A simple coat of paint changes the look and feel of any space more quickly and affordably than anything. Use this fact, proven in full by interior designers, real estate agents and cash-strapped home owners, to give your salon a much-needed facelift.

Before you break out the paint samples and rollers, keep in mind the needs of your unique business and the clients you serve. Dog-friendly paint colors and sheens maximize drama, while minimizing maintenance chores and risks to your customers.

Suzanne Lasky, owner of S Interior Design and Exclusive Provider of Paw Print Design Services in Scottsdale, Ariz., has built a career around helping her clients redecorate their homes in ways that respect the special needs of their pets.

With respect to paint, Lasky cautions people about the fumes a fresh coat can add to the air.

“Don’t forget that dogs smell 20 times better than we do,” she said. “So we have a room painted and it might smell icky to us for one or two days. For them, it’s probably lasting a lot longer than that.”

Lasky recommends contacting paint manufacturers or home improvement specialty stores to find low-odor options with fewer VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). Low VOC paints, however, are often less durable and won’t stand up to a lot of scrubbing, which should also be a factor in choosing your new paint.

“Dogs are going to rub their bodies against the walls, whether on purpose or not,” Lasky said. “They are going to leave body oils all over you walls, so you want to make sure that you don’t have bight white walls in a flat finish. It will look disgusting and dirty very quickly.”

Low-sheen paints, she said, stand up to the cleaning that will likely be required. <HOME>