do you ever wake up and suddenly decide you hate your hair, nothing in your closet is even remotely wearable, and you desperately need a new lipstick?  i think we all have our own versions of the need for a makeover. 

boutiques are no different.  after all, your boutique is likely an extension of you.  you change:  your style may shift as you get older or your lifestyle changes.  you may get sick of your haircut and decide to go for a new ‘do.  it’s a natural part of personal evolution.  while we can make some quick, easy changes to our personal appearance, changing the look of your store may seem like a daunting (and expensive) task.

not necessarily so.

when i first opened ooma, i had this grand vision that my shop would be divided by style “moods” separated by bright, vivid colors.  it was nothing short of delicious.  everyone who walked in the door for the first time always had a pleasant, wondrous reaction.    smiles abound as they perused the fun, colorful prints and the bright walls of sass.

ooma - the early days

after 5 years, i found that i was drawn to a more sophisticated look and as i planned my retro chic black & white wedding – i found that i was especially drawn to the simplicity of the graphic boldness of the palette. 

so i decided to mix things up – just a tad.  i painted all the walls white  (except the pink wall behind the cash wrap) and wallpapered my dividers in a graphic b&w print.

ooma: after makeover

i removed the carpet in the dressing rooms and added pergo floors with FLOR tiles.  i painted my dressing room chairs black and re-covered the seats with black & white fabric.

i painted the exterior and got a new outdoor hanging sign.

and i moved everything around got a few new shelves, painted some old ones – and VOILA!  it was like my store got a fun new makeover.  it still felt essentially like ooma – but with a new sensibility that reflected the subtle changes in my merchandise selection.  some of the changes were gradual – which made is easier to budget in terms of time and money (not once did i close my store on a day when i was usually open).

ooma: spruced up

does your store need a little spruce up or makeover?  i do offer consulting in this realm and would quite love to help you.  as the economy shapes up – perhaps now is the best time to reintroduce yourself?  email me if you’d like my assistance.

need some cool, sleek shelves for your store, showroom or trade show booth?  My friend Tracy Matthews  (an amazing jewelry designer – you may want to check out her line too – though she is moving to create fine jewelry only) is selling hers! 

Here’s the scoop:

“ALU” autopole aluminum shelving units

Dimensions:

7” 3” Height of tallest pole

43.5” Length of 1 shelf/15” depth/1” height

9.5’ From Base to Base length

Base Diameter 19”

 These are in fantastic condition and break down for easy transport to shows or for the office. 

 Contact Tracy for details.

do you love decadence?  old hollywood glamour?  then Brocade Home has the fixtures for you.  feminine lines, lacy cut-outs – and yet still quite functional.  i always love getting this catalog and dreaming about a very girly boutique.

the silhouette storage unit is a great place to display shoes, bags, books, knick-knacks, perfume…the list goes on and on.

small tables are a great place to put delicate folded sweaters, bottles, a pretty shoe – anything you want to highlight on its own (or in a small grouping).  i like this pedestal table for this purpose:

the site also has luxurious crystal chandeliers, wallpapers and shelves.  this isn’t for the bargain hunter though!  you could quickly spend thousands of dollars on just a few pieces (note that they offer a trade discount – please inquire to see if you qualify).

i went into the sweetest, tiniest shop the other day called Special.   Everything is handmade by the owner, Heather (jewelry and hair accessories).  She had a lovely display idea:  wrapping paper!  she wrapped tin cans, boxes, bottles – whatever shapes she needed to create her displays.  it made the whole store look cohesive and charming.  this would be a very easy way to update your look as well.  some of my favorite wrapping papers are whimsypress,  pikku, waste not paper, and vigo.  the inspiration is overwhelming!  (i am a paper fiend).  have any tips for great paper?

** for those who want some instruction – here’s a great post from Apartment Therapy to help (cute planters too!)