PHOTO COURTESY OF ELIZABETH STALMAN (RESTORATIONRESERVE.COM)
By Amy Meadows
Inspiration for Tweaking the Displays in Your Store
We have all said it at one time or another … why reinvent the wheel? Exactly!
While the specific styles and trends of our merchandise offerings differ from season to season, we are not necessarily looking for completely new ways to display them for sale. Tried and true methods and formats have earned their default settings with good reason — they always work. Period.
That does not mean, however, that we cannot look for ways to tweak the displays or polish them a bit. It might be the fixture itself or a window prop. It might be the artwork on the walls or the area behind the cash wrap.
As always, Pinterest remains a very robust resource for ideas. I check it frequently and am always delighted with the creative ideas I discover (hint: you should follow Windows Matter on Pinterest!).
As with so many visual merchandising solutions, these can be achieved with paint, fabric, and/or simple carpentry. Remember the goal is to REIMAGINE, not REINVENT. Let’s take a glance around the garage… or the resale shop… or the alley (that is where I find so many of my treasures!).
Household Tools
They might be vintage mixing bowls, muffin tins, or towel drying racks. Those mundane, everyday items from generations ago — what use could they have in a retail store? PLENTY!
Inverted bowls can serve as risers (or upright for smaller merchandise). I have seen muffin tins used for marbles, scrabble tiles, and dominoes. Trays provide reliable ways to group products by style, label, or price.
(tagsbakery.com) in Evanston, Illinois, is not just any bakery, and the historical photos confirm its long-standing community member status. AMY MEADOWS PHOTO
Furniture, Household Fixtures
Who knew there would be another use for old, coiled bedsprings? Not in their expected state but as a fixture or backdrop.
If your aesthetic leans cottage core, this could be the perfect addition to your inventory. Old doors make perfect tabletops, thanks to sawhorses, and I have even seen sinks, stoves, and washtubs pressed into service.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BOMB DE FLEUR
Some of these items will benefit from a fresh coat of paint. Others will be perfect just as they are.
I would, however, conduct a lead test on old, distressed painted pieces. It is a worthwhile step for customer safety, especially for children who visit your store.
(stringtheoryyarncompany.com) in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, are bright, whimsical, colorful, and recycled! The sheep’s heads are fashioned from bicycle seats and the horns from squeeze bottle lids. Genius! AMY MEADOWS PHOTOS
was a refreshing change from the usual display methods.
AMY MEADOWS PHOTOS
Storage, Travel Accessories
Take a cue from the street busker who puts his opened instrument case on the sidewalk for tips. In your store, it might be a violin case that holds flyers, cards, etc. Even if it is a bit of a mess, the container is clever and likely to bring a smile versus a sign of disapproval.
Check out those travel items lurking in your basement — especially hard-bodied suitcases, footlockers, and steamer trunks. Some clever carpentry and/or using them as risers can go a long way to adding color and heft to a merchandising zone.
Using Unexpected Items
I find some of the cleverest adaptations and upcycling continue to appear at Anthropologie stores. It is very much a part of their brand, and despite wildly varied stores coast-to-coast, their visual merchandising strategies are always on point.
There is no mistaking your surroundings and yet, harnessing all that eclecticism is tricky. By all means, go on a visit. If you needed a reason to do so, this is your assignment — look at the many ways unexpected items have been adapted, upcycled, or reused in their floorplan and their window and interior displays
Have an interesting display to share? Or a question about visual merchandising strategies for your business or your district? Visit www.windowsmatter.com for more information.
