But be careful not to choose only with your eyes. Behind a successful retro look should hide the comfort and essential features for the daily work of a barber.
So, how to recognise a beautiful vintage armchair? Should you look for a genuine antique barber chair or prefer a new retro-inspired model? And which details really make a difference in a barbershop?
The vintage barber chair, a strong piece of your decoration
In a barbershop, the chair is not like any other piece of furniture. It occupies the centre of the workstation and naturally attracts the eye when the client enters the salon.
Choosing a vintage barber chair therefore immediately helps to create an atmosphere.
Black and chrome for a classic barber shop, brown or camel paired with wood for a warm atmosphere, generous upholstery to accentuate the retro spirit, black structure for a more contemporary interpretation… There isn’t a single vintage style.
The right choice is the one that works with all of your decoration: hairdressers, mirrors, lighting, walls, floors and accessories.
A spectacular armchair placed in an environment that does not suit it loses much of its impact. Conversely, a few well-coordinated codes are often enough to create a very strong identity.
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How to recognise a barber chair with a genuine retro look?
Some details immediately refer to traditional barber chairs.
The first distinctive feature is often the generous seat. Retro armchairs generally give a more enveloping and massive impression than classic hairdressing chairs.
Next come the armrests, generally very prominent in the design of the chair. Metallic or chrome finishes enhance this aesthetic, as do visible structures and rounded shapes.
The buttoning and topstitching are also characteristic. They add relief to the backrest and the seat and allow to recall the spirit of old armchairs without necessarily choosing a historical reproduction.
Finally, look at the footrest. On a retro barber chair, it is an integral part of the design: wide, sturdy and visually prominent, it strongly contributes to the overall silhouette of the chair.
It is generally the combination of several of these elements — and not a single "vintage" detail — that gives the chair its character.
Old barber chair or new vintage model: which to choose?
This is an important distinction.
A real vintage barber's chair obviously has something that a new piece of furniture cannot fully reproduce: its history. A restored piece can become an exceptional element in an establishment.
But we must also think about everyday life.
An antique armchair may require restoration of its upholstery, its structure or its mechanisms. It is necessary to ensure its stability and functionality, but also to consider the availability of parts if a repair becomes necessary.
The new retro barber chair takes the problem the other way round: preserving the traditional aesthetic while benefiting from a modern design.
This allows for the imposing shapes, the upholstery or the chrome details characteristic of vintage to be found with a modern hydraulic pump, a reclining backrest, an adjustable headrest and 360° rotation.
For a chair intended to be used for several hours each day, this difference clearly deserves to be taken into account.
Vintage and retro, are they really the same thing?
In everyday language, the two terms are often used as synonyms. However, there is a slight nuance.
Vintage normally refers to an object genuinely from a past era. Retro rather refers to a contemporary object whose design is inspired by the past.
A chair made today in the spirit of traditional barber chairs would therefore, strictly speaking, be a retro barber chair rather than a vintage chair.
In the world of professional decoration and furniture, the expression vintage barber chair is nevertheless widely used to refer to this aesthetic, even when it is a new model.
The essential factor is therefore less the label than the result sought in your salon.
Black, brown, camel... which colour to choose?
Black remains a safe bet. Combined with chrome, it immediately creates that traditional barbershop aesthetic and easily fits into many layouts.
The brown and camel give a warmer impression. They work particularly well with wood, bricks, dark tones or industrial decoration.
More original shades can in turn become a true signature element.
But think long term: your armchair represents a significant investment and will likely stay in your living room for several years. A very striking colour must therefore correspond to a true identity rather than a passing trend.
A beautiful vintage armchair must above all be comfortable
This is probably the main pitfall: falling in love with the look and forgetting that the chair is first and foremost a work tool.
For the customer, look at the width and comfort of the seat, the quality of the foam, the support of the backrest, the headrest and the leg position.
For the barber, the criteria are different.
The hydraulic pump must allow easy adjustment of the client's height. The 360° rotation prevents constantly working in a bad position. The reclining backrest facilitates services requiring tilting the client backwards.
Also look at the load capacity and stability of the base.
The best vintage armchair is therefore not necessarily the one that looks the most impressive in a photo: it is the one that manages to combine style, customer comfort and work ergonomics.
Beware of the bulkiness of a retro barber chair
It's a criterion we often think about too late.
Vintage style armchairs can have substantial volumes: wide armrests, large footrests, generous backrests…
And the dimension of the chair in the upright position only tells part of the story.
Once the backrest is tilted and the headrest deployed, the footprint can approach 1.50 m in depth on some professional chairs. Enough space must still be maintained for the barber to move around and enjoy the chair's rotation.
In a small room, therefore measure your reclined armchair space, and not just the location of its base.
A few centimetres can make a real difference when several stations are installed side by side.
How to maintain a vintage barber chair?
The antique style does not, of course, dispense with modern maintenance.
Hair tends to lodge in the seams, upholstery and around the different joints. Regular cleaning of these areas helps keep a chair clean and prevent accumulation.
Always use a product suitable for the coating and avoid cleaners that are too aggressive and likely to alter its appearance.
The chrome or metal parts must also be maintained to preserve their finish. The footrest, which is particularly stressed, also deserves regular care.
Finally, monitor moving parts and follow the manufacturer's maintenance recommendations.
A well-chosen vintage armchair must be able to retain its character without giving the impression of really being old.
So, which vintage barber chair to choose?
Start with your universe.
If your barbershop plays on traditional codes, look for generous shapes, upholstery and metallic finishes characteristic of the vintage barber chair. For a more contemporary establishment, a few retro touches on a more sober silhouette may be enough.
Only then compare the technical features: dimensions, seat comfort, upholstery quality, hydraulic pump, tilt, headrest, footrest, load capacity and stability.
Your armchair must look good on the day of the opening, but above all remain pleasant to use several years later.
And if you are still undecided between several styles, discover our selection of professional barber chairs to compare the different designs, finishes and available configurations.
Vintage barber chair: how to choose the right model?