Is
it time to shake things up on your sales floor? Maybe that shake-up includes
refreshing your store décor? Color plays a big role in how customers perceive
your store, so before you run to the paint store you’ve got to understand how
color will affect shoppers on your sales floor.
Customers
make value judgments about your store within the first ten seconds of contact –
it isn’t fair, but we all do it. You’ve spent hours in your favorite store
because you felt comfortable being there, you’ve also walked into stores and
walked back out just as quickly because you don’t. Each stores’ décor had
something to do with how long you stayed.
There
are two uses of color in store décor: Primary Colors (neutrals) and Secondary
Colors (bold accent colors). The primary color should be 80 percent of your
store’s décor; its job is to create a relaxed atmosphere for customers to shop.
Your accent color(s) take up the remaining 20 percent of your décor. You can go
with a Monochromatic Color Scheme – the use of a single color in varying shades
or a Complimentary Color Scheme – creating a color contrast by selecting colors
directly opposite each other on the color wheel.
Whenever
we do a presentation on store design we always ask everyone to look around the
meeting room. Convention centers and hotels work with interior designers to
choose décor colors that make sure attendees stick and stay. We’ve yet to find
a meeting room that doesn’t follow the 80/20 décor rule.
Color
Psychology
After
a presentation on store design, a retailer sheepishly approached us and asked
if we’d look at photos of his newly remodeled store – his newly remodeled
BRIGHT RED store. The floors were shiny red, the fixtures were red, the walls
were red, the checkout counters were red – you get the picture. Red is a great
accent color because it stimulates shoppers to make quick decisions, but as a
primary color it’s a bust. Too much red can be agitating, so we asked the
retailer to place an associate at the front of his store for two weeks to clock
how long customers stayed in the store. Just as we suspected, customers didn’t
stay any longer than they had to, if they stayed at all. To get sales back on
track, the retailer had to re-do his entire store. That’s the power color has
on your business.
Red
is the color most used in packaging because of its “LOOK AT ME!” qualities –
red grabs attention. Look closely at grocery aisles and you’ll notice that over
80 percent of the items have red on their labels. On the sales floor, red is
most often used to announce a sale or a sharp price.
Red
is an aggressive color that many people cannot tolerate in large doses.
Exposure to the color red actually speeds up our metabolism. It has been proven
to raise blood pressure and increase respiration rates. Too much red can make
people anxious, even angry. And like our retailer friend found out, too much
red can drive customers away.
Pink
is a happy, romantic, light-hearted color. There’s a reason Pepto-Bismol is
pink; like the color itself, it’s soothing. Sports teams have been known to
paint guest locker rooms pink to drain the opposing team’s energy.
Orange
just makes people happy. It’s the color of energy and enthusiasm, and it has a
positive effect on people. Orange is a motivating attention-getter that just
makes you feel good.
Yellow
is an optimistic color. It’s warm and cheery. Have you ever wondered why legal
pads are yellow? The color is supposed to help with concentration. We see
yellow before we see any other colors. It’s especially effective when used with
black, that’s why “Caution” and other important signs use this color
combination. But too much yellow can be hard on the eyes, causing fatigue or
agitation – not good for creative types. And there are plenty of studies that
show babies cry more in yellow rooms.
Green
is calming and refreshing, the color of nature. A popular color in home décor,
studies have shown that green is relaxing and the easiest color on the eye. But
be careful of using too much dark green in your store décor; it’s too easily
equated with money. You want customers to shop in peace, not be concerned with
the money they are about to spend.
Brown
signifies warmth and security. It’s a stable, dependable, down-to-earth color.
Various shades of brown in leather and wood have always been popular choices
for store fixtures.
PANTONE
17-1230 Mocha Mousse, a warming, brown hue imbued with richness, is the Pantone
Color Institute’s color of the year for 2025.
Blue
is the poster child color of interview attire because it represents trust and
loyalty and confidence. The 80/20 rule works with clothing, too; turn on the TV
and you’ll see politicians and anchormen wearing dark blue suits with bright
ties.
Blue
is used in office settings because studies show people are more productive when
surrounded by it. It’s also said to lower your pulse rate. Blue is commonly
used in airplane décor because of its calming qualities, and hospitals rely on
light blue to help with healing and to invoke feelings of tranquility.
Purple
is a rare color that doesn’t happen too often in nature. Perhaps that’s why
it’s widely considered the color of royalty. Purple is typically used to
symbolize luxury, wealth and sophistication.
White
is clean and bright; it’s used to portray light and purity. White has been
referred to as the absence of color and the color of perfection. While it’s a
good primary color, it’s hard to take when used all by itself. We remember a
designer shoe store in Las Vegas that was done entirely in white. From the
outside the store glowed, and the merchandise really stood out. Inside, the
décor was too stark and too bright. It took a few moments for your eyes to
adjust, not exactly a good thing when the goal is to make customers spend
quality time in the store.
Black
is at the other end of the spectrum. It’s been described as the presence of all
colors and it’s an attention grabber. Black fixtures really make merchandise
pop. As a wall color it can make a space seem smaller, the same way a black
suit can make you look slimmer. Black is a good color to paint a high ceiling.
By making the ceiling almost disappear, the space becomes more intimate.
What
to do next
Decisions,
decisions! You can get started by spending an hour or two at the library
looking through interior design books and magazines. You can peruse the upscale
shops in town to get a feel for how store decor works; rest assured, they have
paid someone big bucks to choose their colors. Model homes and five-star hotels
are a good bet as well. You can hire a store planner or an interior decorator,
or you can just do it yourself. What’s the worst that can happen? You paint the
wall another color. Sure, that takes time, but not a whole lot of money. Paint
and hardware stores offer free design help and free color charts. And if you
aren’t into commitment, many paint companies sell tiny sample jars and stickers
so you can test drive the color first. And you’ll find a bottomless pit of
ideas on Pinterest.
At
the end of the day, your store décor must do two things: make shoppers feel
comfortable in the store, and most importantly, let the merchandise shine.
Choose a color scheme that suits your merchandise, your space, and your brand
identity. And as always, if you’re not sure what to do first, give us a call or
drop us an email. We’re always good for an idea or two!
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