5 Ways to Add More Color to Your Retail Store Design

Do you ever feel like the colors in your retail store blend together? Or do you have a retail store that’s so colorful, it’s distracting? The key to creating a beautiful and functional space is having fun colors and knowing how to use them effectively. Here are five ways to add more color to your retail store design in a way that will engage customers and help drive up business!

Color Psychology

The color you choose for your store design can have a major impact on the psychology of your customers. In fact, according to research conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), “color has been shown to affect mood, emotions, and feelings; influence buying habits; determine whether people like or dislike something; change the way we feel about ourselves and others; cause us to eat more or less food; influence how much we think about sex with members of our preferred gender group; and increase or decrease performance on tasks that require focused attention or memory skills.” 

All that impact from something as simple as color! 

Now that you know how big of an impact color can have, how do you pick out the best possible colors for your retail space? Here are some tips:

• In open spaces throughout your store, use colors associated with colors found in nature. Yellow and orange for instance, bring happy energy into an environment because they’re associated with natural settings like sunsets and sunshine. When people see them together, they often feel encouraged to keep exploring the space! So consider using these shades if you want customers’ spirits lifted when walking through the door (or window).
• Use calming, cool colors like blues and greens near the cash register where lines may form, or other congested areas can help shoppers to relax and stay calm throughout their time in your store. 

Painting the Walls

Painting the walls is one of the easiest ways to anchor a color theme throughout your store. Paint can be applied directly on the wall, or you can use wallpaper and decals. When deciding on the best paint color, think of your product inventory. If you have a wide variety of colors, sizes and shapes across your products, painting a neutral wall color is likely best.  White or cream are fool proof colors to avoid visual competition with products you have on display. 

Alternatively, look for colors that match the theme of your store. For example, if you sell plants and gardening equipment, then consider choosing earthy tones of greens and yellows to help create an overall natural aesthetic. 

Adding Color in Merchandise Displays

Colorful merchandise displays are a great way to add color to your retail store design. They can help you attract customers, sell more merchandise, and stand out from your competitors. These simple changes will also allow you to build brand recognition in the crowded retail market.

Colorful displays are one of the most cost-effective ways of combining color and function. Storflex has a smart tool to experiment with different color combinations for shelving units. Take a peek to experiment with different product shelving options that may interest you.  

Lighten Up the Store with Colorful Lighting and Fixtures

Bring in light to create a friendly atmosphere. Depending on the type of store you have, you should use soft lighting for a relaxing atmosphere or bright lights for a more energetic feeling. Bright lights can also attract customers by making it easy to see your products and detailed pieces like in art galleries or boutiques.

Use dim lights in areas where you want customers to feel cozy and relaxed, such as bedrooms, bathrooms and dressing rooms.

Using Rugs or Flooring to Accent the Color

Rugs and flooring can be used to accentuate the color scheme of your store, define a space or add a pop of color. Rugs are an easy way to add a lot of color without having to paint, but they also create visual interest and help with branding. You can use rugs in all sorts of ways:

• Covering open flooring – Help bring cohesion to open spaces with a beautiful floor rug. Rugs are easily changeable if you update your look, and create feelings of comfort and calm in retail spaces that can otherwise feel sterile or cold.
• Underneath furniture – If you don’t have any kind of padding underneath where customers sit down (whether it be chairs or benches), then placing rugs underneath those areas will make them much more comfortable for customers.

Adding a Pop of Color with Accessories and Accents

• Accessories and accents are a great way to add color to your store. Accessories are helpful because they are low-commitment. You can implement some simple decorations throughout your space and easily remove them depending on the season or occasion. Accessories include everything from bright custom neon signs, to subtle window decorations.
• Accent colors are another way to add color without relying on large-scale changes that might be too expensive for your business. We love using neutral wall paint for the majority of the wallspace, and then integrating a small accent wall or corner with brighter, patterned wallpaper or decals. 

Color can help your retail store stand out from the others on your street.

Color can set your retail store apart from the competition. You want customers to be drawn to your storefront, because they like what they see and they are excited by it.

Color offers a powerful way to attract attention and make your business appear more welcoming and professional. Here are some tips for using color in ways that will set you apart:

• Use color to create an inviting atmosphere. Whether it’s a bakery or flower shop, if people walk into a brightly colored space full of well organized and color coordinated products, they’ll feel at home and, thus, be more likely to buy products. 
• Color can make the brand identity unique and memorable when done right! Examples of companies that successfully lean into color branding include: Home Depot which favors orange, T-Mobile with pink, and Coca Cola who uses red branding. 

Conclusion

The most important part of your retail store’s design is how it makes shoppers feel. If you want to create a shopping experience that will make people want to come back time and time again, then it’s crucial to be thoughtful about your use of color throughout the space. Remember that color can affect moods and feelings, which means that choosing the right shades will help set the tone for each individual shopper’s experience. After all, if they leave feeling happy and cheerful after spending some time at your store, that could make all the difference in whether or not they come back again! If you’d like to chat with retail experts about display options and colors to make your store stand out, contact Storflex today!