When you decide to start your own retail business, it can be scary and exciting all at the same time. Not only are you finally embarking on something you’ve always dreamed of doing, but you don’t want it to fail. You’re investing a lot of time and money (not to mention your heart and soul) into this venture, so you want it to pay off.
Opening a retail outlet, like a clothing store or even a restaurant, you have a lot of things to consider. One of them is the design of the store – it has to be right. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, or why it’s important, these ideas should set you straight.
Get The Right Layout
First of all, when you’re looking into buying or renting a place, you’re going to want to make sure that the actual physical space is perfect for what you need it for. The location might be great, and the local trade could thrive, but if the interior layout doesn’t suit what you need it for, you’re going to want to keep on looking.
Pick Your Colour
Then, when you have found a space and you’re ready to purchase or take up a rental agreement, it’s time to talk colours. Colour in business can mean a lot. Even if you want to use red because it’s your favourite colour, you ought to consider what it may signify to customers first. There’s a lot of different psychological factors behind colour, so you want to make sure that you choose a main logo or design colour that says what you want to portray.
Set A Theme
Then, when the colour is chosen, you’re also going to want to pick out an overall design theme. You could start to design using pieces and ideas you just love, but without an overarching theme, everything might look a little thrown together. Whether you choose a vintage vibe, modern minimalism, sleek and stylish, or even something completely quirky, you need to go with what feels right and keep everything in line with your final choice.
Utilise Light
Now that you have a theme in mind, you can start to pick out how the space will look. But you’re going to need to make sure everything works with the natural elements of the location too. In a retail space, lighting is so important; you’re going to want to keep as much natural light in the store as possible (to help customers see the products in a natural state). But, you might also want to play around with different retail lighting design ideas that could give the space a relaxed vibe too.
Make Good Use of Signage
Signage can help customers navigate your store, alert customers of hazards and even be used to promote deals. The most important sign is of course the one above your shop front – for such signs it’s often worth investing in options like illuminated signs or 3D lettering that will help you stand out. Signage inside your store can be a little more subtle, however it still needs to be salient enough for customers to notice. Try to maintain a consistent style to all your signage – consider using colors and fonts that reflect your brand.
Consider The Customer
But that’s not all. When you’re considering the final layout of the furniture and fixtures, you’re going to want to see the space through the customer’s eyes. It’s important that the customers journey is easy to see. You’re going to want people to be able to access your product or service quickly and enjoy being in the store. So, it’s important that your overall design facilitates that.
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