For a franchise selling party supplies and gifts in Karlsruhe, space was clearly limited: around 40 square metres, which still had to deliver a high-quality, inviting shopping experience. That meant the design had to be thought through down to the last detail from the very start.
A colour scheme of white and gold creates a sense of visual space and an upmarket look, without heavy furniture making the floor area feel even smaller. The palette is rounded off with black, cool grey and warm earth tones, plus the brand’s strong red. Shelving and counter elements were designed as one continuous wall system that runs the full length of the shop and holds a surprising amount of merchandise.
Lighting and display fixtures were planned to invite customers to linger rather than just pass through: indirect light along the shelf edges picks out the gold-coloured fronts without causing glare.
The concept shows that a small shop doesn’t have to be a compromise if light, colour and merchandise display are considered together from the outset – a principle that carries over to other compact retail spaces, too.
Design planning
