Going Green in 2017

Your Color of the Year for 2017:
Pantone 15-0343 'Greenery', 

described as a “yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring"

by Pantone Color Institute Director Leatrice Eiseman.

Pantone calls Greenery “Nature’s neutral”—

a hue more prominently worn during spring and summer, 

but one they encourage people to wear and use in decor as a statement color year round.

Greenery calls to mind the ‘re-’ words: 

refresh, revive, restore, renew, replenish, regenerate, rejuvenate, reinvigorate. 

It's reflective of nature, the environment, and living healthy lives.

It's fresh and crisp, denoting cleanliness and energy.

And it's a color that pairs well with almost every other shade on the color spectrum.

I've often created displays around a green palette in the past...

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As shown in these photos,
I find that green can range from a neutral to a vibrant POP of color

dependent upon the way you use it in displays.

To draw in customers who have a yen for the newest trend,

create at least one window display in green hues.

To feature new merchandise inside your store, 

create a backdrop / 'set' in green tones that will draw the eye - 

and simply rotate new stock into that 'set' to make new displays simple.

find inspiration for window displays using the color green here

Love is an Upcycled Door!

"Okay... can I just say something crazy??!!
All my life has been a series of doors in my face, 
and then suddenly I realized I could use them to create displays...
Love is an upcycled do-o-or..."
( oh, wait, that's not exactly how Princess Anna sings it, is it?! ;) wink. )

For over two decades,
I've been teachin' and preachin' that using vintage and re-claimed materials
is just a SMART way to 'do' displays - it's cheaper, it's greener, 

and it's far more interesting than using store-bought fixtures and props!

I love finding great examples of that philosophy to share with you...
.
The woman in the photo above is Alisun, of BeatriceHoliday.

Alisun is a jewelry designer who creates amazing pieces from recycled bike chains!
I met her on Sunday, when I attended a new vintage market in my area: Trading Post 1908.

I was VERY impressed with the simple, creative, and effective way Alisun displayed her products:

She's used reclaimed materials to create fixtures and props,

like the table made from a solid wood vintage door and four screw-in plumbing pipe legs.

Boxes of various sizes, made from pallet wood, provide elevation for mannequins and displays.
And jewelry forms & mannequins re-covered with linen fabric.

Another solid wood vintage door hangs horizontally from her pop-up tent,

with old nails providing a way to hang multiples of products.

The whole effect is very product-focused because of the clean color palette and spacious layout...
it makes her dark-tone jewelry stand out in contrast to the pale backgrounds.
 It ALSO breaks down and packs flat for transport - a BIG plus for vendors at shows!
.

She was a doll to chat with, 

and I appreciate her allowing me to photograph her booth to share it with you. 

Thanks, Alisun!

Relaxing ReDesign Project

I'm currently in San Antonio, Texas for both business and personal reasons...

and along with visiting with my eldest daughter, her husband, and my son & grandson,
I had the pleasure of working with my daughter Jeni on her business.

She asked me to take a look at the reception area/lobby of her massage & yoga studio,

with the idea of making it both look better and function more effectively.
A Mom just can't say no to her kid when the kid gives her permission to basically
take over and do anything she wants with her biz, so......

See what I did after the Jump!

Forward-Thinking Design

I stumbled across this image that I snapped at the Seattle Gift Show back in 2009...
it's the Lollia booth, located on the Skybridge between the North and South halls of the Washington State Convention Center.

I love everything about this booth design and displays. Everything.

It perfectly fits the feminine nature of the product line and the brand image. It reflects the burgeoning (even in 2009) style of using reclaimed materials in displays. The tight color palette is crisp and clear and does not distract from the products. The curvy table legs and chandeliers and wallpaper motif again reflect the brand's feminine aspect. And chandeliers? HELLO? In 2009, they were just about the hottest design motif in Christendom. There's light to draw you in. There's a spaciousness that allows everything to be seen at a glance - but enough detail to draw you closer. Nothing is jarring or distracting - your eye goes EXACTLY where they want it to go: dead center.

Perfection. And forward-thinking, because this tradeshow booth display would work just as well today as it did five years ago. And it could be replicated in every store that carries these products. That's good design.

