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... 

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 a resale store in Southern California...
plus links to MORE posts with MORE ideas!

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!

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...

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...

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!

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

 

Fall Display Inspiration

Fall isn't here YET... but it's coming!
If you haven't begun planning and installing your fall merchandise & displays yet,

don't worry - just get to work NOW and get them up by August 1st,

 and you'll grab the segment of shoppers who are just gettin' in the mood!

It's always a good idea to get out of our day-to-day mindset and 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, what to expect... 

In business, that can mean taking a singular message or concept, 

and creating a visual merchandising plan or an advertising or event plan 

that builds it from month to month or season to season. 

This basically tells your customers what to expect from you in the near future - 

and gives them something to look forward to. 

In retail psychology, it 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 seasons's hot deals as soon as they release!'

.

I've rounded up some fall-specific posts from my archives to inspire you:

Fall Reset Tips

Vintage Fall Displays

Autumn Alternatives

Wall Display Inspiration

Fall Store ReSet

Back to School Windows

Vintage Booth Display

Display Tips for Your Home Decor

...just a few of the fall merchandise displays I've created over the years...

 

Don't forget to check out my seasonal content on social media!

 Pinterest . Facebook . Instagram

Scrumptious Summertime Displays!

It's summertime, and it's HOT.
Especially in Las Vegas, where I happened upon this sweet shop inside a resort hotel...
the yumminess visible in the window displays and that ice cream cart at the entrance

had me salivating on first sight.

One look at the happy pastel color palette and focused lighting in these tasty window displays,
and I was heading in the door...

Once inside, and past the ice cream cart at the door,

there were more bright, happy displays on fixtures that really make the products the star.

The space was arranged so well, leaving plenty of room for shopping and lines.
And I am quite certain that there ARE lines here.... it's in a very busy area.

When you get up close to the displays, you see the perfect details of each little treat:

... and I love the way they use 'product appropriate' props, 

like dessert pedestals and cutting boards and cookie jars!

The signage  - at the entry door, on the cash wrap, and in displays - is crisp, clear, and cute:

So here's the kicker, friends.....
IT'S SOAP!

Yes, every last deliciously beautiful treat in these photos is SOAP.
They smell as good as they look, too!

Their 'About Us' website page perfectly describes them: (read it, it's AWESOME)

 Nectar Bath Treats strives to create extraordinary products and fun customer experiences.

We take great pleasure in seeing people’s face when seeing our soap

confections for the very first time. The childlike whimsy and surprise of

experiencing a slice of cake that looks and smells like the real thing, 

but is, in fact, a bath & body treat inspires and motivates us to create

exceptionally charming products.

Mission Accomplished!

From branding to visuals to appealing to a wide scope of shoppers in their location,
to providing an island in the center of the store with sinks - so you can TRY the soaps -
there isn't a single thing I'd change. Even the staff was sweet and bubbly - PERFECTION!

.

This is what you expect to see in a bake shop,
(and honestly if a bake shop looks like this, I applaud them!)

but to see it in a SOAP STORE is astounding. Brilliant concept, through and through.

This company took soap outta' the bathroom and put it in the kitchen 

to make potential customers stop in their tracks  -and to tell their story.

So what's YOUR product? 

How can you create a visual concept and apply it 

 so that your store or booth or website stands out from everyone else doing what you do?

Need help? Let's Talk Shop! email me 

.
Find Nectar Bath Treats in Las Vegas

on Amazon and on the Nectar website
(which looks as yummy as their stores, btw)

Focus Displays on What Comes NEXT

What are you featuring in your windows and front zone displays right now?  

Have you restyled them to reflect the season and provide fresh inspiration -
or are you waiting for new merchandise to arrive?
It's very simple to refresh existing merchandise to look new and appealing to customers. 

It's important to get a fresh start immediately following the holidays! 

Your customers will be coming in with gift cards, gift certs, and money they received,
and they deserve to see fresh new ideas!
Inspiring them to buy what you offer can be as simple as taking what you already have
and combining it in a new way to reflect the season.

The tableware display shown in the photo above features white Vietri pottery,
along with luxe brown linens and whimsical dotted glassware.
A small, select group of merchandise here keeps the look clean and fresh.

Since this was during my stint creating displays for a winery, 

of course a lovely wine is a major presence. 

This look is a perfect mix for this 'bridge' season of late winter to early spring.
Simple, contemporary, classic, and warmth of color & textures draw the customer in.
Huge bare branches reflect the table legs and bring nature inside - 

you could even hang crystals (or leftover snowflake holiday ornaments) from the branches to add movement and sparkle to the display.

Most of the products shown here were in displays in the store during the Holidays:
the white Vietri was paired with red linens and snowflakes.
The brown linens were displayed with brown pottery and pinecones.
Combining them with new elements and a few fresh props creates a fabulous new look,
inspires your customers, AND saves you money. 

Go out on your sales floor and look at the components you already have - 

what possibilities exist to rethink, restyle, and sell them at full price right now?

Use leftover Christmas merch for Valentine's Day? Yep! Look HERE

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On Creativity...

This is so true, no matter what it is that you do as creative work.

And it is also true that many people never hear this information... 

they just toil away in silence, hoping and wishing for 'a break' to come. 

Scribbling and drawing, doodling and writing, scratching out sentences and paragraphs.
First drafts become fiftieth drafts... 

and the struggle to reach their lofty visions goes on.

