Interior design for a tattoo shop.?

Question

My husband and I are moving to PA to open up a tattoo shop. We're kicking around ideas for different interior design plans and I thought I'd come on here and get other opinions and ideas from all of you.

So, what is it in the initial 'look' of a tattoo shop that makes you decide to go in?

Once you're in, what in the interior design makes you want to stay in and begin the tattoo artist 'interview' (the point where you talk to the artist and decide if they will be the one tattooing you) process?

Any ideas or suggestions will be greatly appreciated :-) Thanks so much for all your help!

I'm going to extend this question for a few more days, I'm really excited about the responses we've been getting, so please, keep answering!

Thank you all so very much for all your help with this!!!

Answer 1

When initially walking up to a tattoo shop, I look for cleanliness. If there are smears of handprints all over the glass in the door, nothing outside to hold cigarette butts, and there's trash all around, I keep walkiing.

Once inside, I still look for cleanliness and care. The floor needs to be clean, the display art in good shape, and the soda machine better not be empty with those annoying red lights on. I like the idea of being able to see work being done, but there needs to be at least one private room for tattooes or piercings in... ahem... sensitive areas of the human anatomy. Dueling stereos also tends to bother me, as I go to my safe warm place by breathing in sync with the beat of the music. A clean restroom is also a plus! Running out of toilet paper is bad, really bad.

I like the walls to have tasteful art on them, not just pics of ink and metal. I also like shops that have something for you to do while waiting for your turn in the chair. A pool table or some video games would be a nice touch. I can reccomend a candy dispenser as well, as sucking on hard candy or chewing gum will help for those that are a bit nervous about getting inked.

Just some ideas, hope that helps.

Answer 2

Hmm, good question. A star for you... I'm not into the "bikers only welcome here" look, even though I'm a biker. On the other hand, the super-Zen look I think gets away from the visceral feel of a shop. The shops I like here in Santa Cruz remind me vaguely of a cross between a dentists office, art studio and record store. It's pretty much a given that examples of the artists work will be seen, plus nice layouts of jewelry if it's also a piercing shop. Anyhow, the shops are all clean and you can see most tattoos being done - although at a distance so you don't disturb the artist or tatoo-ee. The piercings are all done away from the hustle & bustle. Music tends to play in the background, but it's never overpowering. I enjoy seeing the staff getting into the music and enjoying where they work. Happy artists = even better art. I like the idea of a junk food machine nearby, but with health regulations it seems like torture for the artists to have that close. I react well to the tattooing process, though, so this may be a selfish observation.

Answer 3

Hmm, good question. A star for you...

I'm not into the "bikers only welcome here" look, even though I'm a biker. On the other hand, the super-Zen look I think gets away from the visceral feel of a shop.

The shops I like here in Santa Cruz remind me vaguely of a cross between a dentists office, art studio and record store. It's pretty much a given that examples of the artists work will be seen, plus nice layouts of jewelry if it's also a piercing shop.

Anyhow, the shops are all clean and you can see most tattoos being done - although at a distance so you don't disturb the artist or tatoo-ee. The piercings are all done away from the hustle & bustle. Music tends to play in the background, but it's never overpowering. I enjoy seeing the staff getting into the music and enjoying where they work. Happy artists = even better art.

I like the idea of a junk food machine nearby, but with health regulations it seems like torture for the artists to have that close. I react well to the tattooing process, though, so this may be a selfish observation.

Answer 4

I think the best possible thing to see when I walk into a tattoo shop is the artists' work on the walls, even more so by their stations. It's important to tell which artist has done what, because there may be a certain style that someone does best.
It says a lot too if the artist is proud to display their work on the wall. The fisrt shop I ever got a tattoo at had other artwork done by the atrists as well, which I thought was a great way of saying, "hey, we can do more than just your standard Flash and we understand the fundamentals of art as a whole, not just on skin and ink". That says, to me, that there is a much wider range of creativity at work there.

Oh, a comfy place to sit & calm your nerves before needle touches flesh is always nice too.

Answer 5

I've been dreaming of my own shop in future...heres what I want to do...

I'd like to use and older Victorian style house converted into somewhat of a office building. A large front/waiting room with a classy hotel feel. Warm colors, frilly fancy things, real art on the wall. Lots of seating in the waiting room with a pile of art/tattoo mags. A mini fridge behind the counter for fluids to keep everyone fueled throughout the day. Seperate rooms for each artist, so when doing long pieces they can listen to their own music and tune the rest of the mess out. I want each artist to decorate their own room though. And one small room(Like a walk-in closet) deicated to the autoclave and a stainless steel sink.
Outside all I want is a 'open' sign in the window and a classy, old english sign above the door with the shops name.

Answer 6

If it were my shop I would go with purple walls and silver stands and what not.
I would also display my favorite work of my own of course in big poster size prints.
Keep the idea prints in books for people to look through I am not a big fan of the stencils all over the walls kinda look.
I starred your question it definetly made me think of how I would like to decorate a shop!

Answer 7

Bright colors. Animal print. Artwork painted on the walls. Pretty much artwork anywhere is intriguing.

The floor happens to be one of the things I notice the most(kind of weird)...like one shop had pink glitter painted floor, and another had a 50's diner theme, so the floor was black and white tile. Definitely no carpet.

Most importantly you want a clean, not crowded space. Oh, and no furniture picked up from the side of the road!

Answer 8

If you just bought a property and you have no budget for a expert landscaper you just come to the correct location https://tr.im/utgkW so that you find out how to deal with landscaping even if is your 1st encounter simply because is always a 1st for everything.
Ideas4landscaping is a digital downloadable collection of 300 step-by-phase guides, themes and video tutorials and contains in excess of 7250 high resolution pictures for those individuals who are hunting for inspiration and suggestions to boost their landscaping requirements. The package comes as a Computer CD ROM as well.
Full with photos and easy diagrams, this system will make you appear like an expert in this planet of landscaping in front of your friends and family.

Answer 9

I apologize to trivial for giving her a thumbs down rather than a thumbs up scoring - ti was me, sorry. As a tattoo studio owner looking to move next year, I am fascinated by this question and I really like these answers.

Answer 10

Whatever suits the artist's personality. Hospital waiting rooms and the Gap store lack "personality."

Also, lots and lots of things to look at...even at the risk of making the place look cluttered. You need lots of things to focus on as a distraction sometimes.

And some examples of exemplary tattoos. I find them inspiring, and something to talk about.

Water cooler, lollipops.