sigh.  it’s the dawn of a new year yet again.  this is when we resolve to lose weight, eat better, save money, etc.  or perhaps you’re looking for a new look – hairstyle?  wardrobe?  lipstick?  it’s all about ringing in the NEW.

so don’t neglect your business!  whether your business is a store front or a website – perhaps it’s time for a little freshening up.  ideas are limitless – but here a a few that are easy to implement and will hopefully provide a new (and successful) outlook for 2010 that both you and your clients will appreciate and adore.

• paint your front door a new color – or if that isn’t appropriate – get a plant, new open/close sign or something chic to welcome your customers.
• mix things up – literally.  if you have your racks and table situated “just so” – perhaps move them around – make it feel like a new experience to shop in your store (note:  this is also a great idea for your home!).
• replace the carpet/floors in your dressing rooms.  or add a rug, cute new seat, perhaps some artwork?  anything to make your regulars smile and take notice!
• and speaking of artwork – perhaps you can showcase a local artist or friend’s work on your walls – either on the sales floor, behind the counter, in the dressing rooms  – or even the bathroom.  a great way to add flair while helping a new artist gain exposure.
• create new accessory displays – whether a cute towel rack for scarves or a set of hooks for necklaces/belts/purses…..it’s a small and inexpensive way to add something new.  this one from Urban Outfitters is cute.

• try a fun new fixture – perhaps it will inspire new types of merchandise?  i adore this rotating bookshelf from PB Teen.  pretty adorable.

 

What are your ideas for freshening up your store (or home) this year?  i’d love to hear em.  Please comment with your brilliance!

i’ve always been obsessed with combining colors.  i enjoy mixing odd pairs, bright with subdued, jewel with neutral and so on.  inspiration for color combos can be found virtually everywhere –  wrapping paper, fabrics, gardens, toys, magazines, groceries, cosmetics, museums,  – and especially your own closet.

i used to paint one room in my bedroom a different color each season (yes – four times a year) and then change various accessories, throw pillows and the like.  i wanted my room to reflect my mood.  often my need to change came by seeing something that sparked an interest in a new color combination.

whether styling an outfit with your existing merchandise, determining unique color combos for your displays, or simply deciding on a color scheme for your store (logo, etc) – color is a very important and malleable trait.

because i’m so in love with color – i’m going to begin doing monthly posts about a scheme i dream up or that gets me excited.

so here’s my color palette for August:  chocolate, pumpkin, magenta, light mustard, graphite.

lovely things shown include:

• rowen pillow : Crate & Barrel
• feelin’ groovy : Flor
• acco wallpaper : Twenty2
• camille pendant : Seascape Lamps
• vintage orange chair:  eBay
• raindrop mirror:  pottery barn
• paints:  Benjamin Moore

 

this palette reminds me of candy, though it was inspired by the richness of impending fall and the aura of back-to-school shopping sweetness.  these colors translate beautifully in a room, a shop – and especially an outfit!

what do you think?  what color combos are you into right now?

ahh – lighting.  one of the most important aspects for a retail environment.  you want to enhance the merchandise.  you need to make sure your clients look fabulous.  and you mustn’t ever (seriously  – NEVER!) use fluorescent.  it just doesn’t make anyone or anything look good.  but really – the light should be focused when need be (jewelry cabinets), warm and diffused in dressing rooms (to make the ladies look flawless) and naturally bright/ambient overall (don’t make people squint to see your goods).

and we haven’t even discussed the lamp shade!  Dawn Bassett, owner/designer of LiT (in Seattle) and lamp shade obsessor,  asks the question:  “when was the last time you saw a really great shade?”  my answer:  not in a long time.

Dawn has a fashion focused philosophy on lamp shades – “it’s your rooms chance to accessorize”.  and it’s your stores opportunity to put on the proverbial “Dolce and Gabbana cuff bracelet that transforms the look from casual to couture”.  sounds like a great way to step it up a notch.

typically, boutiques focus on case/overhead/dressing room lighting.  but how charming to provide a sweet lamp near your boyfriend chair (a must have)?  perhaps it’s an opportunity to not only provide additional lighting – but an extra dash of flair?   how about a custom letter press shade?  nice branding.

LIT is a darling shop that provides wonderful, original lighting – with loads of custom shades.  i love the create your own kit – a fun way to explore your creativity while ensuring a great match for your shop.

oh!  and check out this wonderful guide on lighting for small retail shops – a great resource for new and existing stores.  enjoy!

the floors of a retail space need to be enticing – but practical.  hopefully they’ll need to withstand a lot of foot traffic.  dressing rooms, though tiny in square footage, get an awful lot of traffic.  carpets can get worn and grungy pretty quickly.  and yet you want something nice and soft for potentially bare tootsies.

this is why i love FLOR.   you can choose from a variety of textures and colors.  you can customize the size and shape.  and you can replace them relatively inexpensively.  they can go on top of most any type of flooring (hardwoord, laminate, concrete) and you can install them yourself.  pretty darn brilliant, right!

they’re also a good idea in front of any mirrors you have on the sales floor.  remember – someone may need to come out for a better look and they might be barefoot.  i used to have this incredible alpaca rug – but it got so trashed, it was ridiculous.  think low-plush, inexpenve for any rugs in retail.

i also like these round rugs you can buy at IKEA.