Chipped paint. Stained furniture. Dollar-bin prints of flowers in fields. You can tell when your salon needs help—but you don’t need to do a style overhaul to spruce up your space. Here are three easy ways you can breathe new life into your salon with minimal effort, from the pros at Takara Belmont:

Just add paint: It’s easy and inexpensive to add a splash of color to a wall! Don’t want to paint an entire wall? Try a strip of color instead. Pick a color that complements your decor and paint a thick band ¾ of the way up the wall.

Musical chairs: Need new styling chairs? Consider chairs with removable upholstery. They give you the freedom to change colors and easily update if your furniture is stained and dingy.

Business in bloom: There’s nothing like the look and perfume of a gorgeous bouquet of flowers. Hire a local florist to design arrangements for your front desk every week or two. Exchange bundles of business cards and refer clients to each other (especially those bridal clients!)—it’s a win-win.

Get tons of business tips at Premiere Orlando, June 2-4, 2012—Register now!

When it comes to cutting curly hair, Sam Villa, The 2012 Stylist Choice Awards Platform Artist of The Year, has a wealth of tips and tricks to make it an easy task. If you’re looking for a quick way to create natural deconstruction and minimize the texture in your cut, try zig-zag sections! To create a horizontal zig-zag section, comb the hair back by placing your comb vertically near the front of the face. Working with the wide teeth, keep the teeth flush against the head while moving the comb down toward the back. Once you’ve gone from front to back in one motion, take your finger and slice right where you want the section. Comb the section up and voilà – a perfect zig-zag pattern! For a vertical zig-zag, follow suit, but start in the opposite direction. Place your comb horizontally at the top of the head and simply move side to side down the scalp, once again never allowing the teeth to leave the head. Take your finger, pull up the section and you’re on your way to cutting gorgeous curls. Want to learn more curly cutting tips from Sam? Register for the FREE Natural Curls Webinar Tuesday, April 24th!

Every bride has her own sense of style, but according to Marek Hartwig, owner of MAREK Bridal and Artistic Director at Frank Gironda Salon & Day Spa, a lot of brides are walking down the aisle with vintage-inspired looks with a modern twist. “Finger waves are a fitting homage to the golden era of Hollywood—polished style and very romantic,” Marek says. “In order to evoke this in 2012, let the waves transcend into a more relaxed texture, keeping it fresh and not too costume.” To keep your retro-chic brides looking current, don’t forget to play up the accessories! Marek suggests heavier, stoned headbands. “They balance the look to portray a true modern-vintage bride.” Click here to learn about two more bridal trends!

Kim Kardashian. Jessica Simpson. Blake Lively. What do they all have in common? A penchant for long, voluminous waves. There’s something about the fluid shape of glamorous waves that exemplify modern Hollywood glamour, so it’s no surprise “Kim Kardashian waves” are a big request in your chair. Want an easy and efficient way to create the sought-after style? The pros at Bio Ionic have your back. Begin by blow-drying the hair until it’s 90 percent dry, then divide the hair into seven sections using Bio Ionic iClips. Dry the first section with the Bio:Blow Out round brush until the styling barrel changes color from blue to white. Wind the hair tightly around the barrel, then detach the brush handle and lock it in place with a styling clip. Repeat the process with the remaining sections until the entire head is “set” on the detachable brush heads. Once the barrel color to changes back to white, remove the brush heads. Use a Bio Ionic Silver Classic Paddle Brush to brush through the sections, then finish by winding vertical sections around a 1-inch StyleWinder® Styling Iron to help define the look. Win an in-salon blowout class worth $3,000 from Bio Ionic!

Matrix Artistic Director Patrick McIvor asks his clients three questions before coloring their hair to ensure he meets expectations:

How often do you want to color your hair?

Platinum blonde requires frequent touchups, so if your client isn’t ready for the commitment, suggest a glaze instead. On the same note, subtle highlights can last much longer than a full head of highlights. “It’s important to pick something that fits a client’s lifestyle,” says Patrick. “If there’s not enough time to get to the salon for touchups, it won’t look good, and you don’t want it to be a poor reflection on you.”

How much money do you want to spend?

Color needs to be maintained so it’s important to look at the finances of color before committing to a style with your client. “Do the math first so nobody ends up disappointed!” says Patrick.

How much time do you want to spend coloring your hair?

If sitting for two hours is not an option, opt for a demi-permanent glaze to kick brass or add cool tones; it takes a mere 20 minutes. “On the other hand, maybe your client’s appointment is her only way to relax and get away from an otherwise hectic life,” say Patrick. “Ask your guests these questions and I promise they will be happy with their new color.” WIN a $10,000 Facebook makeover from Matrix!

