Heals - Tottenham Court road

Revamping a soft furnishings department.

With a growing soft furnishings department, the client briefed me on three separate systems to display rugs and carpets. Bespoke 'A-frames' were created and stand alongside both low level display plinths and a custom wall mounted system.

The first display option required was a freestanding unit; with inspiration coming from the previous 'A-frame' option I'd already developed for the client (featured above). The bespoke 'Half-A' solution decreases depth to suit the space they occupy (against a wall in a tight corner), offering single sided customer interaction on numerous levels. The 25mm square steel framework matches the other units within close proximity to each other in store. As you can see other units in store have visible welds, linishing marks and a general raw industrial finish (although clear lacquered), these frames however, were designed to be a little more distinctly upmarket and finished in a RAL 9010 white powder coat to contrast the dark wall behind.

I also worked with the projects team to realise a concept for a brief which involved hanging the rugs side by side along the width of a wall utilising somewhat valuable space which is currently unoccupied. The previous system in store was clearly not suitable. I developed something that is easily changed by the staff in house, is discreet, less cumbersome yet still secure.

I devised a simple solution which involved utilising some flat sided oval steel tubing, powder coated to match and spaced off the wall behind. Once secured by the in house fittings team we supplied spring-loaded rug clips which were modified to hang securely over the rail, making it easy for store assistants to simply lay a rug on the floor, put clips in place then hang against the wall.

As you can see the soft furnishings on display range vastly in size and price, making it incredibly difficult for this department to accurately display. The size and weight of some rugs naturally make them notoriously difficult items to effectively browse as a customer as well. We created the low-level floor plinths to allow exactly that. The large floor rugs, of which there are quite a few in this store, lay on top of one another and the corners of each can be lifted to sample material pattern and texture.