Interior Design in Retail Design - Essay Example

Interior design in retail design College: Introduction Retail design is a discipline in a scientific approach that is commercial and creative and brings together different areas of expertise in the construction and design of retail space. Customer experience in retail design is the interaction between the designing organisation and the customer as seen through the conscious and subconscious mind of the customer. In a more elaborated meaning customer experience is a combination of the performance of the designing organisation and the senses and emotions induced are measured against the expectations across all moments. On the other hand, interior design is Interior design is a profession which is multi-faceted where application of creativity and technical solutions is at best within a structure in order to achieve a built interior environment.This paper concentrates on the relationship between design and the customer experience in retail design. It also reflects on the aspects of retail space, lighting, spatial interaction and the product relating to the customer experience in the retail design. Retail space determines the demand of consumers on where to go for shopping as it is a life activity that affects every human being. People will choose to go where the spaces match with their image and this acts as a determinant of lifestyle, interest and culture that on the other hand affects the customer experience in the retail design. Design is a cycle that is ever changing with respect to the consumer aspirations and the fashion trends. Retail spaces are therefore leading in the contemporary interior design due to the updates that are done regularly to keep up to the appeal and the completion that is high in the market. Retail sector is the one containing the interiors that are most interactive and innovative. Complexity is experienced in the design of retail interiors where the brand analysis is started with. The designer’s aim is always to excite, entice and capture the consumer by creating an experience to which to which they can interact with. Lighting in design This is an architectural field that is concerned with the illumination of buildings the aim of architectural lighting in design is to sufficiently obtain light in the spaces provided for the purpose of customer experience fulfilment. Lighting design comprehensive puts into account the amount of functional light being provided the aesthetic impact as well as the consumed energy. Some tasks associated with buildings require the provision of appropriate lighting for efficiency. Buildings like theatres and casino will require an emotional impact and appearance through the lighting design of architecture. The importance of light production and illumination with an artistic application promotes the built environment. This aspect of lighting not only involves the artificial lighting but also the atmospheric lighting where the illumination is supported by the natural light. One aspect of design is to enhance cost efficiency and therefore lighting in this case should put into consideration the factor of cost. Retail space Space is every free vacant place in a building that is left unoccupied with respect to the design plan of the designer. Spaces serve to allow effective interaction in the activities that would be carried out in the building. The amount of space to be provided depends on a number of factors. It may be determined by the number or the kind of activities to be carried out in the building, may be the number of people to be involved with the activities in the building, or may also be dependent on the purpose intended for. Retail space is therefore the space provided for the shopping activities and therefore the customers’ movement from one place to another as well as the workers and the products determine the amount of space created during the design process. The physical space and interaction go hand in hand. They reciprocally influence each other and therefore it is crucial to consider the function and the nature of processes of work between the groups when in the design process of the working areas to work towards supporting them. The spaces could include the walking pathways and also where the products would be placed. For example in supermarkets there are shelve where the products are placed and spaces are created between the shelves at a considerable length depending on the design requirement. What could be attractive to the customer  The customers’ taste and preference determines the design of products in the retail design. A professional interior designer budget for the money, selects the right materials, finds the right contractors, coordinates the projects, schedules for the jobs and oversees the work daily basis till completion. The interior designer acts on behalf of the client and therefore he or she is licensed to ensure use of the selected choices, and that the work starts and ends in a manner that is timely as expected by the customer. A professional designer relieves the client the stresses of dealing with the contractors and takes the responsibilities fully in case of problems arising. A good interior designer ensures functionality of space; quality and the style of the project to meet the expectation of the client. He facilitates the communication between the workers and the client. Retail design is a practice that is primarily specialised of architecture and interior design. It also includes the elements of graphic design, industrial design, ergonomics, interior decoration and advertising. Due to the heavy demand that arises on the retail space, it makes retail design a discipline that is very specialized. The paper guides through the steps of the retail design process giving the strategies that have the ability of producing a successful design and retail space appropriate for the product, brand, consumer and retailer. The relationship between the design and the consumer experience is brought out clearly in the paper through this discussion. What attracts the customers therefore is subconscious or what makes them feel better and satisfied. It is not just a rational experience like timely delivery, opening hours or how quick you can answer the phone. The relationship between the design and the customer experience in retail design In retail terms, the brand and the products to be sold determines the concept of the retail store to be built. The aspiration of the brand qualities and values are emulated in the interior that enhance the relationship between the space and the design hence conveying a specific message. Consistency must be achieved in everything about the products beginning with the design style and colour to the range of product and the interior. This consistency produces a stronger message re-affirming the worth of the brand. In the building maintenance strategy, the factors causing poor maintenance in the building facilities need to be identified. The poor maintenance include inappropriate setting up, inadequate satisfaction of the occupant, poor quality polices and standards and inefficient strategies of maintenance delivery. A performance model should be developed for a building maintenance for value to be added to the existing facilities (Olanrewaju, Khamidi & Idrus 2011). Retail environment produce design language such that when often repeated can appear monotonous. Such spaces leads development of concepts and interest begin to emerge. Worldwide traditions and cultural have influenced the derivation of the spaces and have been into functional and systematic environment store. For example, supermarkets displays of products are a reflection of street markets where packaging are utilised and colours of