Display Inspiration: 'Handbag Hairdo'

I am always on the lookout for imaginative, unique visual merchandising concepts. 

There are so many creative people working in retail, designing displays and store decor,

that there is no shortage of brilliant ideas to be inspired by... like this one.

A mannequin in a quirky, sassy pose

placed on top of a weathered metal filing cabinet

wearing a HANDBAG on her head - reminiscent of a beehive hairdo.

Inventive! Playful! Imaginative!
THIS is how product presentation reaches new heights

[pun intended]

And for those who think they have this figured out,
no, this is NOT an Anthropologie store!
It's.....Wait for it.....

[Find out what and where this store is, after the jump....]

Small Store Sensation!

Retail businesses are finding new ways to thrive these days.

From shared leased spaces to pop-up shops and events to home-based locations,

we're seeing proof that 'Where there's a will, there's a way'.

I recently worked on a small retail shop located in a garage on rural property.

Yes, you heard that right:

A garage.

you're just dying of curiosity now, aren't you?! 

see the whole process after the jump...

recipe for a pop-up store:

Start with a 50' by 300' empty goat barn at a fairgrounds complex

 Fill a 50' X 50' area with goods from 65 vendors, 

all in inspiring displays and brand-image building scenes,

creating a country store (as shown above)

and then...
go even further:

Drive a vintage truck into the other end

and surround it with hay bales & tables for a bingo game setting

Load in 20 vendor booths filled with antique, vintage, and handmade artisan goods 

(*Note to PA system announcer: Art-I-Sahn, not Ar-teee-si-an)

Do all that in just two days

(yes, TWO days)

and then

Invite 25 thousand people to come shop for three days

 then

tear it allllll down in four hours

and end up with an empty barn again

Sound like fun?

It actually was!

The FOLK Magazine staff, volunteers, and vendors

did a stellar job on this event. 

FOLK Magazine sponsored this venue this month, 

as part of  a larger flea market event in Springfield, Ohio.

Having a pop-up presence for our brand at shows like this

enables us to reach the goal of 'bringing the pages of FOLK magazine to life'

and exposing our vendors & products to a whole new customer base - 

while also sharing what our publication is all about.

We set up another store on Main Street in Beaver Dam, Kentucky

this past weekend, as well (but I wasn't there, so I have no photos of it)

and there are many more in the works!

Have you had any experience with a pop-up store?

What are some of the best ones you've seen?

Displays: Spring Forward

 There are so many images on Pinterest that show the re-use of old items in new ways.

Architectural salvage and everyday materials are being used in imaginative displays, 

the best of them building the brand of the business along with selling products.

This is the case with the images shown here...

I snapped them on Monday, at Rogers Gardens in Newport Beach, California.
This garden and home decor company is a leader in retail visual merchandising...

I am always inspired and intrigued when I visit.

 The images here are of a display located along the entry walk... outside of the business.

By simply using old wood flower crates, window shutters, and doors,

then filling them with plants and pots, 

an interesting view is created for approaching customers.

 It takes up very little physical space, draws the eye in and upward, 

and since it can be changed seasonally, it can always be a fresh representation 

of what awaits inside. Perfectly simple.

Inside the store, there are dozens of rooms and gardens and terraces,

expertly filled with product and inspiring displays.

One area display utilizes old window frames, hung against a brightly-hued painted wall.

The graphic effect is fresh, clean, and attracts the eye - 

and the pots, plants, and twig-motif lanterns are set off perfectly.

It says 'Spring!' and inspires a party, an entryway decor, a tablescape.

Spring is about growth, life, green, white, freshness... perfectly captured here.

These are ideas that you can easily utilize in your own store or showroom,

using materials that are readily available at local vintage, shops, shows, or salvage yards.

Or, as in the case of the crates, in your own shed!

Have fun and Spring Forward!

'Sittin' Pretty'...DivaDeb Originals

This past week, I came up with a new display prop for a project I am working on and the idea exploded! I've had a FAB response to this, inspiring me to create a line of products. Introducing 'Sittin' Pretty Unique Mannequins', a unique DivaDeb creation. (There's a pun in there for the three people who read this blog who knew me before I was married...) These are display props that perform the function of a mannequin - but ever so much more stylishly!

