Time for Fall Displays!

 
Fall isn't here yet - but it's time for fall displays!

We're all in a summer vacay mode, I know...
but if you haven't begun planning and installing your fall merchandise & displays yet, get to work NOW and install them as soon as you can in August. That way you'll grab the attention of shoppers who are just gettin' in the autumn mood! 

Whether you own a brick and mortar store, an online shop, or sell in a booth at shows, it's always a good idea to look ahead. Consider it the same thing as watching the weather segment on the news to see the extended forecast - we want to know what's coming up, how to plan, and what to expect... 

In retail psychology, applying this to the presentation (visual merchandising & display) of your products also creates a sense of urgency - a reason to buy NOW: 'Get this season's products before they are gone, and be ready to get the next season's hot deals as soon as they release!' Being ahead of the curve by planning and getting those new products out on display BEFORE the new season is a must.

HOW do you do that for fall? Here are some of my top tips:

Fixtures made of warm wood or painted in natural tones will set off the merchandise - and the style is up to you. A rustic wood picnic table is the perfect setting for some woodsy tableware and linens with an outdoor or camping theme, while a sleek lacquered walnut bookcase can present books, food products, candles, and glassware with contemporary flair. 


Build a seasonal look for fall by bringing in the elements from outdoors in every display... one might have a large real tree branch with crisp leaves hung overhead to bring a mood to a table set beneath it, or a rustic planter with a real grapevine 'zhooshed' up with faux leaves and grape bunches, to set off the wine theme merchandise. Try adding a small stack of split firewood or kindling in a glass jar to a display of woodland scent candles... it doesn't take a lot!


The warm tones seen in nature and food in autumn are a perfect base to build on for the season... the hues of farms, fields, produce, and landscapes aging into faded colors add warmth as the weather begins to shift. The addition of books, pillows, blankets, candles, and other similar elements to displays will create a sense of layering, coziness, and warmth that your customers will want to replicate in their rooms and on their tables.


Continue reading for links to posts filled with autumn display inspiration... 

Art Show Booth Concept Design

..

I recently had the joy of assisting Leah Nadeau, a contemporary artist based in Portland, Oregon, in making a huge leap forward in her career by helping her to design and set up her booth display at the renowned Palm Springs Modernism Show. 

(Yes, I AM still retired! The fact that I am not publicly marketing my services any longer doesn't keep me from stepping up occasionally to assist creatives and small business owners by using the skills that I have honed over more than half a century.)  When this talented artist posted on Instagram that she was in need of help at this show in my area, I volunteered. She graciously accepted - enthusiastically! And together, we created a concept and a plan, then put that plan into action as we met at the Palm Springs Convention Center on setup day before the show opened.

Let me share the design-to-installation process with you, along with some 'adventures' that were had along the way...

Design always begins with a goal.
While any activity involving the purchase of goods has an obvious goal (sales), in this case the main goal was to present the artist's artwork in the best way possible - in a way that reflected not just the style of her art, but what inspires her, what she communicates via her art, and how she wants the viewer to experience her art.  

In addition, this artist did this show to expand the exposure of her art, reaching new clients for the art on display in the booth and to reach more clients who desire custom commissioned work. This meant that her art displayed in her booth had to communicate in various ways to various groups of people... and this show attracts more than 15 thousand people over three days every February, and her efforts would be seen by all of them!

For those who came to purchase art during the show, there needed to be a variety of sizes, color palettes, and types of art available - from canvas & framing options to pricing levels, there had to be choices that would appeal to a span of potential buyers.

For those who came to the show to discover new artists with the goal of having custom commissioned work done later, her display needed to show some variety to grab their interest - and she prepared a GORGEOUS catalog with imagery and information about her commission process. It was one of the best pieces of marketing material that I have EVER seen. One of her friends helped her create it - and that's why we say 'It takes a tribe' to succeed. 

Another aspect of her presence at the show was to gather new contacts for her mailing list and to lead people to her website - where she sells more than just original paintings. She offers glassware, textiles, home & gift goods, and seasonal decor elements featuring her art online, but those weren't allowed to be sold at this show. She brought a few of those items and we used them as 'props' on the table in her booth.

You can see how multi-faceted the design for the booth needed to be to meet these criteria. With those parameters and goals in place, the design process began...

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 steps you can take to implement this information...

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 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!

continue reading for easy steps you can take...

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  .  Holiday Inspiration

It's a Small, Mall World...

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

O Christmas Tree  .  Tree Trimming Play-by-Play

Vintage Tea Party Theme .  White Christmas Theme

Eye Candy Theme  .  Counting Down the Days

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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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???

.  

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...

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...

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!

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

.

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

 

NEW 'Specialty Shop Retailing' Book

the 4th edition of the book Specialty Shop Retailing released last month,

with this revised and expanded edition offering an in-depth education for any retailer.

aimed at stores offering a specific product mix to a targeted niche demographic, 

the wealth of information within the pages will be of help to every retailer - 

from those who've grown up to take over a venerable family business 

to the entrepreneurial generation striking out to make their own mark.

whether you've been at it for years, or are just starting out, 

this book WILL help you - so get your hands on it and read it cover to cover!

