First part of the revamp in the store today, the transformation is happening over the next few weeks since not everything is here yet but today we’re putting up tin tile wallpaper and painting, painting, painting, painting. Which reminds me to make way for new stock this quirky bird chandelier is going in our flash sale at a whopping 50% off. Was £1,995 now £997.50. Cool hey, as always there is only one so its first come first serve (email the store: contact@atelierbypost.com if your interested).
Right then what’s on the agenda today? Well I thought we would discuss something I am yabbering about in the Retail Boot camp class because the very same principles apply for stores as they do for our homes. When you have a store, or an online presence the trick is to create a sense of adventure for your customers, Mary Portas calls its entering the decompression chamber, so the minute you walk thru the door, or you click onto a site something in your brain clicks, your peripheral vision is activated and you’ve entered a different world. This sense of discovery is fundamental in my interiors hence nothing is predictable, things don’t match, and I dabble dabble dabble with scale, and with colour. With my store and with my home there is so much to take in you can’t quite focus on any one thing – your eyes dart to a cool painting but wait there’s an even cooler jumble of objects on the mantle, or check out those textiles (rugs softly skimming floors, cushions in heaps on sofas) on and on the adventure goes. It’s got nothing to do with money but it’s got everything to do with how it makes you feel. So its all about appealing to the 5 senses and creating an environment that makes you want to linger be that your store or your house. Anthropologie nails it when it comes to creating a cool store experience and to quote them ’we don’t spend money on messages, we invest in execution’. No big advertising budget instead the money goes into the set build and making the store feel and look a certain way.
Same with our homes it not about having the latest B&B Italia this or Missoni that – its really got nothing to do with money, people with oodles of cash often have no taste at all, as we all kind of know (Mr Trump)! Our homes should tell a story about who we are and what we like, they should provide an interesting range of ideas. You can’t get the look from one store, whether that’s a chain like Ikea or a designer like Ralph Lauren. Buy from one store and its two one dimensional dabble with a mixture, high, low, vintage, high street and you will have on your hands a home that tells a story, a story that other people want to listen to and hang out in!
Right then now that’s off my chest its on with the day, have a good one I’m off the store and the kids are off to dog school, collars on sitting at the window waiting for the school bus x
Photography Todd Selby
Thought-provoking discussion of the otherworldliness of a store. I’m such a visual person, but last week other senses came into play too. On my first trip to the King’s Road Anthropologie, the sound of the running water feature was instantly calming. I felt a world away from the bustle and traffic outside. Lingered and lingered! I also love how Zara Home has a signature smell.
Hi Abigail, as always your posts are something I always look forward to. I’m decorating my new house at the moment (first room – living room) learning as I go and I’ve been trying to take in everything you say. My bf and I both love modern (I know you’re not so keen on that style) but after reading your post i know it doesn’t have to be bland and boring.
We have already added an ethanol fire (not in our original plan) to creat a focal point (love the ambiance), I want to add an assortment of lights (floor and table), have added textures, pattern and colours through a rug and cushions, a stainless steel mirror finish coffee table, non matching sofa and chairs and plants to bring the outside in.
We’re after a clean but layered effect. Have you got any tips you can share for how to layer a modern style house?
Same tips I would say as a house full of stuff when you’re layering objects and furnishings if you restrict the colour palette to a few hues it will feel far more cohesive and pulled together than if you mix a mish mash of colours. Obvioulsy you’re want a few colours to stand out otherwise it will feel way to bland but the more you restrict the easier it is to layer
I agree with you. Most homes owned by rich people look, well, expensive but tasteless. A home should reflect its occupant’s personality, not the other way around.
I love reading your blog posts, Abigail. They always make me feel uplifted and inspired. I opened an Etsy shop recently selling vintage home decor. I really think your courageous design sense has influenced me to take risks and consider decorative pieces that I wouldn’t have otherwise. Thank you so much for being such an inspiration!
And thank you for writing in, means alot