A Window Display is 'Painting a Picture'

Retail Visual Merchandising is 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 window display brought that together with actual fine art...

Continue reading to find Artful Display ideas!

Use Pantone's 2025 Color of the Year 'Mocha Mousse' in Winter Displays

Is the holiday season wearing you out?

Have you got the Winter Woes?

These photos show one effective way to move forward

after the holiday shopping rush has slowed:

incorporate the 'it' color of the new year into your displays. 

The new 'color of the year' for 2025 from Pantone,

'The Color Authority' - is 'Mocha Mousse'. 

Adding this hue to a few displays isn't hard at all - 

and no, you don't have to have NEW product in this color!

The rich hues of brown appear in 'everyday' elements:

wood fixtures, luxurious linens, and accessories like

'pine cone' candles, rusty brown metal pots & furnishings.

Pairing brown with white ceramic serving pieces and accents

lightens the look and reflects a woodsy winter landscape,

as do the foraged large brown wood branches in pots.

Add small details, like wrapping a few empty boxes

in brown satin linens then placing it on a cake pedestal

to add a whimsical touch - a cake?! - to catch the eye.

Another whimsical touch here is the inclusion

of happy polka-dot pattern glassware,

which attracts attention + coordinates with the white ceramics.

Building a display around a color is easy - 

just gather up items you already have in that hue,

or introduce the color in a backdrop or accent pieces.

This approach allows you to re-mix staple lines you carry

to interest your customers (and gift card recipients!)

and include unsold holiday merchandise in a way

that doesn't look 'leftover' at all!

These photos originally appeared on my blog in 2010 and 2022.

Continue reading for more ideas to help you

 create effective displays AFTER the holiday season...

Ho Ho Holiday Displays!

 

current search results are sending viewers here to my blog for
 Retail Holiday Display Ideas... 
so I've compiled a list of my posts on those subjects for easy access!

[ click on each title for links ]

My Top Ten Holiday Ornament Tips!

The Holiday Season - Redefined

It's a Small, Mall World...

It Takes a Village  .  It Takes a Village (part 2)

O Christmas Tree

Holiday Inspiration

Eye Candy

Tree Trimming Play-by-Play

Vintage Tea Party Decor

White Christmas

Counting Down the Days

What To Do AFTER the Holidays

Rethinking Leftover Holiday Stock

 Display Basics can be found in my videos on YouTube !

this content originally appeared on my blog in 2019

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Vintage Fall Display Inspiration

from 2012 to 2017, i worked with and for Rita Reade,

the proprietor of the creative vintage business Mammabellarte 

and co-founder, along with her sister-in-love, artist Christie Repasy, 
of The Vintage Marketplace vintage show in Southern California.

Rita hired me as her visual designer and stylist

to style all of her beautiful creations into an inspiring booth setting for each show,
as well as doing the same for the entrance to the show as a photo backdrop.

you'll find that many of the techniques & tips used here
are just in time for vendors doing fall shows,
as well as fall store window displays!

continue reading for all of the usable details...

Summer Display Switch-Up!

I'd like to revisit an archived post, to show you how making a fast, simple but large-scale change

can make an incredible impact in your retail displays for the summer season...

Come with me on a lil' trip into the past!

 I created displays for Columbia Winery in Washington state for six years. Here's the 'logo' wall made of faux tumbled marble tiles in the front entry of the shop, filled with spring merchandise.When it came time to install the new summer displays one year, we had a bit of a dilemma: The summer merchandise is very contemporary, and in colors of white, silver, and blues. With that warm-tone, old-world style tile mural, we had some serious clashing going on that did nothing at all for the product.

I needed a solution.

Enter two very large mirrors that I had on hand, purchased for decor at a previous Auction of Washington Wines Winemaker Dinner. I decided to use those mirrors to cover up the tile. (IKEA, $135. each). I had my design assistant Karen help me heft them up onto the table, then I wired them to the sidewalls. There was still some tile showing, so I hung a white drapery panel on the side. In front of that went one of the two driftwood trellises that I purchased last year as summer props. On the top, to camouflage about six inches of tile, I hung white shutters at an angle - very 'Tommy Bahama'. Other shutters went beneath the table to lighten up the shadowed area a bit.

The result?

It was shockingly different from the previous look, and got a LOT of positive comments!

The mirror not only reflected the natural light coming in the windowed front doors straight across from it,

but it also bounced light from the overhead trac fixtures right down onto the glass merchandise.

Here's a shot of the entire main display, including the forward area with wine feature.

The tables are made from driftwood, and are for sale. Those driftwood trellises weren't for sale. The white chair was mine, and also was not for sale, just a prop. (That I fished out of a dumpster - really!)

It took maybe half an hour to install the mirrors, curtain, shutters, and props for that front display.

  Well worth it, wouldn't you say?

Now, think about what you might be able to do in your retail space....

with some old doors, or a section of cedar fencing, or maybe even salvaged rusty corrugated tin roofing.

The possibilities are endless, 

and the impact of a big change could be just what you need for the summer season.

