Articles and News
Leslie McGwire: Year End Review of Jewelry Interior Design: Fundamentals Every Store Needs | December 04, 2023 (0 comments)
West Bloomfield, MI--Jewelry stores have a lot of jobs to do and customers to please. A brick-and-mortar store must include space to display and store merchandise, room for customers to view, experience and evaluate different goods, and commerce zones where store staff can answer customers’ questions and complete transactions.
Interior design is the process of ensuring that the space is up to the challenge. Well-planned and executed retail interior designs increase stores’ operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and ultimately, revenue. The space designers have the knowledge and expertise to maximize the use of available space without sacrificing customer experience. In this jewelry store design guide, learn about some fundamental areas of the store environment and where the advice of an interior design expert can help optimize your store.
What is interior design?
Jewelry interior design is a specialized area of spatial design concerned with building and optimizing spaces for retail uses. The interior design of these spaces involves making decisions such as where to place walls and other permanent fixtures as well as how to outfit and decorate the structure. Jewelry store designers and design companies are familiar with the unique needs of customer-facing spaces that offer goods or services for sale and can design interiors that are functional and enhance the customer’s experience.
A jewelry interior design company may plan the design and layout for big stores or help upgrade one section of a large store. Jewelry boutiques and small spaces use the service of interior designers, too. Jewelry store designers and architectural firms are also involved in the planning and construction of multi-tenant spaces such as shopping malls or mixed-use retail centers.
What makes jewelry interior design distinct from other interior design fields?
There are many commonalities across different interior design specialties. Every interior design professional understands similar fundamental concepts such as effective use of space, the visual impact of different materials and colors and the importance of creating inclusive person-first environments. Jewelry store designers complement that general expertise with an understanding of the jobs needed to be done by the space, taking into consideration the needs of both shoppers and staff.
A jewelry store’s interior design must:
- Align with and represent the brand’s personality and values.
- Support marketing and sales activities and facilitate commercial transactions.
- Enable customers to view merchandise and inspect its fit, feel and function, and consult with in-store experts.
- Provide a positive environment for customers and staff that encourage them to want to be in the space.
- Facilitate efficient workflows and enhance productivity.
- Display merchandise effectively and accessibly.
- Ensure the safety and security of workers, customers, and merchandise.
- Afford adequate space for merchandise storage and non-customer-facing staff activities.
The benefits of investing in a quality jewelry store interior design (or redesign) and build out:
First, a well-planned retail interior encourages more customers to visit your store and to stay longer. Your store’s graphic design and other visual elements also reinforce your brand’s image, making a memorable impression and increasing brand awareness. Next, smart design choices maximize space and revenue per square foot, reduce maintenance and repair or back-office costs, and increase operational efficiencies. Additionally, providing a positive environment for employees improves staff retention rates and productivity. Finally, good jewelry store designs reduce friction and prevent negative experiences that can affect a store’s performance. Even minor factors such as inadequate signage or uncomfortable furnishings can reduce customers' willingness to stay and shop or become repeat customers.
Your jewelry store design guide
Like any design project, planning the structure and appearance of a jewelry store involves considering several aspects and how they work together. The best jewelry interior designers are cohesive plans that meet the needs of every owner and accomplish the space’s ultimate job to be done–making a profit.
When developing your store’s design, consider each of the following areas:
The structural design of the space, its layout or floor plan
Planning a jewelry store’s build out and floor plan includes determining how much space to allocate for various purposes such as storage, staff facilities, administrative offices, point-of-sale counters, and merchandise displays. The arrangement of permanent and moveable walls, display pieces, counters and other parts of the store affect how people move through it. A jewelry store must facilitate smooth traffic flows while also encouraging shoppers to stop and look. Good sight lines for employees and easy access to point- of-sale terminals are also important factors to consider. Your jewelry store’s design will also need to provide room for its hidden but critical infrastructure, including framing for lighting, security cameras and other devices, as well as electrical and data lines. Modern customers expect full connectivity even when shopping in-person. Modern jewelry stores need the infrastructure to support sophisticated displays, self-service kiosks, and even augmented in the future virtual reality experiences. Non-structural components including color choices, graphic designs, and 3-dimensional display or decorative elements. The graphic design of a store’s walls, display units and signage, along with its color scheme and other visual components, have a significant impact on the space’s overall message and how people experience it.
