Interior Design for Retail.
Designing interiors for retail presents a unique set of design challenges, underpinned by one basic objective; to make a sale. Effective retail design does far more than match a branding colour, or select a merchandising display system. A good retail designer will understand every element of their client’s product and design a retail experience that compels customer engagement.
The first challenge is to pique customer interest, prompting a commitment to action (to walk in the door!) Once inside the store, expert store planning creates paths of travel that propel customer movement between key merchandising destinations, building a brand story, where the customer aspires to be the lead. The designed journey expertly guides the customer through to the Point of Sale to complete their transaction, where they may be urged to come again. At every point in the client’s journey, visuals merchandising ‘moments’ combined with shoppable displays suggest complimentary product selections and upsell major purchases with impulse buys. In a mall environment where retailers vie for shopper attention, the retail designer combines an expert understanding of product merchandising, retail psychology and brand communication to design a store interior that can be flexible to trends and sensitive to the nuances of the target market.
When designing a store within a mall or shopping centre complex, the retailer engages in a lease with the centre, which imposes strict design guidelines and a series of approvals, which must be satisfied prior to commencing work and again before trading. An expert retail designer will guide their client through this process, taking the role of ‘intermediary’ between the centre and the retailer to negotiate the best design outcome for both parties.
CoLAB Design Studio has built a solid retail design portfolio and is a recommended Retail Designer for many of Australia’s large centre management bodies.
