Are you thinking how to arrange a luxurious interior of a boutique or what you should take into account while talking to an architect or an interior designer? I hope that after reading this article, the arrangement of your shop will sweep every visitor off their feet, let them have an enjoyable shopping and make them quickly and happily return.
1. Regulations
At the beginning, we have to discuss legal requirements, primarily construction law and OHS. However, a comment to specific regulations would be long and probably extremely boring, I will just point out the most important issues that should be talked about with an architect, namely:
- is the investment subject to building permit or any other,
- does the place comply with present technical conditions (mainly fire regulations),
- which safety and OHS regulations should be taken into account,
- do we have a satisfactory knowledge of norms regarding equipment (antiskid and antireflective surfaces, etc),
- should we take into account other regulations, for example monument conservation?
In a very difficult situation, one should know there is a possibility of acquiring an exemption from regulations. In case of need, such application should be made by an architect having qualifications to design without limits, as they have proper technical knowledge and will handle both the argumentations and administrative path. The end 🙂
2. Features of a luxurious interior
It’s time to define the main features of a luxurious interior that we will orbit around. There are:
– good quality of materials used and due diligence during their treatment
– intriguing atmosphere – it applies to both light and dark themed interiors
– a glare of metals and/or gems – YES, that is definitely associated with prestige!
Of course, that is not a full stop 🙂 You can close your eyes, give the free rein to your fantasy and add your own observations and comments. The more criteria, the more precise planning.
Talking about design – remember that two aspects are crucial to building an awe-inspiring and luxurious interior: colour and lighting. The first one does not exist without the latter. Equally vital is that a poor choice of tint and light can ruin the whole effect, creating a notion of artificiality and cheapness, despite a substantial financial investment.
3. The most common mistakes of shop arrangement.
Before we dive into colour and lightning selection, it’s worth knowing the traps lurking for those taking rash decisions. It applies to design, as well as ordering specific elements we’ll decorate our interior with. Armed with this insight, we’ll know what to avoid and what to rectify for.
Eight most common mistakes of a luxurious shop interior design:
- inconsistent, chaotic colour theme
- terrible choice of textures and furniture shape
- improper light points placement
- random light tint
- wrong acoustics
and – out of arrangement itself, but being of vital importance:
- irregular cleaning – disgraceful dust and fingerprints all over displays
- staff dress code inconsistent with overall brand visuals
- an unpleasant odour in the room
4. How to avoid mistakes
You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a desired effect. And on the contrary, you can invest substantial funds and get a meagre result. The key to success, of course, is our product. However, to be sellable it needs a perfect visual setting. Therefore, we need a good design.
5. What does a good design take into account.
As Cicero said, epistola non erubescit – paper doesn’t blush – you can write on it anything you want, even if it’s wrong, not true, or offending. It won’t judge you. And, alas, it’s true. The lack of knowledge of ergonomy, correct colour and lighting selection, seasoned with a foggy understanding of the market are overwhelmingly to blame for a catastrophe that may arise. In order to avoid it, one has to find a trustworthy designer that will plan:
- optimal space use
- a perfect scenery of colours and lights
- will define and guard the budget
Luxurious store interiors are never overloaded with products. They have perfectly balanced space between exposition and communications. There are no cramped spaces, filled with omnipresent shelves, hangers and displays. Of course, it has its justification. Selling points for luxurious products are dedicated to a narrow group of consumers. The space of a boutique must invite and host, and not overwhelm and rush, like in a hypermarket, that makes you want to run away and dizzy from the excess of… everything. For this very reason, inside a prestigious brand store we will find coherent colour scheme of walls and floors, carefully selected main and decorative light, along with soft carpets, comfortable sofas, armchairs, and consoles with vases full of flowers. All those “extras” have to be planned and taken into consideration into a budget that is a part of company’s general business plan. It’s crucial indeed to know what exactly one has to buy to make the correctly estimated investment return profit in assumed time.
6. Store arrangement A-Z
6.1 Surface finishing
The last paragraph has pointed some important elements, but still we have to take one step, nomen omen, back – as it regards floors, walls, ceilings.
