Displays of Yesterday & Today I was looking at some of my old display work and thought you might like to see some of it because it feels as current today as it did 20 years ago. Lower in this post you’ll see the work of merchandisers being done today. I particularly love this one above with REQUEST product because it shows the use of a little bit of signage, a simple wooden prop and then the product. Below is a similar one featuring product by GUESS. Both were on high shelving above the product displays. The next three photos show the importance of lighting in displays. Well yes, I love the summer props but because of the aiming of the lights…what we notice are the mannequins and what they’re wearing….and that is the point! This one below with “Summer Dragonflies” and a whole lot of fishing line! shows how eye-catching the window display was. Perfect lighting and Lots of Drama! Below – touchable product on a well-lighted shelf with the simplest floral prop! All so inviting and appealing to
CHOOSING PAINT COLOURS SEEMS EASY! You just go to a paint store, pick out some colour chips, place them them on the wall and Voila! That’s the one! You buy the paint! ONLY, …to find out that it looks terrible in the room. It doesn’t ‘go’ with anything, it suddenly looks too brown, too green, too blue and heaven forbid, too 80’s dusty rose…! NOW WHAT! You can’t return the paint. It’s a custom mix! You made a mistake that you can’t live with. I’m here to help you whether this is your Retail, Commercial or Residential space. About ten + years ago I took a course from Maria Killam – Internationally known colour expert – to become a Certified Colour Expert. I learned, and continue to learn so much from her. Check out her site here What I’m about to show you is ‘just a ‘starter’ but I know it will save you a ton of money, and give you much better insight into the process…and if you’re still confused, I’d love to help you with an on-site or
Does clothing sell better on a mannequin? What about on the RIGHT mannequin? It’s that time of year when Summer is nearly over, seasonal sales are nearly over, and… FALL ARRIVALS are landing on your doorstep daily. It’s also the time when I know you’re looking at your store and wishing you had gotten new mannequins to give these gorgeous new collections a way to stand out. SO, HOW DO YOU PICK THE PERFECT MANNEQUIN for YOUR BRAND AND PRODUCTS? AND… WHY SHOULD YOU? Here’s my take on it! In a time when statistics are showing that online shopping has slowed down and customers are looking for more engaging experiences in physical stores, you need to stand out from the crowd. You might not know this, but visual merchandising has been neglected by many retailers for a long time. After the great recession, many stores cut their budgets for display and design, and opted for cheap and easy headless mannequins. Fast forward, they then faced the competition of online shopping, which offered convenience and variety. As a result, store front
What’s the Hype about Barbie The Movie ? Based on the Barbie fashion dolls by Mattel, it is the first live-action fantasy comedy Barbie film. Featuring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, they go on a journey of self-discovery, and it’s being released today July 21st, 2023! It’s a stereotypical matriarchal society where all women are: SELF-CONFIDENT, SELF-SUFFICIENT & SUCCESSFUL! Who doesn’t want that in their life? Stereotypical Ken learns about the American patriarchal system and feels important and accepted for the first time. Now, we just have to watch the film and decide for ourselves! I’m looking forward to seeing the Set Design which extensively uses a specific shade of pink Pantone 219 This brings me to a really important part of this post: THE POWER OF REPRESENTATION Barbie has… 35 Skin Tones 97 Hairstyles 9 Body types and counting… and that’s totally what gives Gender Mannequins the edge. Below…is a Collection called ‘Shape’ which has 8 new ‘Inclusive Faces’ but Gender has always!!! had inclusive faces, hairstyles and… body types. LETS HAVE A LOOK
WHY IS STORE LAYOUT IMPORTANT? STORE LAYOUT & MERCHANDISING DIRECTLY AFFECTS YOUR STORE TRAFFIC, HOW MUCH TIME CUSTOMERS SPEND IN THE STORE… AND… YOUR SALES. Most of the time I’m working with a renovation and not new builds when it comes to retail design work. One of the very first things I do is come up with a space plan…which would include where we’re going to put things, and equally important, how will the customer get to it! Let’s explore 8 ideas! #1 Use the Right Floor Plan There are several types of floor plans which direct traffic flow through your space. The most common are: Straight – Shelving & racking are placed in straight lines and often seen in large retail spaces…think supermarkets…up and down the aisles Racetrack or a Loop Plan – down one side and back the other…a ‘loop’ Free flow Plan – This one encourages customers to browse in any direction Here’s the best link I’ve found which describes them all and why they work. https://www.creativedisplaysnow.com/types-retail-store-layouts/ See if you can identify which one of these are
