Top Retail Design Trends

Brands around the globe now aim to drive consumer experience, to create an environment that tempts consumers to spend longer and spend more in store. Here are the top 5 retail design trends to keep consumers coming back for more:

Geometry

This year’s Dwell on Design conference (held May 13-15 in New York) brought, among other things, insight into the latest interior design trends. One of the biggest predicted trends for 2016 is geometry in design and furniture: “Designers are expecting to see consumers gravitating towards more geometric patterns that feature fluid movement,” says marketing analyst, Macala Wright. Brands that are already ahead of the game include Shugaa, a new dessert bar in Bangkok, Thailand and the new Dover Street Market in London:

The concept of the interior design of Shugaa is the sugar crystal. (images courtesy: Contemporist.com)

Geometric designs on the walls, play off the geometric designs of the lighting at Shugaa, Thailand. (images courtesy: Contemporist.com)

(images courtesy: Contemporist.com)

London’s Dover Street Market (courtesy: RetailDesignWorld)

London’s Dover Street Market (courtesy: RetailDesignWorld)

Retail installations
According to Smallbizdailyretail artwork and installations, which were once the domain of independent artists, are now being used to represent companies. Creating an immersive experience that makes customers feel like they’re entering a different world when they come inside can help create a mood that encourages more shopping.

The SND fashion store in Chongqing, China recently added an installation by Rome and Shanghai based studio 3gatti to create a distinctive interior. “We used a very thin white translucent fiberglass material because of its fire resistance and the way it reacted to light, thus creating a ceiling landscape that would be a spectacular source of beauty and emptiness; perfect for every fashion victim,” says lead architect Francesco Gatti.

3GATTI suspends fiberglass sheets to form undulating retail installation, Image courtesy designboom

A patisserie in Madrid also enhanced their store-front recently with an artistic installation that simulates a coral reef:

Tentacle- like installation, which simulates a coral reef, at Pan Y Pasteles bakery in Madrid (Courtesy: RetailDesignBlog)

Organic forms

Adding greenery and plant-life may create a soothing environment for some, but for a lot of allergy-sufferers this may not be the case. A creative alternative is replicating organic form in retail architecture and interior design, either by creating an installation or replicating organic shapes in the walls and store objects. Here are some stunning examples of organic forms being brought to life in stores around the world:

Image courtesy Dezeen

An installation of ‘stalactites’ created by architecture studio Massive Order for this Kuwait-based boutique is both decorative and functional. The black forms can also be used to hang garments from.

The MOMOM store by Moriyuki Ochiai Architects in Tokyo Japan was made to evoke imagery of fresh milk and farmstead. “By drawing energetic patterns blending earthen and milky tones on the store walls and applying a color gradation produced by the resonance between wood and milk on the fixtures, we sought to give our design the dynamic chaotic beauty and the vibrant force of nature,” say the architects. (Retaildesignblog)

Minimalism

Less is more in modern retail design. Minimalism in interiors creates more of an impact than bright colours and invasive shapes. According to a trend report on Smallbizdaily, going back to basics in an industrial-style space with exposed steel beams and concrete pillars makes the store look less cluttered and ensures that the products stand out more. Here are a few examples of minimalistic interiors from around the world:

Helmut Lang, West Hollywood by Standard Architecture (Courtesy: dezeen)

Christopher Kane, London by John Pawson (Courtesy: dezeen)

Porto, Portugal, by Fala Atelier(Courtesy: dezeen)

Scents

The last burgeoning trend this year is incorporating scent in retail. According to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal stores are embracing scent marketing as a way to create ambience, alongside lighting and design. Many stores diffuse fragrance through heating and air-conditioning vents. When utilizing scents in retail, brands ought to be aware of the dangers of overwhelming olfactory senses. Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, a retailer that sells fragrant soaps and cosmetics, relies on exhaust systems in their stores to reduce some of the perfume aroma. Fragrance draws shoppers in and is part of the brand, but "we don't want it to overwhelm the customers,” says a company spokeswoman. 

Overall, retail design trends this year aim to create an immersive experience – allowing customers to feel as though they’re entering another world. A combination of colours, materials, scents and more help to create a mood that keeps people shopping for longer.

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