This is how it IS, and how it is SUPPOSED to be. 

Those stories of 'overnight successes' are bunk.
Celebrity can come in an instant - and the instant is often quickly over. 

The phrase 'Fifteen minutes of fame' doesn't lie. 

[Though, admittedly, many celebs outlive that fifteen minutes somehow].

Creativity is a commitment to a pursuit.

You have a dream, a goal, a vision.

You work toward it every day. 

Maybe you can only squeeze in five minutes a day to be creative.

Great!

Snap a photo. Write a sentence. Sketch a scene. Flesh out an idea.

It builds your skills, your ability, your 'eye', your vision - exponentially.

Much like accrued interest on a savings account, 

this kind of devotion to the practice of a craft, an art, a creative work,

is what compounds daily and increases the value.

You just keep getting better at it the more you do it.

[Have you heard about the principle of Ten Thousand Hours?]

Just keep working.

[paraphrasing Dory there...]

Keep writing, or drawing, or snapping photos.

Whatever it is that you create, keep creating it.

And forget the 'published' or 'exhibited' credits...

Even if no one ever sees the work, it's building your vision.

It doesn't matter how long it takes.

One day, you will look at your own work

and smile 

and say out loud to yourself,

"Hey, I'm GOOD at this!"

(now get ready for your moment and cue the paparazzi)
________________________________________

art·ful

ˈärtfəl/

adjective

1. 1.

   (of a person or action) clever or skillful, typically in a crafty or cunning way.

   "her artful wiles"

   synonyms:

   sly, crafty, cunning, wily, scheming, devious, Machiavellian, sneaky, tricky,conniving, designing, calculating; More
2. 2.

   showing creative skill or taste.

   "an artful photograph of a striking woman"

   synonyms:

   skillful, clever, adept, adroit, skilled, expert "artful precision"

.

credits: original quote by Ira Glass . graphic image (top of post) by Sawyer Hollenshead

Make It Sparkle for Mother's Day

 Oftentimes, the simplest changes can make the biggest impact in a store or booth...
case in point is how you display your jewelry.  
With Mother's Day approaching, jewelry is high on the 'Hot List' of wanted gifts - 

so make it stand out in your store!

There are hundreds of ways, hundreds of fixtures you can purchase or that are provided by suppliers.
I tend to lean toward simplicity because I like the PRODUCT to be the star of the show.

Jewelry is such a small product, in a small scale, that making a visual impact with it is difficult.
I've posted about how to present your jewelry at shows and jewelry in windows before,

but recently I saw two ways to present delicate jewelry that sparked my interest....

The first, shown in the photos above and below, 

is a way to update those black velvet jewelry forms that seem to be in every store around... 

I saw this in the gift shop of the Mission San Luis Rey, California:
simply wrap them up in some thin cotton muslin fabric, stapling as you go to create a smooth look.

The result is a neutral background that helps bounce light (instead of absorbing it, as black does)

that will set off jewelry in any tone.
I've seen new versions made with burlap - but burlap is a tough fabric to try a DIY project with.
Note that these light-colored forms are placed inside a dark wood cabinet.
The contrast created contributes to the stand-out effect.

*I recommend this presentation for everything except fine jewelry.

You won't ever do better than using a dark velvet or satin fabric 

as a background for presenting sparkling diamonds and precious stones. 

Shades of black, navy blue, espresso brown, deep emerald, and deep charcoal are best for those products. 

They bring out the sparkle like nothing else can*

The second solution is a DIY one, executed with aplomb and style

by a vendor at the recent JunkBonanza antique show in San Diego, CA.
Sacred Heart Studios created neck forms from salvaged wood - to great effect.

Simply cut shapes from old wood (and the marvelous patina inherent in the grain) 

add stunning texture to displays in this vintage & reclaimed furniture booth, 

bringing the eye directly to the beautiful jewelry made from salvaged metals and findings.

When your jewelry is THIS unique, your props and forms should speak the same language.

She's looking into producing these forms for sale, so check with her website for availability!

What else can you do to freshen up your jewelry displays?

*Bring nature in: branches, bark, rocks, sand, shells, moss/lichen all add texture

and will set off the colors and themes of the jewelry you sell.

*Go for contrast: like the suggestion to pair deep rich velvet with sparkling jewels up above,

think about using matte finish fabrics and surfaces paired with shiny metallic jewelry - 

and vice versa. Use dark color backgrounds with light jewelry, as well as the opposite.

* Imagery Sells: pages pulled from magazines or books will help you 'Tell A Fashion Story':
Pair high fashion shots of shoes, handbags, and dresses with color-coordinated jewelry.
Use the images laying flat, create a collage on the wall behind a jewelry display, and

bend images around vases and boxes to add 3-D effects to the display.
See my ideas for using paper in jewelry displays.

*Sell The Dream: Breakfast at Tiffanys. Need I say more?
Well, YES! See what I have to say about merchandising in the iconic film set.

*Be Original: Use fixtures and props that create and express your brand image.
See what this vintage show vendor did that made me stop in my tracks...
and this vintage show vendor who created a gallery-quality booth.

 and this boutique's unique solutions for presenting such tiny products in a BIG way.

Now you have the tools and ideas to improve your jewelry presentation...
get in there and FOOF IT UP for all of the daughters, sons, husbands, and dads

who are desperately looking for inspiration for a Mother's Day gift!

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