How often do you look at a piece of furniture and ask yourself, “How many people will sit in this chair today? How will this piece of retail furniture affect the overall look and feel of my retail space?”
Probably not often. Most people don’t look at a chair or a couch at a financial institution and ask themselves quizzical questions about how it’s best utilized in the space. But whether we consciously register the effect a piece of furniture has on a space or not, retail furniture does play a huge role in its success and branding. For businesses and organizations, retail furniture can send a clear message to consumers. If the furniture is thrown around lazily, that message might not be a positive one. But if the furniture is carefully chosen to match the overall look and feel of the space by expert interior designers, consumers can feel welcomed, safe, or right at home in the business.
Retail Furniture and Proper Branding
Successful businesses in any market know that the key to success is branding. Recognizable brands are easy for consumers to remember and return to. Brands should carry meaning and purpose throughout all aspects of business. This includes the inner branding of physical spaces and facilities. Color palettes, furniture pieces, and fixtures all influence a business’s branding. Choosing a plush and comfortable couch or a rustic and traditional chair is a more serious choice than which one “looks better.” How each option plays into the brand and space itself must be considered.
This is true for headquarters facilities as well and deciding what pieces of furniture will best help employees thrive in the space. Comfortable chairs or adjustable desks can help employees feel more productive and at ease in their spaces. Desks and chairs can also be specifically designed to promote collaboration and communication between departments and teams.
The Functionality of Furniture
Aside from providing a wonderful addition to a financial institution’s visual brand, the functionality of the furniture is equally important. Take for example a client of NewGround STUDIO’s: Blue Nile. Blue Nile is a premier jewelry retail experience that focuses on allowing clients to view and design their own custom pieces as opposed to just walking in and picking one out. In this instance, the furniture used must all serve a direct purpose. Counters to display jewelry are lower and featured alongside stools. These stools encourage customers to sit, and Blue Nile’s direct research revealed that when a customer sits down, the likelihood of a sale increases. Other markets, such as the financial market, work in similar ways. The more comfortable a consumer feels, the more likely they are to purchase goods and services.
Interior Designers Offer Expert Guidance
NewGround’s team of interior designers and furniture specialists know full well the effect furniture can have on a space. Each individual piece is placed with a purpose and with the brand in mind. Furthermore, NewGround partners with MillerKnoll, allowing us to have a wide and expansive furniture inventory. Our furniture experts help narrow down a selection for our clients to choose from based on their branding, goals, and space design they want to portray. After that, our clients can choose which pieces of furniture they think best represents them with the careful guidance of our Design Team.
If you’re thinking about redesigning a space or brand, make sure you pay careful attention to the furniture selection you’re choosing from. It isn’t just chairs and cabinets; it’s a physical representation of your brand that can either make your consumers feel put off or welcomed right at home.
Interested in learning more about our MillerKnoll partnership? Click here to read about our press release!
Interested in seeing proper furniture use in action? Click here to browse our expansive project list!