I've spent a lifetime providing visual merchandising services to specialty retailers large and small - 

wineries, hotel gift shops, scrapbooking stores, local yarn shops, and finally,

the highly niche-dependent Walt Disney Corporation.

as i have learned through hands-on experience and through success and failure,

this kind of retail is not the same as 'we offer it all' department or big box stores, 

and this book provides an educational resource for attaining success in your specialty niche.

I highly recommend it!

author Carol Schroeder and I have been speakers at the same retail industry events for decades.

we have concurrently contributed to many of the same retail resources, 

including a killer visual merchandising Pinterest board ;) 

I am honored that she asked for a contribution from me for this book...

Carol included this photo of one of my displays for a winery on page 171,

in the 'Visual Merchandising: Displays That Sell' chapter:

I agree with Carol that this display works well as an example of cross-merchandising,

from the juxtaposition of products, textures, and shapes to the 'lifestyle' presentation style.

a 'vignette' of furniture and decorative accessories - linens, pottery, and floral elements - 

adds visual interest to the massed shelving of product (wine) accessible to shoppers,

and inspires customers to buy more than just wine...

which is the main reason to use this style of display:

offer more than expected to entice customers to increase their purchases.

click to see more of my winery displays in my portfolio

the book is available through major retailers - but let's go with the spirit of it,

and order/purchase from small specialty retailers!
Carol sells the book at her own store, Orange Tree Imports, 

and online at IndieBound.org and SpecialtyShopRetailing.com 

Vintage Vendor Space Makeover

BEFORE

Let's talk about vendor booths in stores. 

Vintage, antique, handmade - doesn't matter what they sell,

they have to deal with limitations of space and lighting in every situation.

I recently had the opportunity to make over a vendor booth, 

so I thought I'd share the process...

The photo above shows you an 8' X 10' room inside a multi-vendor store.
That vendor moved to a larger room, and a new vendor took over the space...

(I'm showing you this shot so you can see the huge difference as the space progresses)

Once Vendor 1 moved out, the room looked like the top row of images in the photo below: 

empty. and filled with blue light, most of it from the overhead florescent fixture. 

The challenges here: 

counteract the blue light. warm it up.
make the space seem larger. infuse some personality into the room to help tell a story. 

oh - and it all has to be removable, non-permanent, and CHEAP. 

sure, I can do that ;) 

 In the center of that photo, you'll see the 'DURING' segment.

,

In this phase, I brought in wall and window treatments that accomplished the main goals:
Warm up the space - the aged, yellow-gold tones of the vintage book pages & sheet music

help to counteract the blue-white walls and blue light present in the room.
To overcome that florescent fixture, I covered it with yellowed piano player music rolls.

The light is now MUCH warmer, without making a change to the bulbs.

Below, you can see details of the wall treatments that I created...

On the left below, which is actually the wall on the right as you enter the room,

I created panels of pages by gluing them onto simple posterboard sheets.
This made installation quick, easy, and possible for one person to handle alone (that would be ME)

and it also makes this effect easy to remove when the time comes.

I was able to create the panels in my studio beforehand, saving me time and money

over having to apply pages and pages directly to the wall.

On the right below, which is the wall on the left as you enter the room!, 

is a collage 'art piece' made up of a few more posterboard panels, an old projection screen,

player piano music rolls, and miscellaneous items like boxes, hooks, and books.

 The photo above shows a larger view of the left wall 'art collage',

which was created to utilize vertical wall space for the display of jewelry and wall art.

The hooks, boxes, and even folded pages of books will hold merchandise

well within reach of customers. Plus it's really unique and eye-catching!

The window, shown in the photo below, was partially covered with a 'valance' 

made out of piano player music rolls hung from a simple curtain rod.

The panels help to diffuse the blue light coming in (and keep you from seeing the metal security bars outside).

You can also see that I treated the funky shutters on the wall as a 'window',

adding a canvas' awning' above it from two curtain rods and a set of brackets.
(Eventually, when we find a mirror that fits the hole in the wall behind those shutters,

we'll install it and open up the shutters to enhance the 'window' effect - 

and the mirror will bounce more light around the room.)

Once the 'backdrop' was in place, I brought in some basic table fixtures to hold merchandise - 

a long, narrow table on the longest wall and a round tall table to the left inside the door.

The rocking chair, wood ladder holding the sign, and mannequin (under the coat) are funky props

that add interest and will hold a plethora of products.

This approach utilized the narrow space efficiently, and make it seem larger.

Then the merchandise was loaded in,

filling the tables, art collage wall, mannequin, window, and rocking chair with treasures

both vintage and handmade. That brings us to the 'AFTER' part of the photo.
(NOTE: this is not the same vendor that occupied this room in the top 'before' photo)

Now I'd like you to scroll back up to the first photo I shared.... it's ok, I'll wait!
Look at that room, and then scroll back down here and look at THIS room.
Both photos of the room were taken from exactly the same vantage point.

They don't even look like the same room, do they? 

The lower one seems to be wider, not quite so tall and skinny, and clearly warmer.
You can't see everything offered in one glance... things are hidden.

The room welcomes you in. It invites you to browse and discover what's offered,

 and take a bit of this mood home with you.

THAT, my friends, is why visual details count. 
It's all an illusion. And it can work in your favor.

Need help with YOUR space? Shoot me an email!