Creating Instagrammable Retail Spaces: The Importance of Visual Appeal in the Social Media Age

In our world of interior design, we use the term “wow-worthy” often in our messaging. And while that may initially evoke an image of someone walking in the door of your newly opened establishment with jaw dropped, there is another piece of the puzzle to think about in terms of how consumers experience spaces. And that piece is SOCIAL MEDIA. Yes, as an owner we encourage you to think about how many customers may first experience your space… that is, by seeing it through a friend’s feed on Facebook or Instagram before they even step foot in the door.

So what does this mean to you as a business owner? It means that your branding and interior image need to be tightly intertwined to maximize the customer experience. People don’t want to be pulled in the door by one vibe on social media or exterior signage, then experience a totally clashing vibe in the space or feel when they actually get there. Let’s take a look at how one coffee shop successfully became an Instagrammable space.

MOOD BOARD AND BRAND EXPLORATION

When our team designed the interior of Goodkind Coffee in Lakewood, Ohio, we did a deep dive with the owners in what we call “Mood Board and Brand Exploration”.  In this case, the logo was already established and had a vintage, high quality vibe with decorative flourishes in the serif typeface. The brand exploration is a fun, open conversation where we work with business owners to explore imagery, colors, and other visual elements to establish a desired aesthetic. From there, our team creates a visual concept that reflects your brand positioning and appeals to your ideal customers.

Drawing inspiration from the company logo already designed

Mood Board and Brand Exploration for Goodkind Coffee

DETAILS

After the visual language is established with precedent images, we start breaking it down into the individual details that make up that vibe. As a business owner, you should comb through every detail presented and take a good gut check on whether or not it supports your brand message.

Detail Elements for Goodkind Coffee

CONCEPT DESIGN

Then, the details are pulled together and applied to your actual space (“Concept Design”). The things to look for here are form, function, color, and pattern supporting the brand identity. Goodkind Coffee already had a blue bar so we brightened the color and added retro globe lights that are often seen in Instagram posts. We also developed a custom wallcovering that ties in the blue and other accent colors, hitting just the right note of being tailored to the space. The wallpaper has been a huge success with customers as you’ll see how many times the pattern is photographed on social media. The mix of classic and modern elements create a story throughout the retail experience, connecting to the customer.

Concept Design Rendering for Goodkind Coffee

Closeup of Custom Wallcovering After Install

THE RESULTS

We’ll glaze over all of the detailed drawings and construction process that it took to get to the actual finish line and skip to the good part: after Goodkind opened, the owners garnered a huge following on social media. This loyal following remains, and the business experiences a large percentage of repeat regular customers.

Finished Photo of Goodkind Coffee

SAVE THESE TIPS

Look at all of the shares and mentions that @goodkindcoffee has on Instagram:

Here are some tips for identifying your mood and brand to become social media shareable:

• Just start somewhere. The logo OR the interior mood board can come first, then used to inform the other.
• Be authentic. If your business offers an intimate, boutique-style retail experience then this implies that the space should be smaller scale with fine details.  If your logo is big and bold, the space should be too. Customers can sense when the brand image and the space don’t align.
• Be different. “Wow-worthy” can mean different things to different people. Give them a reason to pause to snap a pic and share. That can be anything from a cozy corner, flexible seating options, outstanding service, a fun wall backdrop, or a signature product that looks good on the ‘Gram.
• Encourage sharing. Post signs of your social media handles in your space. Remain active on the business account and respond to customer comments for real engagement. This is also a great way to announce seasonal specials, deals, or changes in the retail offerings to keep them coming back.

Ready to start creating your Instagrammable space?  Get in touch with our team of interior design specialists >