I will be producing these for sale, each one an original 'one of a kind' custom creation for my retail clients. I can envision many styles, sizes, colors, finishes, and uses for them. If you are interested in having one of these DivaDeb creations made just for you, drop me a line and I'll send you more info. They will be making a red-carpet appearance at the upcoming Portland and Seattle Gift Shows, too - in my seminars, on the Demonstration Stage, and in the currently-being-designed Seattle Launching Pad Display area.

This particular little darling is awaiting her wardrobe - a wedding petticoat and veil. When dressed, the chair won't show at all. But I would use this and let part of the 'structure' show. It's sort of 'French Bohemian' in a way, don'tcha' think? Useful? Oh, yeah... picture a designer bag featured sitting right there on the seat, a darling pair of shoes placed on the 'feet' of the chair, while a jaunty scarf, belt, or hat is displayed up above. (One might even place a tiara up there on top, hmmmmmnnn???)

This design is very eco-friendly to boot, utilizing old items in a new way. Yeah, if I get an order for twenty of them and need them to all be alike, I'll be buying new chairs that match. But otherwise, it's all about reusing funky stuff. My big thing, after all, is making it 'Fast, Cheap, & Easy!'TM

You can take this idea and create one for your own non-commercial use - but please don't snarf my idea for profit, OK? (Yeah, I said snarf. That would be an 'official' term an IRS agent recently used in a conversation with my hubby. Made him smile!) 'Sittin' Pretty', 'KENNEDYkennedy Design, and 'DivaDeb' copyright KkD 2008

SUper GENius.....

You have GOT to check out what the guy who invented the 'Joe Boxer' brand is up to now:
William Good. Daring. Creative. Inventive. Smart. Eco-friendly to the NTH degree. Like Wylie Coyote, this guy is a SUper GENius. Hilfiger? Nah. Lauren? Phooey. Badgley Mischka? Harumph. Give me someone who can create interesting fashion and make the world a better place at the same time. This guy's got it goin' on.

(There's something about that name....William Good. Short version: Will Good. Or is it - maybe - Goodwill? Hmmmmn???) When I am in San Francisco at the end of the month, I'm heading over to the Filmore Street store to get a peek at it myself.

Sorry, Kermit....

...It really IS easy being green!

This just arrived in my email inbox from Home Accents Magazine:

"AmericasMart Atlanta debuts its Green Product Showcase this week, offering market attendees a look at the variety of recycling, repurposing and environmentally-friendly options available in a wide range of price points and designs."

And check out 'green' lifestyle expert Danny Seo's testimony on the subject in Washington recently:Mr. Seo Goes To Washington. He's posted it on his blog, Simply Green, a fab resource for Earth-conscious lifestyle, business, and decorating ideas. I've included it in my sidebar blog links so you can easily check in with Dan-O and see what ideas he's germinating. (Pun intended!)

It's a hot topic, to be sure. I was on the phone with the marketing director for Western Exhibitors Show Production the other day, discussing the 'Green Display' I'll be designing for the Seattle Gift Show in August. Here's Earth-friendly info from Western Exhibitors Shows:

"Be Part of the "Green" revolution! As you are well aware, green is big! More companies and manufacturers worldwide are jumping on the green bandwagon. This is not just good for the environment, but it is also good for business.

The SFIGF and SGS management teams have been receiving more requests from retailers to provide a resource list of exhibiting companies that provide green merchandise. We have put together some criteria required to be included on this list. If your product meets the criteria, you may participate in a new Green resource list available to all attendees at the SFIGF and the SGS. Retailers that include green merchandise in their inventory are very observant about manufacturing practices and materials used for this type of product and are looking for green product at markets. This list of vendors will be available at all registration counters and buyer lounges.

There will also be a special Green Display located in the heavily trafficked connection corridor between North & South Halls of Moscone Center in San Francisco, and in the 4th Floor Main lobby of the Washington State Convention & Trade Center in Seattle.

For more information on these promotional opportunities, visit Western Exhibitors' web site at http://www.weshows.com/, click on the show you are interested in, and search exhibitor information. These are offered free to participating qualified exhibitors."

And speaking of that Green display, I'm searching for fireproof cork or linoleum that looks like cork to use as flooring in the 15' X 15' display space. Any ideas out there?!