DO YOU FIND YOURSELF staring down a blank wall? Think of it not as an obstacle but as a blank slate of opportunity.
An open wall can be anything — a mural, a mirror, a mini art museum. Splash it with a bold color for an accent wall or use paint embedded with mica to create sparkle and flair. Brainstorm with a local artist to discover what type of installation would mesh best with your brand.
Or showcase a collection. Whether it’s vintage jewelry, unique gemstones, or decorative accessories, a blank wall can serve as the perfect backdrop.
Another creative and interactive idea is to create a selfie wall. It’s a fun and engaging way to encourage customers to take photos and share them on social media. Paint the wall a bold accent color or hang wall art with unique designs that provide an interesting backdrop for customers to pose with their favorite pieces of jewelry.
In a jewelry store, a full-length mirror is almost a necessity. Customers want to try on jewelry to see how it looks on them and how it complements their outfit. Mirrors not only serve a practical purpose but can add a touch of elegance and sophistication to the store’s overall ambience. By placing the mirror strategically, you can create a focal point that draws customers in.
The following examples showcase stores that met the blank-wall challenge with creative aplomb.
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A Bright Outlook
Local muralist Anat Ronen spent three days transforming the patio wall of Shaftel Diamonds in Houston into a vibrant gem-filled field of color. The spacious patio is designed to be a secure and pleasant environment that allows the sales team to show diamonds and fine colored gemstones in natural light. Store designer Jesse Balaity’s vision for the entire store is to be “fun and engaging,” a reflection of the personalities of owners Keith Shaftel and his son, Danny.
Natural Attraction
Owners Brian and Nancy Nelson of King’s Fine Jewellery in Alberta, Canada, have creatively filled a wall with a 22-foot preserved moss and geode art installation. There’s also a 7-foot aquarium that features a large school of cardinals, four varieties of angel fish, and Cory catfish in a naturally planted tank.
Selfie Station
At Just Desi in Beverly Hills, a dried flower wall adds organic texture while serving as a favorite spot for visitors to take a selfie. Along the same theme, a proposal box with a dried centerpiece creates lasting memory for the customer and serves as a reminder, too, of where they bought the ring and when.
Read Between the Lines
A library nook, where guests can relax and read about the history of jewelry and body adornment of all kinds, demonstrates owner Viviana Langhoff’s dedication to education and the “theory” component of jewelry at Adornment + Theory in Chicago. The display also has a 3D component in the form of miniature jewelry showcases on the wall.
The Writing on the Wall
Trisha Kennedy-Thompson and her brother, James A. Kennedy, own Kennedy’s Custom Jewelers in Blue Springs, MO. Trisha designed the 4,000 square-foot space with the goal of having a casual, welcoming environment. A message scrawled on the wall fits the vibe perfectly.
Pops of Color
In the Fiat Lux San Francisco showroom, colorful trees and animals frolicking on the walls appear to be part of a mural but actually are an expensive wallpaper design. The master stroke is gold resin drips, painted by local artist Caroline Lizarraga, that start at the top of the wall panels and trickle downward, an idea proposed by interior designer Noz Nozawa. Owner Marie McCarthy thought it was the perfect touch since Fiat Lux’s other location has a reputation for being a little bit punk rock.
A Little Bit Gritty
After much debate, the winning idea for the back wall at Greenwich St. Jewelers in New York City came from muralist Mason Nye, who pressed a custom subway grate stencil into the plaster. Owner Jennifer Gandia says that since everything else in the store was very pretty, the design team thought they needed to scuff it up a little. “New York is pretty, but gritty. We needed that bit of grittiness.”
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Bottled Charm
For 30 years, Julez Ward had collected colorful glass bottles, which have become a distinctive feature of the decor at Julez Bryant in Solana Beach, CA. Julez changes the colors of the bottles she displays seasonally for a simple mood shift. “It’s fun to see them come to life in this setting, these bottles collected from all around the world. That, to tell you the truth, is what people come in to look at.”
Pretty Practical
A focal point at Moonrise Jewelry in Cape Charles, VA, is a back-wall installation that serves as an interactive swatch board for the 150 different types of fish leather in stock, which is a specialty jewelry material for owner Meredith Lusk. Clients are encouraged to customize colors, which are represented as a large school of magnetic fish that “swim” across a hand-painted river covering the entire wall. Most impressive of all: Her team made it.
Instant Credibility
William Travis Kukovich has turned an entire wall of his Chapel Hill, NC, jewelry store into an eye-catching display of myriad awards and press clippings, which highlight his experience and expertise as a bench jeweler and jewelry designer. His honors include 18 Spectrum Awards for jewelry design.
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