Floor
Often unappreciated, even unnoticeable. In reality, this horizontal surface, “leads” the client around the shop.
Pattern:
- Uniform – aligned in one direction, makes the space seem bigger and more in order. Doesn’t put up formal boundaries. This type is highly recommended in smaller spaces
- Non-uniform – aligned in different directions, with different texture, allows creating zones in bigger spaces, which is extremely helpful with departments – for women, men, children, accessories, shoes, boots etc. – without actually having separating walls
The most commonly chosen material is: stoneware, vinyl panel, impregnated natural stone (granite, marble, travertine);
Finishing: matte, satin, lappato, polished.
Extras: carpets, rugs, spotlights creating lighting paths.
An issue worth mentioning:
Increased traffic – a shop is not a bedroom – all floors will wear out much quicker. As walls can be easily refreshed, the same cannot be said about a floor, as it usually calls for much more work and money to have it renewed. It is advisable to invest in good quality floors from the very beginning, and pay special attention to its maintenance.
Walls
Arch important topic. The finishing of the walls gives a setting to displayed products. The more contrast between the background and the object, the more theatrical effect. And that’s what we’re aiming for!
With walls, there are no strict rules whether we should use one or more materials. It depends on our brand strategy. What must be remembered is the background should be universal in case of redecorating.
The most often chosen materials are paint, wallpaper, brick, decorative wall panel (i.e plaster), ceramic tile.
Finishing: matte, satin, semi-glossy.
Extras: wallpapers, lighting deco panels, multimedia screens, mirrors, lighting lines, lamellas, wainscot, paintings, drapes, living pictures of moss and twigs.
However, it’s crucial not to overdo with ideas. Painting with a good quality paint is a timeless choice.
Ceiling
In majority of cases it’s a “technical” space for cables, fixtures, power lines, sprinklers, ventilation and air conditioning.
Material:
- Original – if we decide on emphasizing aesthetic advantages like original arches, hundred-year-old wooden beams, concrete, etc.
- Uniform, neutral – suspended ceiling
- openwork – grate, if it’s a need of fire protection (to hide but not hinder sprinklers) like in malls
Finishing: matte, satin;
Worth mentioning: in special cases it’s advisable to look for some dedicated products for rooms of poor acoustics to supress the sound, creating more intimate, homely atmosphere.
6.2 Furniture
The time has come to set up the „technology” of our boutique. In order to properly display our product, or rather the whole range, we will need different type of furniture. Here are some basic, but also most appropriate elements of our luxurious store interior:
– a checkout counter with a high top (for the client) and a low one (for the staff), with lockable drawers and a lift box power panel.
– a cabinet for shopping bags (in a staff only zone)
– gondolas with shelves
– gondolas without shelves
– high display tables
– low display tables
– high showcase with lighting (jeweller style)
– low showcases with lighting
– shelves with lighting and without it
– lockable, low cabinets with plinth lighting
– ceiling-mounted rails
– pedestals and ramps
It would be an unforgivable mistake to forget about a shopping window, which is essentially most important as it’s a business card of our brand. We have to be meticulous about the space we have at our disposal and arrange it to the tiniest detail. We can also indulge ourselves with a bit stronger lighting… Or do something opposite – a weak one. This moves distinguishes us from the competition and adds an intriguing atmosphere, encouraging potential clients to check what it’s all about.
7. Kolor
Up to now, everything is colourless and general enough to suit every luxury goods store. Whether you believe it or not, every point of sale has a common denominator, regardless if it’s a car dealership, perfumery or a boutique.
Finally some details!