food in order to attract customers. In these commercial spaces, atmospheric tool create lighting and in this case used to influence the consumers’ mood and behaviour. This will affect their behaviour of buying. With the high competition in the market, design makes the store atmosphere becomes more crucial in creating a unique environment therefore, winning the customers mood. It is necessary for customer binding. Many of the design features whether integrated or individually tend to influence the behaviour in retail environments. The solutions to design are functional which enhance the quality of culture and life of the occupants and articulated aesthetic attraction. Created designs respond and coordinate with the built shell acknowledging the social context and physical location of the project. These designs adhere to the principles of environmental sustainability as well as to the code and regulatory requirements. Interaction between the space and the products also has an influence on the customer experience. In the past, the process of building included even the interiors which were put together instinctively. The development of the complex architecture and the society has resulted to the interior design profession improvement and this in turn resulted from the development of industrial processes. The user’s well being, effective use of space, consumer experience and functional design has greatly contributed to the interior design profession development. The process of interior design follows coordinated and a systematic methodology that include analysis, research and integration of knowledge into the creative process. The design firms are focused not only on the business alone but mostly on harnessing the buildings’ interiors with the environment that bring out aesthetically attractive habitats. Grid interiors work to satisfy the clients’ desires in order to win their confidence and increase their expectations. They attempt to provide quality work and fulfill the customers’ objectives and satisfaction in which has made them gain reputation in the architectural designing and drawing field. The Grid Interiors have encouraged creativity among its workers in the design process which has enabled them to produce unique and special designs. The construction of the facilities should be able to achieve the balance between the social, economic and the environment. Sustainability and refurbishment should be evidenced during the lifecycle of the building that include the manufacturing of construction materials, actual construction, its operation, maintenance and demolition. Usability and efficiency of the building would be enhanced if sustainability and refurbishment is maintained. According to the BS 3811, maintenance has been defined as “the combination of any actions carried out to retain an item in or restore it to an acceptable condition”. The expectations and the needs of customers are crucial when a store design is based on the perfect desires and expectations of the customers. Customers preference when eliminated from the process of design and shopping experience, may lead to conveying wrong message. It is also important to put into consideration the store space used by the workers while at work that defines the interaction of the space. This incorporation helps in the implementation of design, remodeling or any other changes in the retail design. Unintended and negative consequences can be resulted without the input of the retail space factor. Successful strategies are brought about by a methodology that is collaborative and synergistic implemented by interior designers with the objective knowledge and understanding of the retail stores as well as relating the retail space and the activities of the workers and the customers. The comprehensive understanding of the retailer of what they stand for as well as who are their customers and competition can assist them in design thinking to influence the customer behavior in achieving the strategic goal of the retailer. The aspect of lighting in the retail space from the atmosphere requires special attention due to the crucial relationship between the lighting factor and the consumer. In the marketing point of view, the influence of lighting in retail environments influence in turn the design procedure as far as the interior design is concerned. Commercial facilities are competitive as tenants would want the best refurbished and maintained offices. Therefore, to avoid the falling of rental rates, the owner has to make sure that sustainability and refurbishment of the building is maintained through improvements. Sustainability refurbishment is very important in the management of retail space and it should be one of the core agenda in the retail design (Khamidi & Idrus 2011). Within the retail environment, the decisions made by the consumers on their purchases convey a message about the products in whereby the determining factor is the fulfillment of their expectations. In each of the units in the retail space, the designer can prepare a pre-plan for the appropriate fittings or fixtures as well as determining the best location in the retail space. The designer places the fixture on the floor plan at trial locations with an aim of ascertaining the best and suitable flow of customers in the store. In retailing, space occupied by shelves and display become very crucial and their design are determined by customer experience as well as the lighting factor and understanding. The ultimate stork movements are incorporated with the shelf space and therefore, design, management of space remains the determinant factor for the best, and enough space required. Interior design is a profession that is gaining a lot of popularity in the today’s world as it involves and attracts everyone in the societies. The work of interior design is attractive and every eye wants what is attractive. Everyone wants a habitant that is attractive and therefore no one wants to lag behind with the advancing technology. As the designers compete in the world market in producing the best interior designs, the clients are as well scrambling for the best interior designers in the market. This completion produces better retail designer who are able to meet the customers desires. Retail design is therefore, a discipline that is emerging in the interior architecture field that seeks a stronger theory (Clemons & Eckman, 2008; Marshall-Baker, 2000). The adjacent disciplines such as marketing, psychology and consumer behaviour have always been of benefit to the retail design. The variables of individual atmospheric are vital in the customer experience development. However, in the retail design of customer experience is by of interaction and influence several stimuli (Petermans & Van Cleempoel, 2010). The designers are concentrating on the experiences of people’s quality instead of individual artifacts. Most retail designers and interior architects who are inspired intrinsically are sure that the individual variables of the final effects may depend on the effective evaluation of the by the customer on the total environment. Other professions associated with interior design includes, Structural Engineers, Architects, Mechanical Engineers, Site Engineers, Planners, Architectural technologists Surveyors, Lighting designers and others who are involved in the construction who take part in accomplishing the work of an interior designer. Actually these are the people facilitates the building process for every project. Conclusion The relationship between the design and the customer experience in the retail design is the fulfilment of the design goal which corresponds with the expectations of the customer. 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