Now.....where are my sunglasses? I'm heading for the beach......

this content originally appeared here on DWK visual merchandising blog in 2007.
photos mine, copyright reserved. 

what's in YOUR windows for the summer season???

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summer is here (unofficially) and if you haven't done it yet,
it's time to refresh shop windows AND online photos for the season.
gather up the red, white, and blue products & props in your storage room
and let's get you in motion to create effective displays!

my best VM tip:
Selecting a general theme and a seasonal color palette is what works for us in this resale store.
The choice of a patriotic palette for summertime is easy, and draws customers like flies.
It can work for you, too, no matter what you sell - 
because a window 'set' that can simply be filled up with new products on arrival
saves everyone time & effort.

continue reading for classic summer display ideas,
created for an upscale thrift/resale store in Southern California...

Spring Fling

It's still cold, gray, wet, and miserable....and winter isn't about to let go yet.

But are you offering your customers a healthy dose of Spring Inspiration?

You should be!

Continue reading for some ideas to help you get started...

Have 'Leftovers' for Valentine's Day!

Restyling old products to create a new look - taking something and making it look totally different by combining it with something else, using a different color to set it off, etc. - is something I really enjoy. And it's an effective way to lengthen the 'shelf life' of merchandise instead of just putting it on clearance. Keep those profit margins UP, that's the goal.

...continue reading for some of my top tips for 're-using' and re-theming merch!

Re-Style Unsold 'Holiday' Merch for Winter Profits

So, your Holiday merchandise didn't sell like you thought it would.
No problem. No, really.... there's still hope for some of it. 
(And no, I don't mean mark it all 90 percent off!)

Let's salvage all that we can and turn it into winter displays!

for example, those ornaments above.....
silver, with red felt dots. Some others in the collection say 'Love'.

So they didn't sell....well, then let's make lemons into lemonade
and create a big red Valentine's day display!
Those ornaments could be heaped into a huge heart-shaped box,
made to look like bon bons.

continue reading for more ideas and examples of re-styled merch
that transitions from holiday to winter - and makes more profit for you!

Plan NOW for Holiday Season Success!

I know, it's October... but I'm going there.

Are there boxes of Christmas merchandise stacked and waiting for floor space?

Most of you are saying yes right about now.

Relax - you've done the easy part. But you're not done yet!

Because the hard part is that you need to have a plan ready

for how, where, when, and why those boxes of product will make it to the sales floor.

And you need that plan NOW, my friends.

Before you pull an all-nighter to set it up. Before you leave a list of 'to do's' with the staff.

Before you have the invites for your big holiday decor unveiling event printed.

(You ARE having a big unveiling event, aren't you?) Before your ads hit the media.

Retailers count on the holiday season for a large percentage of their annual income,
and it makes sense to plan for it. 

But far too many businesses just roll the stuff out on carts and start stuffing it into displays. 

Don't sabotage yourselves! 

With a bit of planning, you can reap all of the benefits of a successful Holiday season.

continue reading for my top tips for planning your holiday displays...

Back To School Windows

The calendar (and the weather!) may still be saying 'summer', 

but fall is on the way....

bringing hordes of 'back to school' shoppers out of the pool and into stores.

It's time to catch their eye with some FUN window displays!

At the resale store where I created visuals with a dynamo named Debby, 

we created two distinct stories in the two front windows:

One geared toward kids, and the other toward teens.

continue reading to see the details and learn why they work...

before & after: retail display solutions

A successful retail display doesn't just happen.

it is the result of a combination of knowing the science of retail principles

and the art of composition and placement. 

Both combine to create a 3D work of art that invites customers in - 

and results in sales of product.

There are some retail display design principles that are oh-so-perfectly illustrated

by the following 'before and after shots',

and to discuss them means that I have to critique the 'befores'.

So while I point out all of the flaws in the design below,

know that I realize someone worked hard putting it together...

they just didn't know the most effective way to do so.

continue reading as i describe what was wrong -
and how easily those challenges were addressed...

@ Liberty: Patriotic Vintage Display

Imagine, if you will, Lady Liberty... 
stepping down from her pedestal on Ellis Island to enjoy a summer yachting excursion.

That, in a nutshell, is the premise behind the summer theme
in my friend Liz's booth in an antique mall in San Diego!

Liz hired me to assist her in gaining some serious WOW factor in her booth,
which is in the WINDOW of the gorgeous shop.
She brought the goods, and I helped her with a design plan and styling services.

... and I think I can safely say that her booth is definitely a WOW!

See the fireworks after the jump.....

Artful Spring Window Display

Retail Window Display is an art form....
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!

Successful Vintage Show Booth Design

Over the past twenty years, I've presented seminars to vintage vendors
at an antique show in the Pacific Northwest and at a vintage show in Southern California.
I've also written articles about vintage/antique shows for magazines,
AND participated as a vendor in some of the best vintage shows in the country.

After providing LOADS of information in my fast-paced one hour presentations, 
I provided the vendors with handouts filled with everything I spoke about [and more] 
so that they could refer to it later.
[the truth is, I talk so fast that they could never 'take notes' to capture everything I said!!]

