Retail ceiling design and flooring

Retail ceiling design

Ceilings are often viewed as simple covers to hide away joists, pipes, ducts and vents. While a clever retail ceiling design ensures that no unattractive elements are in plain sight, ceilings can also be highly functional elements of the interior design. Combined efficiently with professional lighting design, ceilings can help diffuse light and thus draw attention to specific products or areas.

At the same time, they help create a more pleasant and memorable experience for customers. Carefully selected ceilings help reduce background noise, therefore creating a more comfortable experience for customers. Above all, ceiling design elements can highlight the original architectural features of the building.

Choosing the right type of ceiling for your store

Modern ceilings come in a wide variety of styles, sizes and finishes and allow for unparalleled customisation. With an efficient combination of materials, types and designs, retail ceiling design can give your store a unique and modern experience that customers will remember.

Depending on the style and design of your store, you might opt for:

• Suspended ceilings which can have several advantages over permanent ceilings. They create a void large enough to conceal any joists, pipes and wiring, thus making your ceiling look neat. At the same time, different levels of ceiling treatments can help diffuse light more efficiently.
• Acoustic ceilings contribute greatly to creating a pleasant atmosphere. They can be installed in busy, high-foot traffic areas to minimise background noise. By diverting noise away from large noisy areas they make customers’ shopping experience more comfortable.
• Bulkhead ceilings give off a contemporary look and feel. Covering much of the structural and architectural works, they can separate various retail areas. At the same time, lighting, electrics and air conditioning systems can be integrated into them, thereby creating a cleaner look.
• Open ceiling design can be considered when the ceiling height would not allow for the installation of false ceilings. With a clever colour scheme and design, open ceilings can create a modern vibe in your retail area. When painted with a black background colour they can also draw attention to the products or the activities below.
• Customised, bespoke ceilings combine various shapes, sizes and patterns to create a truly unique feel. Combining various types of finishes, colours and textures efficiently ensures that the ceiling design reflects your design and your brand perfectly.

Retail flooring design

Retail flooring design principles

To create truly outstanding flooring designs, several criteria need to be carefully considered. The selection of retail flooring materials and types depends on the physical properties of particular materials, as well as on their durability and cost. But besides these aspects, it is also crucial to ensure that the flooring fits the overall decor and adds warmth and appeal to it.

Since retail floors have to stand up to a lot of traffic, they must be able to resist against daily wear. Depending on how much foot-traffic each area of a retail store receives, different materials can be efficiently combined and matched.

Besides durability and visual criteria, cost remains one of the most important factors when choosing between various flooring types. Retail designers need to consider both the material and installation cost, as well as the cost of continual maintenance. While some materials are inexpensive to install, they might need frequent repair or maintenance.

Flooring types and materials

Depending on the type of retail area as well as on design, several flooring options can be chosen:

• Carpeting is one of the most frequently used flooring materials in retail stores. Opting for carpet flooring can be beneficial since it is available in a wide variety of colours and textures at a reduced cost. At the same time, it has very good sound-absorption properties and is comfortable underfoot. The main disadvantage of carpet floors, however, remains maintenance. Since they can be easily stained, and are hard to clean, they might need to be replaced at regular intervals.
• Resilient flooring options are extremely durable and thus are the ideal choice in both sales and storage areas. Coming in a wide variety of surface patterns, colours and finishes they offer great freedom in terms of design.
• Ceramic tiles are a popular choice in busy retail areas with high footfall. Coming in a wide variety of surface finishes and materials, they offer unmatched design options. At the same time, they are extremely hard-wearing and easy to clean and to maintain. Nevertheless, they are not as comfortable as many other flooring types and can create noise.
• Wooden floors can be a great alternative to carpet flooring due to their comfort, durability and price. With proper illumination, they can add warmth and appeal thereby enhancing the overall ambience of the store. Nonetheless, similarly to ceramic tiles and concrete, they do not absorb noise and thus can become noisy underfoot.
• Masonry of terrazzo floors can give your floor a unique and sophisticated look. Although more expensive than other materials, they are extremely long-lasting and offer exceptionally high aesthetic value.