Barbershop lighting has two jobs. It has to light the client's head properly, so a fade or a line-up looks right from every side. And it has to look good, because the shop is part of what you're selling. It's easy to get one right and miss the other.
This guide is for shop owners and fit-out teams in Australia and New Zealand. It covers how much light each chair needs, where the lights go, and the two most common layouts.
Jump to: Common problems · Why the look matters · Measure first · Lights per chair · Where the grid sits · One light per chair · Kit sizes · Colour temperature · Power and mounting · Adding chairs later · Send us your details · FAQ
What goes wrong with barbershop lighting?
Usually the lights work fine. They're just the wrong type, or in the wrong spot.
- The shop looks like everywhere else. Downlights and plain tube lights do the basic job, but they don't add anything to the look. A shop with a strong fit-out and a forgettable ceiling feels unfinished.
- The light is over the room, not the chairs. A few fittings down the middle light the walkway well. The chairs along the wall get less.
- The barber is in their own light. When the light sits behind the barber, over the walkway, their body throws a shadow across the client's head.
- One downlight per chair. A single downlight straight above lights the top of the head more than the sides.
- Mixed colours. Warm light over one chair and cool light over the next makes hair and skin look different from chair to chair.
Why does the look of the lighting matter in a barbershop?
Clients size up the shop before they sit down. If you've spent real money on the chairs and the fit-out, a plain ceiling of downlights lets the rest down.
A hexagon grid gets noticed. It's a statement piece. People see it through the front window as they walk past, and after dark it's hard to miss from the street. It shows in the mirror behind every client. And when a client takes a photo of a fresh cut, the ceiling is often in the background.
It still has to go in the right place, so the rest of this guide is about layout.
What should you measure before choosing lights?
Before you look at kits, grab a tape measure and note down:
- The length of your row of chairs. Measure along the mirror wall, from the outside edge of the first station to the outside edge of the last one.
- The working depth. Measure from the counter to just behind the chairs, where the barbers stand.
- The ceiling. Note the height, plus anything already up there: downlights, air conditioning units, exhaust fans or beams.
- Power points and switches. Mark where they are now.
Then find the layout that's closest to your shop:
| Your shop | What to plan | Light to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Chairs in one row along a mirror wall | Light the whole row, end to end | One long, narrow kit, or two in a line |
| Chairs on two facing walls | Light each row on its own | One long kit over each row |
| You want each chair to have its own frame | One light over each station | A single hexagon, square or triangle per chair (custom) |
| Island or back-to-back stations | Light every side of the island | A squarer kit centred over the island |
| Single chair, pop-up or suite | Light one chair and the space around it | One small kit over the chair |
| Waiting area and reception | A clean first look from the door | A smaller kit, in 6500K or a softer 5000K |
How many lights do you need per barber chair?
Aim to give every chair about the same amount of light. The table below matches a kit to the number of chairs, for chairs in one row. Length is what matters most, so compare your measured row with the kit length first.
| Chairs in a row | Suggested kit | Kit length | Rated output per chair (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3-Grid, or 5-Grid for more light | 2,460 mm (5-Grid 2,360 mm) | 10,560 to 11,520 lm (5-Grid 15,840 to 17,280 lm) |
| 2 | 8 Long Grid | 3,780 mm | 12,210 to 13,320 lm |
| 3 | 11 Long Grid | 5,330 mm | 11,000 to 12,000 lm |
| 4 | Two 8 Long Grids in a line | 7,560 mm plus the gap | 12,210 to 13,320 lm |
| 5 | 11 Long Grid plus 8 Long Grid | 9,110 mm plus the gap | 11,480 to 12,530 lm |
| 6 | Two 11 Long Grids in a line | 10,660 mm plus the gap | 11,000 to 12,000 lm |
From two chairs up, every layout gives each chair roughly 11,000 to 13,300 rated lumens. So a shop that grows from two chairs to six keeps the same light per chair. If your spacing is different, go by your own measurement and pick the closest kit or pair of kits.
