The owners, Marybeth and Julie, are cousins and two real spitfires! These gals are determined to make their business successful. I applaud their determination, passion, and vision, and want to help them acheive their goals as we undertake a redesign of their brand image and their shop's visual style. On Saturday, we spent eight hours moving furniture and merchandise, to give the front room of the cottage a whole new look...here are a few photos to whet your appetite for more to come!
Immediately in front of the entrance and to the left, this fireplace was an awkward fixture to deal with. A lot of small things ended up here, and the visual effect wasn't what they wanted it to be. We cleared it out and started over....
Lots of two-dimensional art, mirrors, frames, etc. fit in this narrow space, fill it in, and make a huge visual impact. The black-white-ivory-pink color scheme was chosen to match the newly-painted furniture that arrived that day for the room's central display area. (By coordinating the color scheme throughout the room, the space seems larger and less cluttered.)
I just love how the Holly GoLightly poster in pink & black not only coordinates with the color scheme, but adds an insouciant touch of whimsy to the display....it's as if Holly is looking up at the fabulous merchandise, saying 'Oh, this would be simply SPLENDID in my apartment!'
I just love how the Holly GoLightly poster in pink & black not only coordinates with the color scheme, but adds an insouciant touch of whimsy to the display....it's as if Holly is looking up at the fabulous merchandise, saying 'Oh, this would be simply SPLENDID in my apartment!'
On the right side of the fireplace, this corner has great light and a window seat. It had become another area that the girls were uncertain about merchandising, and that big chalkboard blocked a lot of light.
Using the windowseat as a pedestal helps to lift smaller items up into view. The sculptural lines of a table and chair are shown perfectly here, without blocking light. Just a few smaller items add detail without overwhelming the small vignette.
Here's what was next to that corner, and the main focal wall as you walk into the shop. The cashwrap was located here.
The cashwrap is still there, but now it is anchored by a large visual brand statement. The large chalkboard has been hung on the wall, and it offers a happy 'Welcome to Poppyseeds' message to all who enter. (Nice tip: providing your shop name on the wall by your cashwrap helps your customers when it comes time to write out their checks. You won't be asked 'And the name of your shop is....what again???') Above it, a black & white striped fabric 'awning' echoes the ones used on the outside of the cottage, which helps to develop the brand image.
The glass case on the left here used to be on the right side of the cashwrap. By relocating it here, we let the natural light from the windows shine through the glass and illuminate all of the jewelry that we have placed in it. It beckons like candy! In just two days, sales of jewelry have jumped remarkably - because it looks fabulous, it's easy to locate, and there is plenty of room to browse. The card spinner used to be located in a doorway and, you guessed it, no one bought cards because it was so hard to browse them! Here, by the cashwrap, it's easy to peek at them. Ditto for the small black wire rack on the counter - it holds lip balm, hand cream, and assorted wallets, pocketbooks, and change purses for quick Point of Purchase sales. Simple solutions all - but effective.
Just to reiterate, we didn't spend any money on this - everything used or added was something already on hand, either in the store or at one of our homes. Pulling together the black, white, ivory, and pink theme was accomplished by pulling items from the other rooms in the shop into this one - we just combined it for a whole new effect! It took eight hours to clear it out and put it all back, finesse it, and then enjoy the fruits of our labor.
It's a small shop with small rooms and a lot of stuff, but we three gals did it while the shop was still open - we just apologized for the mess and told visitors about the big changes going on. Not one of them minded, and most of them were enthralled with the idea of freshening the place up. They all vowed to return to see the big reveal! Don't use the excuse that you don't have time, money, or energy to make your store better. YOU CAN DO THIS!
The glass case on the left here used to be on the right side of the cashwrap. By relocating it here, we let the natural light from the windows shine through the glass and illuminate all of the jewelry that we have placed in it. It beckons like candy! In just two days, sales of jewelry have jumped remarkably - because it looks fabulous, it's easy to locate, and there is plenty of room to browse. The card spinner used to be located in a doorway and, you guessed it, no one bought cards because it was so hard to browse them! Here, by the cashwrap, it's easy to peek at them. Ditto for the small black wire rack on the counter - it holds lip balm, hand cream, and assorted wallets, pocketbooks, and change purses for quick Point of Purchase sales. Simple solutions all - but effective.
Just to reiterate, we didn't spend any money on this - everything used or added was something already on hand, either in the store or at one of our homes. Pulling together the black, white, ivory, and pink theme was accomplished by pulling items from the other rooms in the shop into this one - we just combined it for a whole new effect! It took eight hours to clear it out and put it all back, finesse it, and then enjoy the fruits of our labor.
It's a small shop with small rooms and a lot of stuff, but we three gals did it while the shop was still open - we just apologized for the mess and told visitors about the big changes going on. Not one of them minded, and most of them were enthralled with the idea of freshening the place up. They all vowed to return to see the big reveal! Don't use the excuse that you don't have time, money, or energy to make your store better. YOU CAN DO THIS!
I'll be sharing more photos of this room with you in the coming days, as well as shots of the exterior...stay tuned! Oh, and sweet shopgirl/owner Marybeth has written her own account of the progress so far on her blog, poppyseeds.
great after photos! Wish I was closer to visit them!
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