“The crop is still so hot right now,” says top stylist Phillip Wilson. “It’s favored by stylists and clients because it can be styled in many ways, and gives the stylist the option to customize each cut for the client.” To get this beautiful summery style, try using Phillip’s FreeForm Twin Comb technique. Draw all hair to the center back and hold it with the combs at a 45-degree angle close to the nape. Cut in a serrated manner, allowing both sides to flow together. This creates a soft, feathered texture, as opposed to a solid line. Move to the center front and cut “waterfall bangs” by placing the comb under the fringe and allowing the hair to fall into the comb. Place a thumb in front of the comb and the razor at the back on top of the comb. Move thumb, comb and razor together in one motion in the direction in which the hair will ultimately flow. On the left side, place the comb at a 45-degree angle below the ear and remove the desired length. Repeat on the right side. Finish by cutting into the perimeter to customize the cut and highlight the client’s best features. Style with ColorProof FiberBlast Texture Creme to piece out or smooth the texture and finish with ColorProof AllAround Flexible Hold Hairspray. Enter to WIN a FREE ColorProof Shampoo, Conditioner and Tote Bag!

If your color business isn’t as…well…colorful as you’d like it to be, try hosting a color-a-thon! Cut-a-thons have long been a great way to generate new business, raise money for a good cause and put your salon on the map, and according to Paul DiGrigoli, salon owner and author of Booked Solid: The Ultimate Guide to Getting and Keeping Clients, color-a-thons are equally effective. “They not only benefit the community,” he says, “they’re a wonderful training ground for newer team members like assistants and junior colorists.” For a smooth color-a-thon event, Paul recommends designating a master colorist to oversee and coach the new stylists. Limit offerings to single process color services. “If clients are looking for foils, highlights, lowlights or corrective color, offer to schedule the service for them on another day,” Paul says. He also recommends offering the color-a-thon services at a highly attractive price point; at his events, he charges $20-$25. Win a FREE Keratin Complex It’s a Blonde Thing Lightening System!

The hottest color trend for spring, according to Richy Kandasamy, TIGI Academy NYC Technical Director, is pastel! Richy says, “Think of yourself as a watercolor artist working with diluted pastels and washed, muted tones.” Richy uses a color blocking technique that adds the perfect amount of depth and movement to any long, layered style. Start by taking a section of any geometric shape through the crown area of the haircut. With the remaining hair underneath, apply any TIGI Copyright Colour Gloss and leave the natural haircolor on the roots only. Inside your geometric shape, apply the gloss from roots to ends—you can also leave it natural if you like the color as is. Through the midlengths in the bottom section, take random, thick sections and, using a slicing technique, alternate the following formulas: TIGI Copyright Colour lift 100\0 + TIGI Coyright Colour mixmaster \44 + TIGI Copyright Colour Activator 40-volume 12%. Leave some natural hair in-between your thick slices of pastel; this will create more movement and personality. Want to learn more color techniques from Richy? Register for the FREE TIGI Colour Webinar Tuesday, April 16th!

How do you create a show-stopping hair look? BTC BFFs Diana Arvizu Gonzalez, Jen Puebla and Alaine Monson of Tribeca Salon in Aliso Viejo, CA, make it look easy. This trio took the ombré technique and married it with the technicolor trend to create this stunning, on-trend look: the pink ombré! There’s one more spin to this story: that’s not color you’re seeing—it’s Davines Alchemic Red Conditioner! “I knew it would be gentle on the hair as opposed to using pink haircolor,” Diana says. “Also, since it is just conditioner, it lasts for the perfect time: 1 month to 1½ months.” Click here to read the full how-to for creating this look!

Men watch the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show to admire the leggy beauties clad in provocative lingerie. But women—many of whom are your clients—only have eyes for one thing. They’re noting the models’ long, luscious hair and beautiful haircolor, and then they’re demanding those looks when they’re in your chair. This year’s show was all about balayage, so we turned to one of the best celebrity colorists, Kim Vo, for his take on the babe-ilicious color. To create this “brunette smudge” look, Kim says to apply Schwarzkopf Igora Royal 6-1 + 20-volume developer to the base and process for four minutes. Rinse and dry the hair, then apply balayage highlights with Schwarzkopf BLONDME, focusing on the crown and face-framing sections. Process, with heat if necessary, then shampoo and apply a glaze for runway worthy shine. Watch a FREE cut and color how-to video from Schwarzkopf!