When designing a shop, there are many aspects to consider, ranging from regulatory and functional aspects to aesthetics and visual impact. The goal should be to create quality spaces that are functional for the business, comfortable for the user, compliant with regulations, and energy-efficient, given that these spaces are intended to be accessible throughout the day.
Let’s try to provide as comprehensive a vision as possible:
Shop function
To create a truly effective retail space, it’s important to have the support of professionals who, based on the intended function, will help the entrepreneur understand the business’s actual needs.
With very few exceptions, the average user doesn’t visit a retail establishment to purchase basic necessities, essential for survival. The average level of well-being to which we are accustomed, therefore, requires the entrepreneur to understand the typical clientele who visits the store and the needs and desires that motivate them. At the same time, the layout is also crucial, ensuring it sparks interest and stimulation among the user and engages them.
These factors, of course, vary based on the store’s function: this is why it was identified as the first element to be clarified and the point that influences the subsequent ones.
Store location
While it’s not always possible to unconditionally choose the location of your business, it’s important to be aware that location is one of the key factors to consider when starting a business. Therefore, depending on the type of merchandise the store will carry, it may appeal to a more mature and static audience, or to a younger and more dynamic audience, who aren’t just traveling to that particular store. This seemingly simple factor can help a retailer determine whether it’s more convenient to choose a location in a town’s historic center or a space within a shopping mall.
Visibility, location with or without traffic, and the size of the store are equally important factors, as is competitor analysis. Of course, there are professionals you can turn to for a reliable analysis of these factors, based on geographic location and the type of merchandise sold.
Shop design
Once the first two factors are understood, the time comes for the architectural and interior design, which must not only function aesthetically but must also be conceived with sales logic and the type of merchandise sold in mind. It must be efficient, practical, and visually impactful.
The shop window
The window display is to a store like the cover is to a book.
It is the first point of contact between a customer and the store, and it is the display’s task to attract the attention of those passing by, concisely presenting the store’s potential within.
The window display depends on the size of the retail space, for example:
in the case of medium-small spaces, an open or semi-closed window display is preferred, creating continuity with the interior, while taking care not to create confusion between the merchandise displayed in the store and that presented in the window display;
in the case of large spaces, closed-back windows are often chosen, allowing the window display to be divided into themes, reflecting the different areas that make up the store.
Regardless of the size of the store, the window display must always convey the brand and the type of merchandise it houses, highlighting the store’s name and the entrance, toward which passersby should be guided and encouraged.
The display case should be quite versatile, so that it can adapt to seasonal changes, allowing it to always appear contemporary and consistent with the season in which it is located.
Furniture for displaying products
Once again, the furnishings are strongly influenced by the type of merchandise it houses; that said, the furnishings should always be chosen and positioned to enhance the merchandise and display it appropriately, without damaging it and making it easily accessible to the user.
Furniture often functions as a shelf upon which merchandise is placed, but it’s also important to consider enclosed areas underneath that can accommodate a small stock of merchandise, always ready for sale, well-packaged and easily accessible.
Lighting, both natural and artificial, is also an integral part of the furnishings, and it’s essential that it be carefully considered and well-designed to enhance the merchandise on display.
The atmosphere of the place
It’s been proven that purchasing decisions are largely influenced by the location of the buyer, so it goes without saying how crucial it is to create an environment that stimulates and promotes well-being. Design choices aren’t ends in themselves, but must always be considered from a marketing perspective. This is why—once again—it’s important to consult a professional who can provide sound advice.
Customizing spaces
While you can’t expect to customize a commercial space, which must cater to the tastes and needs of a wide audience, as if it were a private home, it’s still best to avoid resorting to stereotypes, out of context, copied and pasted from photos found online. This is why, as mentioned several times in this article, the help of a professional is invaluable, helping the entrepreneur give the space its own personality, without overly restricting it.
Versatility and ease of maintenance
An expert designer should advise us on the furnishings and their arrangement, also considering the store’s need for versatility, which may require periodic aesthetic changes, but also, on a much more practical level, thorough cleaning, given the high number of users it is expected to host daily.
Another reason why versatility is essential in a store is the need for easy maintenance, which the commercial space will undoubtedly require periodic maintenance.
Regulations
It goes without saying that, as always, local and regional regulations must be followed based on the geographic area in which you are located. These regulations define minimum heights, minimum ventilation area, minimum workstation area (for personal care shops, beauty salons, hair salons, etc.), special flooring (for example, smooth, washable surfaces, again for personal care businesses), covered or uncovered walls, minimum lighting, etc.
Example of a hairdressing shop
After reviewing the basic guidelines for designing a generic commercial space, let’s consider, for example, the design of a hair salon and try to outline the key aspects to consider.
First and foremost, it’s a place dedicated to personal care, so this aspect must be considered throughout the entire design process: whether waiting their turn, sitting at a hair wash chair, or sitting in front of a mirror waiting for a blow-dry, the customer must always be comfortable.
The minimum spaces to consider are:
the entrance, including the reception, waiting seats, and the cash register;
the work area, including the hair washing area and the cutting and styling area;
the service area, including the restroom, utility rooms, and ancillary rooms.
The entrance is the area facing the window, which, as mentioned above, is the business card of the establishment. Therefore, the personality and style of the shop must be clearly visible. The seating should be comfortable and welcoming, and the cash register should entice customers to purchase products. Products should be displayed close to the cash register and easily accessible.
Comfort is equally important for the work area, as customers will need to use the chairs for both hair washing and haircutting. These chairs generally have a lever, allowing the professional to comfortably reach the customer’s haircut or hairdressing. Lighting also plays a key role, as the professional must have a good view.
The service area, on the other hand, is essential from a regulatory standpoint, as a business open to the public requires a restroom area, equipped with faucets and a toilet. Finally, utility rooms are essential for professionals, who can store their equipment and supplies there.
Let’s not forget that, given the nature of the shop, the floors, furnishings, and walls (remember, as mentioned above, that it’s essential to rely on local or regional regulations for technical specifications) must be easily washable, so careful attention must be paid to the choice of materials used.
Finally, let’s not overlook the electrical system, which, given the nature of the business, plays a significant role. As mentioned above, lighting plays a fundamental role, but it’s also essential to have plenty of electrical outlets, intelligently positioned and conveniently located relative to the workstations. The load the electrical system will have to support will be higher than standard, and, again, local regulations serve as a guide.