Should the lights go over the chair or the mirror?
Over the chair. The client's head is where the work happens, so line the middle of the kit up with the row of chairs. A few tips:
- Run it along the row. The long side of the kit follows the mirror wall, so every chair sits under the grid.
- Line up the ends with the first and last chairs, or the end chairs miss out.
- Keep it off the walkway. If the grid is pushed back over the walkway, the barber ends up between the light and the client.
- Think about the mirror. The front edge of the grid will show in the mirrors. Some owners want that, because it's part of the look. If you'd rather see less of it, keep the front edge back from the counter.
- Check the ceiling first. Air conditioning units and exhaust fans can get in the way of a fixed-shape kit.
Chairs on two facing walls? Put one long kit over each row. For an island, centre a squarer kit such as the 8-Grid or 11-Grid over it. For a square, open-plan room, see our guide to sizing a shop by room area.
What about one light over each chair?
This is the other popular layout: a single hexagon, square or triangle over each chair. Every barber gets their own spot, and a row of matching shapes looks neat from the door.
Compared with one long grid:
- Each chair gets the same light. Every chair has its own matching frame, so none relies on the end of a grid.
- It handles uneven spacing. Each frame goes where its chair is, so odd gaps between stations don't matter.
- Adding a chair is simple. Add one more matching frame.
- The downside: the rest of the room gets less light. A frame lights its own chair, not the walkway or the waiting area. You'll usually want a separate kit for the waiting area or reception.
Single-chair frames aren't one of our standard kits. They're a custom option, so send us your layout through the custom quote form and ask which shapes and sizes we can supply.
Which kit sizes suit a barbershop?
These standard kits fit most barbershop layouts. Sizes and output come from our product specifications. Prices are for 6500K Daylight, from our product pages on 10 November 2026.
| Kit | Size (mm) | Power and rated output | Price (6500K) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Grid | 2460 x 955 | 96W, 10,560 to 11,520 lm | $329 |
| 5-Grid | 2360 x 1650 | 144W, 15,840 to 17,280 lm | $369 |
| 7-Grid | 3780 x 1650 | 192W, 21,120 to 23,040 lm | $579 |
| 8 Long Grid | 3780 x 1650 | 222W, 24,420 to 26,640 lm | $629 |
| 11 Long Grid | 5330 x 1680 | 300W, 33,000 to 36,000 lm | $899 |
| 8-Grid | 2400 x 2600 | 210W, 23,100 to 25,200 lm | $629 |
| 11-Grid | 3275 x 2375 | 276W, 30,360 to 33,120 lm | $729 |
| 14-Grid | 4085 x 2375 | 342W, 37,620 to 41,040 lm | $929 |
| 23-Grid | 4200 x 3900 | 528W, 58,080 to 63,360 lm | $1,299 |
| 39-Grid | 5300 x 5000 | 852W, 93,720 to 102,240 lm | $2,599 |
The 7-Grid and the 8 Long Grid take up the same space, but the 8 Long Grid has one more cell and more output, so it's our pick for two chairs. The squarer kits suit islands, waiting areas and open rooms. You can see every size in our barbershop lighting range.
What colour temperature suits a barbershop?
Over the cutting chairs, we suggest 6500K Daylight. It's a crisp, white light that shows fades, line-ups and beard work clearly. 5000K Cool White is a little softer, and works in a waiting area if you want a gentler feel there. Each colour temperature is a separate kit, so decide before you order, and keep every chair on the same one.
Colour accuracy counts too. CRI (colour rendering index) tells you how true colours look under a light. Our hexagon kits have a CRI of around 90, so hair and skin tones look natural in the chair and in the mirror. More in our guides to CRI and colour temperature. For the general principles of interior lighting in Australia and New Zealand, see AS/NZS 1680.1.
What about power and mounting?