For example, jewelry and accessories may communicate its style using casual, street-inspired motifs. In contrast, a luxury wedding ring area and luxury brands will present customers with a space that evokes a sense of elegance and indulgence. Thoughtful selection and coordination of these pieces is an essential part of the process of jewelry interior design.
The jewelry store’s fixtures and merchandising display areas.
Along with the store’s layout, the type and placement of its fixtures determines how customers move through the store and how much merchandise can be presented in the space. Your store’s cabinetry will have a significant impact. An attractive display at the front of a store can entice passersby to come inside. Catching a glimpse of an engaging display toward the back of your store can encourage people to explore your entire space. The ability to feel the textures of an item, try it on or test it out is something virtual shopping environments can’t replicate. Store fixtures that make in-store interactions with merchandise accessible and enjoyable leverage this advantage. Lighting types and placement, and the materials you’ll use for floors and ceilings. The lighting and floor and ceiling materials you select for a retail space contribute to its functionality and style. These components must be durable and safe. They can also guide customers and highlight store merchandise. A custom-lit jewelry alcove puts the spotlight on the store’s selections, almost compelling customers to reach out and touch them.
Seating, VIP rooms, other furnishings and amenities for customers.
When is a bench not just a bench? Whether they are necessary features or added amenities, the furnishings of your jewelry store speak for you, too. Spaces such as VIP rooms must be designed to be accessible and secure. While other amenities such as a lounge area should support the store’s theme, add value for shoppers, and be durable. Think about how often your staff may clean frequently the use of the space and furnishings and the costs of replacing them while making design decisions. Jewelry design companies can help you identify the best materials for high-traffic areas to achieve your goals for both form and function.
Wayfinding and signage.
Navigational signals are a must-have for every retail environment. These may take the form of signs, floor and wall graphics, or interactive self-help displays. Different jewelry store environments employ signs and other directional tools differently. For example, some jewelry stores selling exclusive or high-end products do not display prices or other signs. These stores place great importance on creating an ambiance of personal service and luxury. Asking customers to gather information by reading passive displays is not part of the brand experience. Whether a jewelry store environment uses lots of graphics to inform and engage or few, all stores need to use some wayfinding devices to ensure customers’ safety and enhance their experience. A jewelry interior design expert should ensure that a store’s way-finding system is compliant with local building codes and safety rules and supports your store’s objectives.
Audio or other sensory enhancements or installations.
Multi-sensory experiences in the jewelry environment are not new. Stores release fragrances and play music to increase shopper’s dwell time and put them in a spending mood. Many jewelers even have signature scents or sounds associated with their brands. When you build or remodel a jewelry environment, owners need to decide if sound and scent will be part of the landscape. If so, your design will need to incorporate the infrastructure to deliver both. As part of the planning process, experiment with different scents and sounds and discuss with your designer how to compartmentalize these effects throughout the space.
Today’s customers have more shopping choices (both online and off) than ever before. Creating the ideal environment to encourage consumers to visit, purchase from, return to and recommend your store is critical to maintaining a profitable business. Designing jewelry interiors that drive foot traffic and sales involves many interconnected decisions. Understanding the fundamentals of jewelry interior design is just the beginning.
About the Author: Leslie McGwire™ has over 35 years in business development, interior design and marketing services in retail and jewelry-based businesses. Leslie has won over 25 national design awards, including the prestigious Salon Today and INSTORE Jewelry Store awards. Leslie has a true passion for business, design in the retail and jewelry industries. Visit lesliemcgwire.com for more information.