Archive for the ‘Retail design’ category

Guide to Wood Flooring

6th September 2010 by Doug Barber

If you are considering fitting wood flooring during your interior design process you are not alone. Wood flooring is one of only a handful types of flooring which can create warmth, give a natural look and fit almost any design taste. When you hire an interior design company they would be able to recommend the most suitable type of wood flooring as there are many wood species to choose from. If on the other hand you are curious and want to understand more about wood flooring, here is a helpful guide about the basics of interior design wood flooring.

Wood flooring types explained:

There are two types of wood flooring which are likely to be recommended for you. These are solid wood floors which are sometimes referred to as real wood floors and engineered wood floors which are sometimes referred to as semi real wood floors. The two types of floors might look the same, however they are made from completely different materials.

Wood flooring materials explained:

Solid wood floors are made from 100% real wood which gives this type of floor extra strength. This makes it ideal if you are looking to add extra strength to the property. On the other hand, engineered wood floors are made from a combination of wood, plywood and hardwood veneer which means that unlike 100% real wood they will not react to temperature changes. This makes them ideal for places where real wood might shrink or expand.

Wood Appearance Ease of Installation Made From Strong Point
Solid Real Wood Medium to Hard 100% Wood Adds stability
Engineered Real Wood Easy to Medium Wood, Plywood, Hardwood & Veneer Does not react in hot or cold conditions

Wood species types explained:

There are many wood species available to choose from. Starting with the very common to the very exotic and each comes with its own price tag. The most common are oak and walnut which feature in most homes. Both species popularity is driven by their prices, availability and of course from a design prospective, attractive grain markings of the wood. Regardless of the wood species you end up choosing, you should expect the floor to last for 25 years provided the right care is applied.

Wood flooring coatings explained:

Whether you have chosen to fit oak, walnut, solid or engineered flooring, they all require a layer of top coating to protect the floor and to ensure prolong lifespan. The most common floor coats are oiled, brushed and of course oiled and brushed. They not only give the floor that fantastic look, but also serve to protect it from minor scuffs by creating a seal on top of the floor. There are also a variety of more practical oriented coating such as UV lacquered which designed to protect a floor which is subjected to direct sunlight and other dedicated coats.

Ethical and environmental responsibilities:

We encourage you to fit wood species which are not endangered and from sellers who source their woods from sustainable forests. Most sellers will display a type of ethical statement explaining where the wood is sourced from, otherwise you can always ask. It is important that we all take part in conservation efforts, sellers by offering ethically sources woods and yourself by choosing to purchase from reputable sellers.

Article by Michelle Strassburg co founder at wood flooring supplier Wood and Beyond. If you require more information about the type of wood flooring be it solid wood floors or engineered wood floors most suitable for your home or business premises, contact us or get in touch with the team at Barber Design Consultancy Limited.

Wood
Bookmark and Share

Posted in Bar interior design, Commercial interiors, Office design, Retail design | 2 Comments »

Window Design and Visual Merchandising on a Budget

2nd August 2010 by James B

Window Display In recent months I have seen the growing trend of ‘handmade’ window display props especially with the launch of Anthropologie along Regent Street London last year and another planned for the iconic Kings Road soon, the Kings road of course was made famous for the uber cool London set of the ’60s with Mary Quant mini-skirts, which were enormously daring for the time in post War Europe.

Of course, Anthropologie is no stranger to decorating their retail spaces and this is certainly a trend that I hope at least will encourage some of the larger brands to follow and to use localized creativity rather than the out-of-a-manual approach which seems to be, sadly, the case across the globe.

The No-One Fashion and Lifestyle store in Old Street (East London) has perhaps created its presentation out of necessity rather than trend?

As we know small independent retailers do often struggle to keep afloat, with the added issue of global recession I am surprised, and relieved, that they have survived, using cut-out forms, the visual person here has created arms and heads suspended by that old faithful piece of kit in the display person’s tool bag: invisible thread, this in addition to the wonderful paper-engineered shoes and sandals, in essence simple and easy to create, yet effective in doing what it does.