Our kits support both plug-in and hardwire installation. Kits with a single power lead come with a plug lead as standard, so once the grid is assembled and fixed in place, you can plug it into a power point and switch it on. How a kit connects depends on its size and your space, so ask us about the power setup for the kit you choose. If you want the lights hardwired into your wiring, that must be done by a licensed electrician.
If there's no power point near where the light will go, talk to a licensed electrician before you buy. How the grid is fixed depends on your ceiling, the fixing points and the kit layout. For ceilings above 4 m, a suspension wire kit is available, sold separately. The best install method depends on your space, and our install guide shows the options.
Our hexagon kits are SAA and RCM certified, and the LEDs are 50,000+ hours rated. The warranty is 3 years for commercial use, which covers a barbershop, and 5 years for residential use.
What if you add chairs later?
Plan for it now and it's easy:
- Leave some clear ceiling at the end of the row, where the next chair would go.
- Stick with the same kit. Two 8 Long Grids in a line look like one design. A different shape tacked on the end looks like an afterthought. With single frames, just add one more of the same shape.
- Stay on one colour temperature for every new light.
Want us to plan it? Send us these details
Some shops don't suit a standard kit, like a long row with uneven gaps, a ceiling full of fittings, or a shop that wants one frame per chair. We can suggest kit sizes or design a custom layout. Fill in our custom quote form and include:
- The length and width of the shop, and the length of each row of chairs.
- The ceiling height, and what's on the ceiling now.
- How many chairs you have, and where they sit.
- Where the power points and light switches are.
- The look you're after: one long grid, or one frame per chair.
- Photos of the ceiling and the chair row. The form doesn't take files, so mention you have photos and we'll ask for them when we reply.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lights do I need per barber chair?
Size the lighting by the length of your row of chairs, and give each chair about the same amount of light. In our suggested layouts, that's about 11,000 to 13,300 rated lumens per chair from two chairs up, for example an 8 Long Grid over two chairs or an 11 Long Grid over three. That's rated output divided by the number of chairs, not a lux reading.
What size hexagon kit suits a two-chair barbershop?
For two chairs in a row, we suggest the 8 Long Grid (3780 x 1650 mm), which runs along both chairs. The 7-Grid takes up the same space with less output, if you want a cheaper option.
Should barbershop lights go over the chair or the mirror?
Over the chair. Line the middle of the kit up with the row of chairs and run it along the row. If the grid sits back over the walkway, the barber stands between the light and the client and casts a shadow.
Can I put one light over each barber chair?
It's a popular layout: a single hexagon, square or triangle over each chair. Each chair gets its own light, and adding a chair later just means adding one more frame. Single-chair frames aren't a standard kit, so send us your layout and ask which shapes and sizes we can supply as a custom order.
Is 6500K the right colour temperature for a barbershop?
For the cutting chairs, we suggest 6500K Daylight. 5000K Cool White is a little softer and can work in the waiting area if you want a gentler feel there. Each colour temperature is a separate kit, so keep every chair on the same one.
Can I plug hexagon lights into a normal power point?
Yes. Our kits support both plug-in and hardwire installation. Kits with a single power lead come with a plug lead as standard, so once the grid is assembled and fixed in place, you can plug it into a power point and switch it on. How a kit connects depends on its size and your space, so ask us about the power setup for the kit you choose. If you want the lights hardwired into your wiring, that must be done by a licensed electrician.
Plan the lighting for your shop
Shop Hexagon Lights for Barbershops Try the Kit Planner Get a Custom Layout QuoteLast updated: 10 November 2026. Kit sizes and output come from our product specifications, and prices from our product pages on that date. Plans are simplified illustrations, not lighting measurements. Written by Ben From HexSpace Team. Our team has over 13 years of experience in the lighting industry.
If you spot an error in this guide, contact us and we'll fix it. Each time we update this guide, we recheck sizes and prices and note the change here. First published on 10 November 2026. HexSpace designs and supplies hexagon lighting for Australia and New Zealand. Questions? Contact us.
