You may think many aspects of interior design don’t really apply to a shopfit. However, colour has the power to influence moods – both yours and your customers. A colour strategy is a step further than a colour scheme in interiors. Not only do you have to choose colours that look nice together but colours that are suitable for a retail environment.
When choosing the colours for your store there is some points to consider. The colours must be on trend. This doesn’t necessarily mean the very latest shade to grace the catwalks, but something that doesn’t appear ‘old-fashioned’ or ‘dated’. With the rare exception, your customers don’t want to feel like they are in a time capsule.
This interior (Zola Fashion, Netherlands) has a neutral base with pink and rose gold accents making it subtle yet memorable.
The colour scheme should be memorable. Directly link it to your logo and branding, so it is identifiably yours. Choose a maximum of 3 shades to stick in people’s memory. Any more than this and your store will look confused, and any less and it may look boring.
It isn’t always easy to create a cohesive colour scheme. Choose one neutral colour – such as beige, white, or grey – and 2 accent colours for the best effect. Choose at least one bright, bold or deep colour. Used sparingly, such as around the doorframe or in light fittings, it will give your store a real wow factor. However, always choose accent colours that are easily changeable, and neutrals that are in it for the long run. You may get sick of this season’s Cayenne Orange shade, and it won’t be as hard to change a bright-coloured rug as it would if you had custom joinery made in the colour!
Bridget Olivia, a retail store in Hungary, subtly bring their accent colours of green and brown in through plants and a rug
In most retail applications you want the focus to be on the products you sell so it is important that the colours in your store aren’t too attention seeking. That’s why we recommend neutral fixtures. Black, white and all the shades of timber are all considered neutral and are the most readily available fixtures – a win/win for you! Lighting, wall colours and any furnishings are where you can use your bold and bright accent colours. Change-rooms are a subtle but memorable place to use as an accent, or consider painting your ceiling an accent colour.
Inside Fashion, Vienna, has a white, turquoise and navy scheme – the banisters are painted turquoise but all the fixtures are white
Most of all, strive for consistency when choosing the colours in your shop. You want a visually appealing store, so regardless of the colours you choose, make sure they are exactly the same shade every time you use them. You can’t cut corners because the customers will notice!
