How to design a showroom

[Flame]

Alright, so I'm doing a bit of rebranding, freshening up my brand again and you guessed it... drawing blanks, everyday. And here's the hardest part... a showroom. I'm stumped guys, I'm a graphic designer, not a interior decorator. I don't even want a showroom but I have a 20' x 45' showroom with 14' ceilings, wtf am I going to fill it with?

Anyone have tips on how to design a showroom, good sites they've seen to get ideas, etc? Not looking to hire interior decorators and have polished marble floors here, just ideas on how to make it attractive. I want a style/theme I like... but that's it.

Any tips for a buddy?

 

[trik]

Nice size show room! Fill it with what you offer. What do you offer your clients? Vehicle wraps? Maybe wrap a car door or fender from a wrecking yard to show that? Monument signs? Maybe make a small one and have that on display? Wall graphics? You have a ton to display there.... If it is too much room, build a false wall with a door, use part for storage and tone down the size of the display room.

Good luck, post some pics as well,it may help with ideas, or post pics when finished ;-)

 

[Kevin-shopVOX]

Definitely fill it with things you want to sell. Samples sell. Wall graphics not only add visual appeal but provide customers with ideas. I've seen guys mount parts of cars even half a car once on the wall completely wrapped. We did translucent prints on the fluorescent light panels as well as an aquarium scene on a big picture window that always had a ton of light coming through. Cut down on the heat and provided a cool idea for customers. Your lobby really is one of your first impressions make it count.

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

One idea that worked well was the letter ..R.. has all the strokes of a letter, then do this in all kinds of fonts, effects, colors etc. what ever you think you want to try.

This idea was from and worked well for Mike Jackson.

 

[Farmboy]

I just bought a couch, area rug and a coffee table for our showroom. It's kinda unexpected but gives the place a comfortable feel right when you walk in the door. With ceilings that high I'd see if I could find a fiberglass car body to wrap and hang from the ceiling. Or something along those lines. Stuff like that always grabs peoples attention and gets them talking.

 

[Flame]

Liking the ideas so far! I'm trying for the theme of a "garage" feel, rat rods, white walls, pinstriping, etc. Want to give it a feel, we're a "custom" shop, not a cookie cutter sign shop, and do a lot of vehicle and bikes.

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

but I have a 20' x 45' showroom with 14' ceilings, wtf am I going to fill it with?

Woe b you.

Perhaps you're discounting the marble floors etc. as a real install because of expense, hassle, permanency etc. because that's what you feel is really necessary and overlooking the obvious that you could create a kick arse faux marble or stone design? Just me first thoughts...

Our body shop throws away a TON of usable panels to wrap and they'll quickly eat up the space you want to fill.


Good luck with it, I'm sure you'll come up with something spectacular.

 

[iSign]

14' isn't enough to get super crazy... but I could picture a seriously challenging climbing wall in front of wrapping a wall with Yosemite pics (or maybe Rainier is more appropriate)

...& cheaps idea of faux marble floor graphics could fit better with faux monster truck tread marks through a bunch of faux dirt piles... and then buy some dirt cheap basket case bikes to wrap up and hang from the ceiling in aeriel jump mode!!!

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

...& cheaps idea of faux marble floor graphics could fit better with faux monster truck tread marks through a bunch of faux dirt piles... and then buy some dirt cheap basket case bikes to wrap up and hang from the ceiling in aeriel jump mode!!!

liking it

 

[Rick]

When asked to design an interior retail space, the first thing I ask is... What is your budget?

At least you have a theme...

 

[Flame]

cheap budget, as I've decided I'm only staying here 2 more years, then moving my location to a different part of town.

Don't have a dollar amount (don't ya hate when customers tell you that?) so... just see what happens.

 

[Just Another Sign Guy]

Flame there used to be a shop in portland called "fif-tees" that was an incredibly unique shop owned by a car customizer and pinstripe artist from the 50's..he did an incredible job of decorating it and on a budget.

the floors were pinstriped with ornate scrolls in the corners. ribbed aluminum sheeting approx. 38" or so as wainescoting on the walls with a ledge for samples/art/collectibles/etc.

lots of repurposed auto parts as art..find a 50s / 60s car at the junkyard with a good backend of the body and turn it into a couch...obviously make sure you rewire the tail lights so you can plug them in...the last one couch I did like this cost more to have the upholstery company buildout the seating than what I paid for the rear end of the car.

if you have the space and the clients, car couches sell too. I know you are a handy guy ..might be a way to make some extra cachingo$.

but as mentioned in an earlier post..make sure the samples show the type of work you want to do. samples sell.

 

[Flame]

Ribbed sheeting is a awesome idea. I was thinking of building "tipouts" from the wall with it and having lights underneath but having it as wainescoting sounds cool!

 

[Rick]

I was thinking corrugated galvanized metal siding/wood trim on top and bottom (think Chipotle interior) Some dark walls (Burgundy or dark dark grey almost black or dark digital print on wall) acid stain concrete flooring. Monorail lighting... then add pinstriping, hand lettered signs, digital print and samples. Funky table/chairs and couches to make sales. Park your motorcyles in there as samples. A funky table or two with dimensional samples, t-shirts and printed portfolio that people can put their mits on. I forget to add, find some old old burned out signs with lots of patina and set them up here and there or hang them as art pieces... most of this stuff you can take with you to the next place.

 

[Rick]

I forgot to add... we all know what a hot rod garage looks like, but it helps to have a reference. I forgot I had this book. You might want to get it for ideas...

http://www.amazon.com/Hot-Rod-Garages-Peter-Vincent/dp/0760326967

 

[Rick]

ooops, I have this one too....

http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Garages-Kris-Palmer/dp/0760326762/ref=pd_sim_b_6

 

[Flame]

Maybe black floors, dark tan walls, flat black beams (I have vertical beams every 10'), galvanized ribbed metal 3' up from the floor all the way around. Right above that have shelving all the way around with single clothing racks underneath (I have a clothing company so showcase a lot of t-shirts, sweatshirts etc.), and then can put examples on the shelving and larger or dimensional signs mounted higher on the walls? Or maybe large 4x8 sepia tone prints of some cool custom work we've done in the past...

Hmmmmm



Rick...you rock

 

[Rick]

Check out this showroom.... it's aviation theme but it it retro and in the same look/color/texture as the rat rod look.

http://www.motoart.com/studio/showroom

 

[AUTO-FX]

Call your local auto salvage yards and see if you can get a clean front clip,, minus the engine, from a rear end collision vehicle. Clean it up, make a dolly set up with castors, and do a really wicked wrap on it. Install track lighting overhead - some cool drop down bendy light fixtures. Mural one wall. Install self service bar on another, stocked with a wide variety of refreshments. Contract an ATM machine so you can have an all cash policy.

???

 

[Pat Whatley]

Interesting tidbit o' trivia about your link there, Rick. The guy who started the company used to be a sign guy at Disney.