The general purpose is to make the client forget about the world and discover an urge to discover new attractions. We have to make them curious but not overwhelmed. We have thrill them, captivate them… even seduce. The more time they spend is a place warming their heart, the greater chance for fruitful shopping and thus… regular visits – and, frankly speaking, our profit. Gold and silver indisputably are synonyms of luxury, as together with platinum are associated with jewellery. Alas, they’re too expensive to make whole elements with them, so the noble originals can be substituted with:
Chromium – or just metallic paints
Stainless steel with a desired finishing like: matte polish, satin, mirror polish, brushed, engraved with a delicate pattern or coated with tin, titanium or aluminium (refining)
White – a symbol of purity and modesty. Together with gold or silver, is associated with an unimposing wealth
Black, anthracite –a symbol of power, elegance and mystery, just as white, together with other precious metals brings to mind images of wellness and wealth
Brown, sepia, umber, sienna, beige – the shades of nature and Earth, symbolise durability, timelessness, augustness and authority
Purple, violet – colours associated with wisdom, cleverness, spiritual sphere and magic.
Pink – contemporarily, this colour is attributed to features feminine in nature, girly, delicate, but also sweet and with sense of humour
Red, crimson – shades of energy, boldness, courage, but also arrogance, therefore we have to tread carefully and sensibly introduce it to our interiors
Blue, cobalt, sapphire – symbolise peace, sedateness, security and professionalism
Green, emerald – naturally associated with nature, health and freshness
Oragne, amber – colours filled with life, vitality, creativity and youth
Yellow – colour of sun, but also… envy
Having colours combined with associations, we should prepare a few options of colour schemes for our brand logotype. I am thinking about moodboards here, which are boards, most often in a form a collage of photos, collating samples of different materials like wood (oak), stone (calacatta marble), brushed gold, light-beige fabric (wool, velour) and a blooming cherry branch. Experimenting with colours and shapes, we create visual frames – a direction we should follow in our interior project. In fact, it is the most difficult part, as it is easy to overshoot the mark. To guarantee not crossing limits of good taste, we have to use the “three colours rule”.
8. Lighting
All the hard work done on choosing the right colour scheme, can be easily blighted by mismatched and poorly placed lighting.
Four concepts are crucial for luxurious store interior arrangement:
– Light colour temperature (Kelvin) – for example, a candle’s colour temperature is about 1800K, sunrise 3000K, flash light is about 5500K
– Colour rendering index (CRI)- no less than 80. Daylight is 100 – it renders all colours accurately.
– Intensity (lx) – 150-200lx is our target. A cloudless sunrise is 400-500lx
– glare reduction means that we hide light source, pointing it entirely to presented object
Equally important is a lightbulb lifespan. Few things are worse that a light path that is not continuous. A dark region makes the client instinctively avoid looing there, as it might be staff only zone and they should not venture there. Unflattering is also a blinking or dim light source. Our task here is to maintain all lighting regularly, to keep the prestigious character of our brand. We could also use the advances of technology and use LED light sources that are on a completely another level, regarding lifespan. Additionally, LED lighting emits only a fraction of the heat that must be dissipated around tradition light bulbs with a white-hot filament.
Once a while, a store changes location of some merchandise, to keep clients on their toes, and to prevent them from “memory shopping”. And though it’s something premeditated, we have to be careful or our strategy will backfire. A project must include a few redecoration scenarios that will not compromise ergonomy. We ought to keep main communication routes, and keep them well-lit at all times. Apart from keeping our customers and staff safe, we keep our store familiar to our regular visitors.
Finishing the topic of lighting, I need to add that a very good practice is keeping the balance between main and decorative lighting at 40% – 60% respectively. The difference, though not substantial, we boost the theatrical effect, and make the clients sure we care about details.
9. Extras
The devil is in the details! A satisfied eye is just one of the senses. For the complete feeling and success, we need to take care of a pleasant smell, atmospheric music, aromatic coffee or perfectly chilled champagne, comfortable sofa and… and that’s it? No! Above all, we have to provide a model service. Prestigious brands pay a lot of attention to a consistent dress code and impeccable manners of their staff.
Conclusion
I hope that reading this article, our dear entrepreneur, equipped you with all the knowledge you need to arrange you store interior in a premium standard. Regardless you take decisions bon your own or use designer services, you have a base of practical clues, you know what to avoid, what to take into consideration, what to ask about. Though trends change a times a year, a well-designed interior is timeless and gains a constant engagement from clients. Good luck!