A Visual Merchandiser’s Display Tips

Years ago, fresh out of college I worked for a local company much like Crate and Barrel. We sold furniture, glassware, tableware, home accessories and more. I was the store’s Visual Merchandiser. My job was to prepare the display windows, vignettes and complete all of the general merchandising for the store.

In that position I learned that display is just presenting products in an appealing way. There are a few “rules” that help create balance when putting together a display. Here’s a list of tips that I used on the job and have been using in my own home for years.

1. Odd numbers are more appealing to the eye than even numbers. So when you group things together, use one or three items instead of two.
2. Cluster like items by size and color to create a clean appearance. For example if you put together a grouping of plates, vases and pitchers that are not a set, but all of them are white, they will look coordinated. Match colors and limit how many colors you use at one time.
3. Small items need special treatment or they can get lost or look cluttered. Objects have more impact when displayed together. So, if they are massed together they’ll look like a collection and won’t look nearly as cluttered as they would if they were spread out individually. Remember that scale is important. If you want to showcase a small item keep it in a smaller context. Set it on a small shelf, a box or a decorative tray to create a focal point.
4. Add height. Using both high and low objects keeps your eye moving. That’s why branches or candlesticks of varying heights work so well. Using a few hardcover books can give a lift to smaller items and act as a pedestal for them.
5. Create a still life like the artists of old. Painters focused on an item in the foreground that was nearest the viewer, and then arranged other details in the background. This use of dimension adds depth and prevents the display from seeming too flat, stiff or “lined up”.
6. When in doubt, add a touch of black. Sometimes I stand back and think that the room is missing something. That is when I use the “touch of black trick.” It really works. That’s because black adds visual weight and is a timeless color.
7. Less is more. Avoid a lot of surface clutter. Don’t overcrowd. Remember that larger items have more impact than small.

These merchandising rules carry over into home décor when you are trying to arrange accessories by creating a tablescape or a vignette. The word tablescape was coined by British interior designer David Hicks. It was used to describe a group of accessories or found objects that are put together in an artful way on any flat surface like a sofa table or the top of a piano. It could be composed of a combination of books, picture frames, candlesticks, accessories or lamps and may include items from nature like shells, rocks or pinecones. As David Hicks said: “What is important is not how valuable or inexpensive your objects are, but the care and feeling with which you arrange them.”

In theater, a vignette creates a setting. In the same way, stores stage small areas to showcase their products. This creates an inviting still life. By pulling a small arrangement of furniture together in an underused spot you can create this same type of feeling in your home.

Look around for small spaces that may be sitting idle. Add a chair, bench, table, plant or piece of art. Create a cozy reading corner. Fill a previously empty wall with a few pictures mounted above a small occasional chair. Add a chair or two to an oversized landing. Move a chest or table to the front entry. It can function as a place for mail or keys while adding ambiance to your entry.

A few more tricks…
Use mirrors. They brighten, add sparkle, increase the light and expand the space. If hung strategically, they can bring in reflections from the outside or give you a peek into another room.

Presentation is everything. In stores items are arranged in an artful way. Your rooms can come to life with that same type of attention to detail. Small details can have a huge impact. Something as simple as repeating the same size or style of baskets or boxes can create a clean and uniform look. Repetition is pleasing to the eye. So if you repeat basic shapes or use one color it will create a unified look which can bring a serene and calming feeling to the room.

Now on to your space…
Look with fresh eyes. I learned this technique as a merchandiser. The General Manager and I would walk out of the store and come in looking at details and making note of changes that needed to be made each week.

People are ever evolving creatures. Our rooms should reflect that. So it is a good idea to periodically pause and look to see if things still look coordinated and balanced. Is the scale right between different pieces? Have your tastes changed? Most of us stop noticing these little details after awhile. Take a moment to really look at your surroundings. Start at the top of the wall and let your eyes read the wall. Move from left to right as if you were reading a page in a book. What do you see? If you notice something that no longer feels right, remove it.

Shake things up. Shift furniture around the house for a fresh look. Before you buy new, rearrange what you have. Rotate accessories. A room can feel instantly updated if you group furniture differently.

If you’ve grown tired of a piece of furniture, consider the ways you could change it. Could you paint the end table, refinish the chairs or reupholster the sofa?

Think of alternative ways to use accessories. My friend works for Southern Living at Home. They are marketing geniuses. They show a product and then offer several nontraditional ways that you could use it. For example, they sell hurricane vases which most people would use for candles. Then they show it being used as a fishbowl, vase, terrarium or as a container for bath supplies. Once you start looking for alternatives each accessory becomes much more interesting and much more useful. The possibilities are limitless!

Copyright © 2008 Come2Order

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KAREN HENKE is a professional organizer and the owner of Come2Order. With a collection of 17 years work experience in design, space planning and organization, she now helps others come to order.