Décor and room

Setting the mood is important when you give a massage. The surroundings influence how we feel and is the first step in creating a good massage for your client.

The room in which a massage takes place should be warm and welcoming. It should be so warm that the client can lie naked on the massage table without feeling cold, but cool enough that the practitioner doesn't get too hot and is incapable of performing a good massage. In general this means a room with a temperature around 25-26 degrees Celsius.

Tidiness is another important aspect to creating a welcoming atmosphere. The room should be clean and ordered. Cleanliness increases your credibility and professionalism. It supports the statement that it's a proper business you're running and that there's nothing dirty going on behind the scenes.

By having your room tidy and ordered you give the impression that you have the situation under control, that you're organized in your business and you remove unnecessary distractions that might cause unease or confusion for the client.

There is a practice originating in China called Feng Sui which has now spread to the rest of the world. It deals with how to arrange objects in order to create harmony and improve the energy of the room. Though common sense does take you a long way and it's not necessary to become an expert in Eastern philosophy to create a welcoming environment.

What furniture and objects you have in your practice depends on your personality, the types of massages you give as well as which signals you wish to give to your clients. The decoration should match who you are and reflect yourself at least on a professional level.

Giving a massage is a very personal exchange and your credibility and trustworthiness will be questioned if you clash with your surroundings.

The same is true for the massages you give. It is hard to set the mood for a nice Oriental massage if all the décor is Manhattan style. If you offer several different massages which doesn't fit into one style, you should look at your overall theme instead. Do you work with a holistic approach or a more physical one, are they inspired greatly by Eastern or Western ideas, is there a lot of alternative health in your massages, or are they more beauty and wellness minded etc.

Finding what your general massage theme is will aid you greatly in choosing a decoration and set-up that corresponds with what you offer to your customers.

Related articles:
Setting the Mood, Signals sent via massage environment