould you mind if I stick my nose in too? :)
I am like you. I like open and airy. I groomed out of a van for awhile and thought that I would not like being closed up like that, but I will admit, it was nice having everything right there within reach. To me, the key to not feeling claustrophobic is windows! If it can be worked into your budget, instal windows. I loved the windows in my van. After working for years in grooming rooms with no windows, I loved being able to look up and see outside. That is why, when I designed my current shop, I insisted that my big picture window was in my grooming room. My table is right in front of that window. If you can't afford to have too many windows, think about at least putting one by your table so that you can look up and not feel closed in.
Another big thing that I insisted on in my shop was a separate bathing/drying room. My bathing room has the tub (regular people size about 3 feet off of the ground), and a drying table. The bathing room is in the corner so that the tub is on one wall and the table on the other in an L shape. Most of my dogs have learned to walk from the tub onto the table.
The door on the bathing room is a regular storm door that you would have on your house. I use the glass, not the screen. This is so that I can see out into the groom room when the door is closed. I can also close the door to keep all of the flying undercoat contained in the bathing room.
I also designed the grooming room with all of my Vera Kennels along one wall, so that my table can face the kennels. My old shop had the kennels in a separate room. I did not like not being able to keep and eye on the dogs. You never know when a dog is going to chew on the door, or poop in the cage till it is too late. I want to keep an eye on the dogs at all times.
I also learned not to waste a lot of space on the lobby. If you are not selling retail, small and cozy is nice. Just make it big enough so that a few people, with their dogs, can safely stand in the lobby at one time.
If you have time, google dog grooming shops and go to their websites. A lot of them have pictures of their shops and you can get some ideas that way.
Looking at the picture above, it looks like you have a nice amount of room for a one person shop. You just need windows! :)
Hope you don't mind my ideas. :)
Lisa, MFF
So true, Lisa. I definately want the natural light of the windows, but I fear putting one in front of my table. I have difficulty keeping the dogs attention. They are constantly trying to look around me to see out the windows in moms shop and it drives me crazy lol. But I think we are going to put windows all along the top of the walls so I still get plenty of natural light, and a storm door on the door that opens onto the back yard so I can see out any time.
ReplyDeleteI had planned on having a seperate bathing/drying room, but have been effectively talked out of it for now. But other than the toilet and the tub, nothing is set in stone so I can change my mind and add a wall later if I decide to. The garage will basically be quartered. One for storage, one for lobby, one for the shop, and one for my office/break area. The office and workspace will be open to each other, storage closed off and insulated, and lobby of course seperated as well. I'd love to see pics of your shop!