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Let’s Talk Retail Store Design: Choosing the Correct Carpet Flooring for Your Showroom | November 11, 2020 (0 comments)
West Bloomfield, MI--Two weeks ago, I wrote an article on the best hard flooring for jewelry stores. So I thought it was important to also give you my advice on selecting the correct carpet for your jewelry store. Choosing the right commercial flooring can be a challenge, particularly when you want it last for a long time. Fortunately, the last decade has seen a dramatic shift in the commercial flooring industry with new and innovative trends. The carpeting can come in many different styles and designs. The carpet choices for commercial space are listed below:
Broadloom: which is known as wall-to-wall carpet.
Modular Carpet: which is known as carpet tiles or modular carpet.
Area Rugs: not as popular in commercial settings, although they are used as centerpieces at times.
Some of the characteristics important for your final selection consideration are durability, ease of cleaning, use of space, and appearance.
In my opinion, there are a lot of valuable benefits in using carpet tiles. Most all of my design projects have gone with carpet tiles and are very happy with their selections. The reason why I specify carpet tile is the flexibility of removing a tile if you cannot get a stain out or it somehow gets damaged.
In many of my jewelry store designs, I will use carpet tiles behind the jewelry cases, behind the POS, and inside the island of the jewelry cases. I also like to have carpet tiles in some private diamond or VIP rooms, and offices in the “back of the house.” The main reason for this selection is to have the jeweler standing on a cushion floor working all day, instead of a hard surface. The other reason is that the carpet tiles create a warm feeling and a noise reduction. The installation of the carpet tiles does not require a pad underneath, whereas broadloom carpet does. Carpet tiles can be installed directly on top of hard or concrete floors, and they are more moisture resistant than many other carpet types.
Nylon fiber carpets are some of the toughest and most resilient types. They are more economical than wool, and they are very popular. Nylon carpet can withstand the sun, pets, and heavy traffic. Also, nylon fibers are easy to clean and quickly bounce back from being crushed. Type 6.6 nylon carpet has always been considered the premium choice. It offers the highest level of durability for commercial retail spaces. I posted pictures below of my two stores that have carpet tiles. These owners are pleased with my design collaboration.
The first picture (below) is Williams Jewelry in Denver, Colorado. We used porcelain flooring and carpet throughout their 8,000 square foot store.
The second picture (below) is Simone & Son Jewelers in Huntington Beach, California. We decided to do the entire 2,500 square foot showroom in carpet tiles.
As a designer, I am so impressed that throughout the many years of carpet innovations have resulted in a large expansion of colors and patterns. These advancements give my clients a wide selection for the perfect carpet with their interior design look.
About the Author: Leslie McGwire™ has over 35 years in business development, interior design, equipment, furniture sales and marketing services in retail space, salons, resorts, spas, and jewelry-based businesses. Leslie has won 25 national design awards, including the prestigious Salon Today and INSTORE Jewelry Store awards. Leslie has a true passion for business, design and the jewelry, salon, and spas industries. Visit lesliemcgwire.com for more information.