A few years ago, I made that handout available here on my retail design blog.
Since it's always helpful for vintage and antique vendors to learn 
the principles of visual merchandising and display 
in a way that directly relates to their industry,
I am happy to share the information with you again!

 Click the 'read more' link for more info...

Winter Display with Brand Style

Retail display is as much about telling your brand story as it is selling products...

This is a January display in the front of a winery gift shop
[one of several where I provided visual merchandising + retail design services] 

It's a perfect mix for this 'bridge' season of late winter - early spring. 

Better yet, it starts inspiring customers the MOMENT they walk in,
enticing them with wonderful products beautifully presented
to enhance their enjoyment of wine, food, entertaining, and fine living. 

This area of the shop, straight in front of the entry doors,
served as a statement of who the business IS and what they offer their customer -
and THAT is branding 101.

I loved this area and coming up with seasonal themes for it - 

it's the first thing you saw when you walk into the winery. 

Because of the location, it was dramatic. So we always went BIG here.

In this winter display, we integrated large-scale props reflecting nature outside:

Product features are most importantly the wine with the newly designed label,
along with sculptural pieces of Vietri pottery in white ceramic, 

gorgeous brown linens, whimsical dotted glassware,
large rusty planters used as pedestals, and furniture made of branch-shaped metal + raw wood.

Props are HUGE moss-covered tree branches paired with fake ferns and florals

that reflect the natural theme of the products. 

 Lest you think that it's all about going big, here's proof that even small details matter:

More Vietri from the front display, this time a cake pedestal. 

My assistant for the day, my daughter Anni took one look at it and said "It needs a cake!"
- but we did not have a cake.

She went to work with a few stacked nested baskets and napkins,
quickly creating this confection as a perfect finishing touch. 

that inspired customers to purchase every last cake pedestal in the display!

 Tell Your Story Visually, because no one else can do it like you can... 

winter displays,retail display,display ideas,seasonal display,brand image,winter,display tips,

Top 5 Tips for Winter Displays

Did the holiday season do you in?
Have you got the Winter Woes?
I have some previous content that can help you
to create effective displays AFTER the holiday season...

 Click on each caption below to view
my Top 5 Tips to increase your
'post-holiday' winter visual impact
and sell MORE product!

Focus on Winter In Your Windows

Fill Your Entry Zone with NEW Products

Re-Stage Some Of Your Leftover Holiday Merchandise

Re-Mix Products to Reflect a Winter Palette + Mood

Share The Love

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Five Ways to Increase Your Brand's Visual Impact

People always ask me how to create fabulous displays...
but the truth is, your visual impact as a business
starts BEFORE you ever put products in your store.

When I work with clients to design their retail environments and displays,

I start with this principle: ‘Tell Your Own Story’ in all visual communications.

Make your brand a consistent expression of your business’ individual mission, purpose, style, and products or services – and then leverage that brand by using it in every visual medium at your disposal. This is the main opportunity for you to show your potential customers why YOU are different than others – be proud of your individuality and build on it.

Let me explain that concept this way: Have you ever tasted a Cabernet wine?

If you were to taste one each from Walla Walla, Yakima, Horse Heaven Hills, Indian Wells – all regions in the Eastern half of Washington state – you’d find that not all Cabernets are created equally. The vineyards each have distinct variations in soil content, rainfall, sun exposure, and other conditions, which cause the vines to grow grapes that have vastly different sugar and acid levels, affecting their taste (‘palate’). When harvested and fermented, those variances result in wine that is unique to that grape varietal in that particular location – a Cabernet from Walla Walla is not like a Cabernet from Yakima, or Italy, or France, or Napa, or anywhere else. Your business is not like any other – no matter what you sell, you’re unique because of all of the distinct variations and characteristics that make up your business.

In the wine industry, this concept is called ’Terrior’ (Tehr WAH) – loosely translated, it means ‘Pride of Place’. Or, ‘I’m a proud product of where I come from’. Wineries utilize this concept in the marketing and positioning of their businesses within the industry and to the consumer, by capitalizing on the uniqueness of their terrior. They combine their location, history, resources, processes, mission, and ultimately their product, to create a brand identity that Tells Their Own Story. It’s much the same concept as selling designer jeans or mineral makeup or floral design services – your competition is selling the same basic thing, and it’s your brand image that talks. Be a proud product of ‘where you come from’!

continue reading for more tips...

Red, White, Blue... #WhatsInYOURWindows ?

  

summer is here (unofficially) and if you haven't done it yet,
it's time to refresh shop windows AND online photos for the season.
gather up the red, white, and blue products & props in your storage room
and let's get you in motion to create effective displays!

continue reading for classic summer display ideas,
created for an upscale thrift/resale store in Southern California...

Spring Forward!

Is your shop ready for SPRING yet?
[ I promise, it WILL get here! It always does! ]

Even if you are buried in a snow drift, the next season is what's on your customers' minds...

create interesting and inspiring displays of fresh, new product (and re-mixed old products)

to help them prepare for sunnier days!

Find all of my past posts with Spring display ideas HERE

More inspiration is on my Pinterest Retail Display Board