Inspired by the launch of the Quilts exhibition (which dates from 1700-2010) at the Victoria and Albert Museum in the better part of the city (in Kensington), Liberty of London along Regent Street has launched their own delicious handmade pieces designed by the very talented Creative Director Maxine Groucutt.

The Liberty subject for their Quilts, which happens to be porn, has raised a few eyebrows in the press and those who claim to have the public’s interest at heart, but judging by the amount of people stopping to photograph and being photographed next to these windows, it clearly is creating a buzz that the public is interested in, I guess sex does sell after all.

If you happen to be along Regent Street in London soon, you can do no worse than to go and have a look at the team’s porno quilts with their delicious threads and use of their own fabrics; I promise you won’t be shocked.

Bookmark and Share

Posted in Design in the News, Design inspiration, Retail design | Leave a comment »

Retail Store design for American Apparel

25th June 2010 by Doug Barber

We recently designed the new American Apparel retail store in Leeds. Working with the LA team and UK offices our brief was to replicate the concept into the new Leeds retail store as part of their UK expansion plans.

The shop design picks up on all that is great about the American Apparel Brand which has won most of the retail awards going!

With womenswear on the ground floor and menswear on the first floor, the 4200sq ft store creates a show stopping retail environment in Briggate the pedestrianised principal shopping streets in central Leeds.

If your passing, pop in and take a look and let us know what you think!

Address: 76 Briggate, Leeds, LS16LH

Website: americanapparel.net

Bookmark and Share

Posted in Client projects, Design in the News, Design inspiration, Retail design | Leave a comment »

Retail Store Design Manual

18th June 2010 by Doug Barber

We recently decided to create a retail store design manual to help all those people who need a bit of guidance in setting up their first retail store. Why did we decide to do this and give away some free information? Well why not was our response.

This pdf gives you some hints and tips as to how stores are created and how long it takes to do things from the concept to the final fit out of a retail shop.  It’s only a guide and depending upon the size of a project it can take longer but hopefully you might find it useful and something to start the process with.

The guide covers of what you might need to consider to make your retail store successful and mentions elements such as branding, store design, graphic communication and point of sale elements. All of which need to be considered when launching a new store concept.

Download the retail store design manual and let us know what you think.

Bookmark and Share

Posted in Branding design, Logo design, Retail design | Leave a comment »

Retail Store Design – The Science of Shopping (and our 12 step process)

12th April 2010 by Hannah

Customers are valuable and once you have them, you don’t want to let them go. There is a specific science that can be applied to shoppers and their buying habits in store.

As a retail design consultancy we are able to look at how well your store design is performing with our 12 point ‘action plan’ covering the following points:

1 – Window displays – are these up to date, seasonal and engaging to the customer… could they work harder?

2 – In store – is the layout right and do customers find it easy to navigate around your stores and understand the breadth of offers available?

3 – Is the in store graphic communication right – does it speak your ‘customer language’?

4 – Till points – are these used to sell impulse buys to the customer, do they reflect your brand values?

5 – Changing rooms – are these in the right place, are they comfortable, do they showcase the customer in the best way? After all, the customer will make their ‘purchase decision’ in here!

6 – Focal points – are there focal features within your retail store to attract customers, do you use engaging displays to showcase the latest offers.

7 – Will your customers return? – Let’s look at ideas to encourage them to come back. This could be as simple as a thank you above the door or a ‘what’s coming soon message’ or display to encourage customers to return.

8 – Are the materials you use to reflect your brand consistent to your brand values?

9 – Could your shop fitting equipment be more cost effective?

10 – Does your web presence in store drive customers to use your website and visa/versa?

11 – Are lighting levels right and is your lighting energy efficient?

12 – What’s the customer perception of your brand and in-store graphics?

A full report can be created and then discussed with you prior to delivering any design work.

Additional services such as customer research and staff interviews can also be introduced if required.

We hope that the above information helps you look at what might be required when trying to retain customers and attract new ones.

If you need to chat to us about our 12 point action plan, please feel free to get in touch.

Bookmark and Share

Posted in Retail design | Leave a comment »

1 2 3 4 5 6 7   next page »