Design Services

Visual Impact Evaluation
a multi-faceted review of your visual impact


I offer a full review of your space (store, show booth, mall booth, etc.) to identify areas in need of improvement. I will analyze the effectiveness of your practices in the following areas:

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 space use and floor plan layout (fixtures, traffic flow, visual sight lines)
lighting, signage, music
your logo, brand visuals, and brand color palette - including your online presence
window displays, exterior signage, and exterior visual impact
interior displays - style, placement, and visual impact

virtual review

I provide this service remotely using via email + photos + video, so your participation is key to how I 'see' your space in the materials you send to me. You provide me with photos, video, and a sketch of the layout/floor plan of your space via email, along with links to your online business social media, and those are used as the basis of how i 'see' your retail space. The virtual review process can be completed within seven days of receiving materials and payment from you (unless during a holiday period or I am otherwise scheduled; time frame and payment method will be discussed with you).

in-store review (not currently available)

For businesses located in the Southern California region, I offer in-person store visit reviews (when my schedule allows). In-Store Reviews offer a more in-depth level of observation and information of your retail sales space, operations, and opportunities for improvement and growth. 
The in-store review process can be completed within ten days following my store visit (unless during a holiday period or I am otherwise scheduled; time frame will be discussed with you).  

After I complete this review, I provide you with a document and an annotated sketch of your floor plan with notes on areas that need action steps to improve. My goal is to address the things you see as 'problems' AND to show you things that you may not recognize as needing attention, so that you can observe your selling space through my objective view. I also point out the things you are doing well, so that you can expand those practices into other areas of your business. Once you recognize the challenges, you may have your own solutions in mind, which is great! You may also decide that you want to take the next step and hire me to assist you with the specifics of the space.


This evaluation of your current business visual impact status and review of your challenges is the first step in working with me. Previously, I offered this as 'phase one' of both my visual merchandising and my visual concept design (store/space planning) services. By separating this to be a stand-alone service, you gain the opportunity to work with me on a short-term project, so that you may see how I will approach the visual design process in regard to your specific business.


I will send you my recommendations for the next step, which would be hiring me to assist you with visual concept design, visual merchandising, or brand design - depending on the areas most in need of attention. Should you choose to continue working with me and hire me to provide one of those servicesthe fee for the review will be deducted from the fees for the secondary service.

*Please note that with
 this service, I do not provide solutions - the purpose here is to determine what areas need to be addressed, leading to the next step - my specific retail design services - where i provide cost-effective suggestions, solutions, and tools along with a plan of actions to be undertaken.* 

Email me at debi.wardkennedy@gmail.com to begin!
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Visual Merchandising 
(not currently available)
retail stores / show booths / wineries

I design and arrange products and merchandise in retail, wholesale, and creative spaces for maximum visual impact and functionality. Displays stem from original ideas to educate & inspire customers, enhance merchandise, and express the brand for brick and mortar stores, trade show booths, booths at antique/artisan shows, and artist studios/classrooms.

Elements of this service: 
"Telling YOUR Story" through effective and inspiring product displays
window displays - scale, style, color and visual impact
interior displays - style, placement, style, and visual impact
* custom prop creation and sourcing also available

review your store and merchandise (in person or via email + photos) and then along with you identify and define new display opportunities. I design and provide solutions and ideas for successful displays and can create planograms for your staff to follow OR style your displays myself. 

Read more about my retail and show booth display services here

Clients include
Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery . Hogue Cellars Winery . Columbia Winery . COSTCO Home Store
 AMC Associates wholesale . PMA Associates wholesale . Sharyn Sowell Art Studio . Rita Reade Mammabelarte Show Booth . Retreat Design Show Booths . The Vintage Marketplace Show .
Employers include
The Walt Disney Company/Disneyland Resort . Howard Johnson Hotel . Hickory Farms . JeansWest

Award Winning Display: Molbaks Garden+Home Store + Show Booth 
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Visual Concept Design
retail store / art studio / show booth space design

I design and arrange retail, wholesale, and creative spaces for maximum visual impact and functionalityMy goal is always to do so with cost-efficiency and originality as I assist clients in making smart choices to reflect their brand ethos. Many of my re-design projects have involved economical 'use what you have' design services, for brick and mortar stores, trade show booths, booths at antique/artisan shows, and artist studios/classrooms.

Elements that I address, separately or combined:
* space use and floor plan layout (fixtures, traffic flow, visual sight lines)
lighting, music, and air flow/temperature
your logo, brand visuals, and brand color palette - "Telling YOUR Story"
window displays, signage, and exterior visual impact
interior displays - style, placement, and visual impact

review your space (in person (not currently available)  or via email + photos) and along with you identify areas for improvement. I design and provide solutions and ideas for successful changes AND the cost-effective tools to accomplish those changes. Merchandise display planning / styling also available.