LETS HAVE ANOTHER LOOK AT GENDER MANNEQUINS NEW RISERS You might call them risers, seats, podiums, plinths, blocks, cubes or ? but YES they’re perfect for your seated mannequins at 18” seat height, and yes, you can use them to give different heights to your displays…but I’ve certainly come to the realization, that they’re the perfect Stool for your HOME garden too, and…I’ve recently sold a number of them to a Pediatric Clinic for colourful seating. For them, we ordered them in bright colours to go with a West Coast theme Above are three different shapes and below are the gorgeous colours that are available…and don’t forget that they’re available in a Granite or a Sandstone finish. If you have any questions about these great PODIUMS… give me a call! I’d love to help you. 604 649 9050 or send me an email heddy@urbanspaces.ca Some DIY ideas for risers I’ve definitely created and used a number of DIY risers, including pallets and suitcases like those below. What you use totally depends on the ‘Brand Message’ that you are
When my sister invited me to their Caribou cabin, along with my Golden Retriever Forrest…well, how could I say no! The summer was so warm, and being at the lake seemed like such a luxury. Before I show you my photos I’d like to talk about Design trends. You’ll see why later as you discover the beauty of this unpretentious cabin. Minimalism vs Maximalism We’ve been through a very Minimalism trend for at least seven years now. Of course, it’s a timeless Design Concept that’s been around for hundreds of years, but we have seen a resurgence towards Maximalism. If you’re a fan of maximalism, you’re in luck! Here are the ‘Key Characteristics’ of Minimalist Design Less is more Focus on functionality Clean, simple lines Sculptural forms Lack of superfluous ornamentation and decoration Monochromatic, limited color palette, with color sometimes used as an accent to create a soothing environment Use of limited, well chosen materials, such as concrete, steel, glass and wood Everything has a place and a purpose Use of space and natural light Spotlight on craftsmanship Interior design
How do you shave store renovation expenses when times are tough? A few years ago a Hair Salon and Spa called Spa Rivier in Quesnel, British Columbia decided to open a women’s fashion store when the store next door became available. This all went well until Covid 19 showed it’s ugly face. Store closures, staffing commitments, Rigid rules, Back Orders to Non Shipping of orders…If you’re in retail, you will all know this well! Over the past fifteen years I have had the pleasure of working with Donna, the owner, on various store design and merchandising projects. I got a call in January asking for my help. She wanted to find a way to have one cash centre manage both the Salon side and the Boutique side. Currently there were two, meaning that staffing had to happen in both places at all times. She also realized that sight lines were going to be critical to see both sides of the store. This post is about how we went about this. VIRTUALLY! We started with tons of photos and measurements. Here’s
It’s time to show you my National award-winning design entry. From the hundreds of incredible design entries I am thrilled to be a finalist in the Commercial Category! I have been designing changes for about four years at a long-term care facility in Burnaby, British Columbia. Facility upgrades support their dedicated staff to provide high-quality care to an increasingly complex resident population. Urban Spaces Design was asked to specify all finishes for the renovation, working with an architect Patrick Yue of www.baustudio.ca. What was once a semi-private room was transformed into a generous sized Bariatric room for one person. The goal was to create rooms in healthcare environments that are safe and accessible for people with bariatric care needs and the staff that work with them. I am proud to have contributed to this. Here’s where we started! The plan was to turn two semi-private rooms into single Bariatric Rooms. You might ask, “What is Bariatric?” In a nutshell… Bariatric is often defined as referring to a person weighing over 350 lbs. or with a BMI greater than 30. It
MY FIRST RETAIL DIVA When I started out in this Biz I met the wonderful vivacious Toby Rosen. What a force! I was able to do many visual displays for her and it was always a treat to be in her presence. People would see her coming and in awe would whisper…”That’s Tobi Rosen” A jewellery wholesaler who really knew her business and clients. I am grateful to her for leading me to many other display opportunities in the wholesale gift fashion industry. Because of Toby, who sadly passed away in 2011, I have had the opportunity to meet the most incredible people…and definitely forces to recon with…Susan Gallacher (Susan Cooper Agency), Suzanne Bell (Suzanne Bells Fashions) Diane Thomson (former owner Dianes’ Lingerie) Jill McKnight (South Coast Casuals) and so many others including Maizie Thorleifson (Maizie T Agency), which leads me to Maizie! That’s her on the right below working with Siska Schippers. Dutch Jewellery designer Siska Schippers founded the company in 1992 in Thailand…hence the name ZSISKA. I love this jewellery! Last night, while at a restaurant one of
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