Retail businesses thrive on repeat customer contact. They also thrive on providing a great experience for shoppers, directing them through the space to create flow that will maximize purchasing. Flooring is one way to help provide the type of shopping experience that is beneficial to both consumers and business owners alike.
Flooring Design
Flooring patterns can help direct the flow of consumers through a shop almost imperceptibly. At the same time, flooring can be used to highlight areas of the store, such as counter spaces, calling more attention to them and making them appear more prominent in the design.
Hardwood floors, for example, are easily able to accommodate most retail spaces expectations for shopper experience. The planks can be laid in several directions to create a pattern, direct the flow of traffic, or enhance the visual design of the store, while hardwood is more forgiving underfoot than tile, concrete, or other hard materials.
Retail locations are designed to meet consumer needs. And one of those needs is to shop in a stylish and attractive area that will encourage them to stay longer. Therefore, the design of the flooring is nearly as important as the material itself. Consider some of these wood flooring designs for retail locations to help get the look and feel will best complement the space.
Defining Border
One way to add some style to a retail location, as well as to direct the eye, without worrying about changing displays is to use a defining border around the space. Hardwood borders can be made of a different color stain of the same wood, or made of waterjet cuts pieced together into a more decorative band.Inlay a border a few rows in from the edge of the room and have it run all the way around the perimeter. Consumers will automatically follow it back deeper into the store, and the border can jog around
Inlay a border a few rows in from the edge of the room and have it run all the way around the perimeter. Consumers will automatically follow it back deeper into the store, and the border can jog around bump outs and other obstacles without hindering merchandise setup.
Defining Spaces
If you have larger, fixed spaces in the store, such as display bins or counters, consider defining these areas by changing the pattern of the flooring as you approach. For example, change the flooring from a straight pattern to a herringbone around the area you wish to define. This type of flooring calls added attention to the section it surrounds, and adds very subtle interest and depth to a room.
If you wish to keep the design simple, use the same color of flooring with no defining border around the offset space. Otherwise, consider dressing things up even more by going for a deeper stain for the new pattern or using a darker border between the two sections to call more attention to them.
Create Interest in the Floor
Most locations that use hardwood or other types of flooring follow one of a few very simple patterns or designs. Straight laid planks are one of the most common ways to lay a hardwood floor, but that isn’t the only way that the pieces can be used.
Consider dressing up the entire floor at once with a parquet or other decorative repeating pattern. Box patterns, herringbone, and other types of parquet floors make more of a grid or directional appearance that can lead consumers deeper into the space. It also creates a more pleasing atmosphere that appears more formal in some instances.
Change Direction
For a more subtle type of flooring design, consider simply changing the direction of the flooring as it moves throughout the space. Most people are used to seeing hardwood laid horizontally across a room, so change expectations and have it move diagonally instead to draw the eye and lead people to new locations. Or, change the direction of the flooring as you move from section to section within the store.
For a more subtle type of flooring design, consider simply changing the direction of the flooring as it moves throughout the space. Most people are used to seeing hardwood laid horizontally across a room, so change expectations and have it move diagonally instead to draw the eye and lead people to new locations. Or, change the direction of the flooring as you move from section to section within the store.
This subtle way of defining the space gives more emphasis to the merchandise displayed in each section, allowing you to display certain things more prominently and to help direct people around the store more efficiently.
Create a Floor that Fits the Space
Retail locations have needs that differ widely from other commercial spaces. From the need for versatility to the need for specific durability and consumer comfort, it’s important to choose carefully when selecting a new retail floor. Consider materials like engineered hardwoods to help make the decision process easier and get a floor that will meet all the location’s needs for many years to come.