Read more about my retail and show booth space design services here
Read more about my Artful Makeovers creative space design services here

Clients include
Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery . Hogue Cellars Winery . Columbia Winery . COSTCO Home Store
Serendipity Yarn . Seattle Yarn . Wild Fibers . AMC Associates wholesale . PMA Associates wholesale Sharyn Sowell Art Studio . Rita Reade Mammabelarte Show Booth . Retreat Design Show Booths
Award Winning Design: Molbaks Garden+Home Store + Show Booth . Two Dogs Design Show Booth . Dual Crossroads . Crown City Tire auto care 
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Brand Design
logo / social media content / signage

I design logos and brand identities for retail, wholesale, and creative artists, to reflect and express all of the attributes of the products, services, and value they offer their customers. Along with representing the values of the business, the use of logos and brand color palettes & vocabularies achieves maximum visual impact for a business.

This service is popular with
 brick and mortar stores, trade show booths, booths at antique/artisan shows, and online stores. Goals include improving visibility of your business both in person and online, increasing recognition of your brand, and educating and inspiring potential customers on first sight.

Elements of this service: 
"Telling YOUR Story" in the design of your logo + color palette + brand vocabulary
creation of all digital logo materials for use in print, signage, and on social media accounts
* creation of a plan for logo use in your retail space (signage, cards, projections, etc.) to reflect your brand

review your current logo, online presence, retail space + merchandise (in person or via email + photos), give you my feedback, then create ideas for an updated / new logo and brand definition including color palette and vocabulary. You review those ideas, and we move forward together in the design process until we reach the point where what I create is a perfect expression of how you want your customers to see and remember your business. 

Read more about my views on logo + brand design here


Clients include
PMA Associates wholesale . Sharyn Sowell Art Studio . The Vintage Marketplace Show . Retreat Design Show Booths . Dual Crossroads . Crown City Tire Auto Care . homewardFOUND . Vintage Lily . Aidan & Audrey . Reclaimed . Two Dogs Design show booth at SFGIF . Poppyseeds . RoseMarie .
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Artful Makeovers (not currently available)
studios / offices / classrooms / vendor booths

I re-design your creative spaces (studios, offices, classrooms) for maximum effectiveness, functionality, and visual impactGoals include improving work flow and placement + storage of items used in your creative process, increasing productivity, and inspiring your work by surrounding you with a visual image of your brand.

Elements of this service: 
"Telling YOUR Story" through visual references to your brand image
creating a work triangle and zones to increase your effectiveness
re-thinking fixtures, storage, and work areas
* shopping your house, garage, and possibly thrift stores to find what you need inexpensively

review your creative space (in person or via email + photos) and then along with you identify and define goals for organization and function - AND visual display opportunities. I design and provide solutions and ideas for successful use of your space, with a focus on designing it to 'tell your story' by using your brand identity as a starting point.

Read more about my artful makeover services here


Clients include
Sharyn Sowell, professional artist . Kim Allistair Caldwell / Artistic Bliss Designs, vintage-inspired product designer + instructor 
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Live Seminar Presentation(not currently available)
Topics: show booth / art studio / retail store design and re-design . visual merchandising + display . visual brand image

custom-tailor content to your audience demographic [local yarn shops or northwest antique dealers, for example], including relevant resources and information geared directly to your attendee's needs. My goal is to provide actionable ideas that they can take home and use immediately.

My presentations utilize photos, on-stage product displays, and multi-page handouts filled with notes, resources, and ideas. Creating on-stage displays is my thing!
This practice enables me to move items as I speak, showing attendees the 'how' and 'why' of the science of retail merchandising & display. There aren't many speakers who go to the trouble to do this... I consider it the best way to communicate visually with a room filled with people who want to learn to communicate visually!

I provide a Q and A session following my presentation, allowing your attendees to ask questions specific to their own store needs. This can be done with ad-hoc questions taken from the audience, or pre-selected queries with photos sent in prior to the event.

Read more about my seminar topics and see photos of some of my stage displays here

Clients 
include:
The San Francisco International Gift show . The Seattle Gift Show . The Portland Gift ShowThe Denver Gift & Accessories Show . Yarn Market News Magazine Smart Business Conferences Washington State Bed & Breakfast Association Convention
Launch Your Creativity Women's Business Events . Willows Lodge Girlfriend's Weekend Events
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Freelance Writing Projects

Topics: r
etail visual merchandising + display . visual concept design for creative studio spaces, retail stores, show booths + showrooms . s
easonal decorating for the DIY audience . vintage/antique shows + events . Disney

Since 2000, I have been a contributing writer to over 25 publications in the retail industry and DIY home decor lifestyle market. My articles, interviews, and regular columns have been published both in print and online. My design blog has been online since 2001, and is considered a top resource for creative retail visual merchandising content.

For links to my published work online, click here.

Clients include
Entrepreneur Magazine . design*sponge . Vintage Indie . Gift Shop Magazine . GiftBeat Magazine
Country Business / Smart Retailer Magazine . Puget Sound Business Journal . Booksellers News . Disney Darlings
OneCoast Retailer / Snap!Retail Website . Supplier Global Resource . Gift + Home Channel Website
Yarn Market News Magazine . Retail Design + Technology Magazine . Western Show News . HomeTALK 
FOLK Magazine . JOYful Home & Life . Broadway + Thresher Magazine . Creating Vintage Charm Magazine
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How to Hire Me here