Organizing a retail space with limited floor space is a difficult task for many businesses. New businesses, as well as established local businesses, tend to face the challenge of merchandising with a small floor plan. It can be extremely frustrating to attempt creating attractive and appealing displays when you don’t have the room you feel you need to showcase everything and highlight its real potential. Sometimes, you just can’t get everything you want out on display. There are, however, many ways you can display your wares in a limited floor space while still making your retail space attractive and appealing.

How To Make A Small Retail Space Look Bigger

The key to making a little shop work is using tricks to “open” the space. Making spaces open and airy can make small shops with limited floor space seem bigger. In using certain colors, furniture, and displays, you can turn your small shop into an open and airy store.

Use Color As A Backdrop:

Start by selecting the right colors; choose those that have the power to make spaces seem bigger not smaller. Dark colors can make a room feel closed off and tiny, so use lighter colors to make the room feel larger. Choose a simple, neutral wall color, and then paint one wall in a different but coordinating color. Painting walls in this way opens up space visually by creating an illusion of receding space; that makes your shop seem larger than it is. An accent wall can be anything from a bold color, to fun wallpaper, to an intriguing geometric design. Get creative!

Neutral-colored furniture with bright accent pieces can achieve the same result as an accent wall. A neutral-colored couch with colorful accent pillows or a neutral-colored table or tablecloth with bold accents on top gives the visual illusion of having more room. With this, you can fit more items on display without making it look messy. Adding color in this way is also an economical feature as it is easy to change tablecloths and throw pillows, but much more expensive and difficult to change, say, a plum, velvet Chesterfield sofa.

With all this being said, one large focal point can act as an accent wall. This focal point (perhaps the sofa) can be part of your store’s brand and used in various ways through the year. Build relevant displays around this piece as it will attract the eye of the customer as it provides contrast in an otherwise neutral space.

Choose the Right Displays

Next, take advantage of all of the space you do have by using vertical space. Maximize your wall space, up to the very top. Display your items vertically by installing Slatwall Panels, and then add display accessories such as hooks, shelves or baskets to hang your products. Using this vertical space will keep your floor space, as well as any tabletop space, from getting cluttered. A cluttered space can make shoppers feel a little claustrophobic. This concept also applies to racks and retail shelving. Keep them neat and organized, not crammed full of merchandise.

Another way to make your shop seem bigger is by selecting the right displays to showcase your merchandise. Use open, airy glass, chrome, or Glass Cube Displays, to create shop sections and attractive displays without closing off your shop. Increasing sightlines all around your shop keep your small retail space open while open shelves and display cases can improve organization and get more products on the floor.

Get creative with your actual displays. Average shop displays can seem bulky and can take up too much space. Change it up by using non-traditional containers to create inventive displays.

For instance, move jewelry out from under the jewelry counter and hang it up on a tiered, hanging jewelry display. You can even hang jewelry on the wall as part of optimizing vertical space. Put merchandise in places you normally wouldn’t. Sometimes, this can free up more space.

Keep It Fresh

Remember, it’s okay to try new things. Move items around often and add new pieces as you wish. Even change colors and small décor items to fit with seasonal trends. Experimenting will help you figure out which techniques work best in your space. Eventually, you’ll discover the optimal use for your small retail space.

Need advice or inspiration? Contact one of our experts by phone at 800-991-0771, on Live Chat, or order online at SpecialtyStoreServices.com today.