1 Integrating Art and Architecture into Fixtures

This year’s fixtures blurred the lines between architecture and furniture/fixturing, according to NASFM Retail Design Awards judge Kevin Brailsford, vice president of store environments for Blockbuster Store Planning. Judge Ted Clemens agrees. “The fixture designs complemented the architecture, the furniture, and on occasion even the art in the store, integrating all of the elements into a display that holds merchandise,” says Clemens, vice president of store planning for Abercrombie & Fitch.

Bass Pro Shops, Store of the Year Holt Renfrew, and Pusateri’s, a gourmet food retailer, use furniture elements effectively in their store fixtures. Note the furniture-grade legs on the cases in the Holt Renfrew Fine Jewelry department. Architecturally, the Alexander McQueen Hanging Display Niche is a structural column that flows from the upstairs to the downstairs of the store and displays merchandise. The Holt Renfrew Evening Handbag Wall is truly a piece of art, incorporating shelves that display handbags.

2 Creating Fixtures in Unusual Sizes and Shapes

Signature fixtures in unique shapes or large-scale sizes effectively focus customers on new product offerings or specialized areas of the store. The unique size and shape of Best Buy’s Demonstration Pods and the curvilinear form of Ultimate Electronics’ End Caps distinguish them from the rest of the fixtures in the stores and suggest that new and exciting product lines are merchandised there. The elliptical fixtures in the equipment rental area of Mountain Adventure Centre readily identify the space. The graphic scale of the NIKE Pro Fixture and the imposing size of Canadian Tire’s Tire Wall provide visual impact and a wealth of product information in one fell swoop. At the Shoe Bar in Downtown Locker Room, distinctive displays are grouped to represent a downtown skyline to attract attention to featured products.

3 Using Lighting to Make Merchandise Shine

Lighting is being integrated into store fixtures more and more to create effects that attract attention without distracting from the product. In the Downtown Locker Room Shoe Bar, shoes are illuminated from below like bottles of fine liquor, drawing traffic and reinforcing the nightclub theme of the space. LCBO’s Concourse Angled Wall Fixture features translucent plexi panels that glow with diffused illumination, creating the impression that the product is floating on air. Internally illuminated stretch fabric funnels in the Handheld Display Tables in the Palm Store provide just the right amount of atmospheric light to complement the handheld’s brightly glowing screens while lending a warm, lounge-like atmosphere to the space. Futuretronics’ Display Pod Grouping in the Mall of Millenia in Orlando, Fla., this year ’s Fixture of the Year, features a neon green glowing resin base that creates a graphic identity for the store and beckons mall customers to enter.

4 Building Functional Details into Store Fixtures

This year’s award-winning fixtures again proved that it’s not enough to just have good-looking fixtures; they must also perform well. Mountain Adventure’s rental center helps move customers through the rental process. The cash counter at the rental P-O-S station even incorporates a place for customers to set their skis while they pay. The Tire Wall in Canadian Tire is not only big and merchandise-heavy; it carries a tire catalog and brochures to allow customers to order hundreds of styles, assisted by clear signage and easy-to-assimilate product information. A breadboard work area below the counter in the Trish McEvoy Cosmetics Grouping minimizes clutter while providing necessary preparation space.

This year, five Store Fixture Awards were presented to projects built for the technology sector—a sector that is becoming adept at incorporating multiple elements into single units. Technology fixtures must grab attention and provide security for compact merchandise, provide product education and a user-friendly touch, and accommodate rapidly changing merchandise. While relying on strong design for a competitive edge, designers must mask data and electrical components to maintain a clean look. In the case of Futuretronics, the Display Pods comprise the complete interior of the store and are themselves machines, demonstrating how customer needs can be met by focusing the major portion of the budget on multifunctional store fixtures.

5 Creating New Looks with Materials

Judges recognized a few fixtures for their interesting use of materials. The cosmetics area in Trish McEvoy employs a signature wood-banding pattern to provide a simple, organized surface that differentiates without distracting from the product. Iridescent mosaics, imported marble, textured pattern glass, and sleek stainless steel create an Old World neighborhood kitchen feel throughout Pusateri’s. In Henry’s Marketplace, wooden crate-style fixtures contribute to the authentic feel of a farmers’ market, while conduit piping adds a rustic touch to the Produce Gondola.

The bottom line is that fixture design isn’t really about setting or keeping up with trends. “It’s about being brand champions and supporting the brand in the most provocative way possible,” says RDA judge Brailsford. Clever details that subtly reinforce the brand, like the fish-shaped swing door at Bass Pro Shop, are what inspire. And creativity is a great way to support the retail brand without busting the budget.


Karen Doodeman is NASFM's director of retail marketing.