Retail Display is 'Painting a Picture'

It's an art.... and I've always described what I do as a visual stylist in this way:
"I create still life paintings using dimensional objects instead of paint or pastels."
This particular display brought together that art with actual fine art...

Continue reading to find Artful Display ideas!

Early one spring, the resale store that I created displays for
received a very generous donation of floral art from a donor...

so I designed a window display featuring the art itself,
 along with elements that continued the 'floral' and 'art' concepts:

an easel, a drop cloth, various papers and decor elements with floral motifs,
and a mannequin wearing a 'painters' smock' and holding a paintbrush.

There was also a whimsical touch of silk flowers bursting from the mannequin's head,

indicating that the 'artist' had 'flowers on the brain'.
Whimsy is ALWAYS welcome in my display creations!

The fun part? This mannequin was donated to the store by another volunteer
AS I WAS BUILDING THE DISPLAY!
i took one look at it in her arms as she walked past me and squealed in delight.
she sat it down, i placed it into the corner of the display,
and ran to find a denim shirt 'painters smock' to dress it in.
then i grabbed an armload of the flowers i had planned to put into pots in the display,
and tucked them into the open neck of the mannequin.
then SHE squealed in delight!

display really can be magical!

The art was hung on the BACK of a tall armoire (the doors of it faced into the store) 

which served to lift it up to a viewing height in the window.

 Underneath the artwork, there are sheets of scrapbook paper with floral designs - 

so that when a painting sold, there was not a huge gaping hole in the composition.
other paintings could easily be added to the support wall / back of the armoire,
keeping the display full and relevant through the Spring season.

Preparing for products in the display to be removed was and IS an important part of this display -

in the case of a store like this,  where every single item is 'one of a kind' rather than ordered in quantity,
I have to plan for what the display will 'morph' into - because it can't be changed every other day.

In this store, the display 'set' itself is created and installed based on the annual VM plan
(based on seasonal themes and colors),
then as items sell, we refill it as much as possible with 'like' merchandise.

 Each window display theme lasts for a two to four week period...
the display remains fresh because products change, but the theme remains similar.
This is an effective strategy for any store's window displays...

What can you create as a 'set'
in YOUR windows this spring & summer?
A farmer's market? A beach scene? A picnic at the park? 
A county fair or carnival? A camping scene?
Create the backdrop, then fill with merchandise that supports your theme and color palette -
and then look for ways to keep it fresh over the next month or two!

*
About the Laura's House Resale Store:

Over the past several years, I've scaled back my freelance work
in order to contribute to two companies that I have been very honored to work with...

One of them is Laura's House, an organization in South Orange County, California

that just celebrated 20 years in business.
Laura's House provides shelter, housing, counseling, legal aid, and assistance in many forms 

for families dealing with Domestic Violence and Abuse,

and money to fund those programs comes largely from the sale of donated goods at two resale stores.

The merchandise donated and sold indicates a boutique consignment shopping experience
far more than it does a 'thrift store'... 

so I've been working hard for nearly a year to elevate the presentation and visual experience in the stores

to assist our company in getting the most value possible for our cause...

AND to elevate the customer shopping experience.

Retail Visual Merchandising can do that!

this post content originally appeared here on my blog in 2015 - 
 i no longer work for or volunteer at Laura's House, as i moved out of the area.