With the surge in environmental issues, everyone is doing their bit to be environmentally attentive. This particular social awareness has transcended into the designer’s choice of finishes and materials in which they specify.

Sustainability and green products will be the key to bringing nature into the interiors of tomorrow.

Blue was the colour of 2006/7, now yellow together with rich vibrant colours including reds, golds, black and greens are taking over, perhaps as a prelude to the Beijing Olympics 2008.

These sexy, intense shades will add warmth to any room. They also make great “backdrop” colours for beautiful oriental artefacts.

Mixtures of caviar, silver, crystal and white create a calming influence, an air of sleek simplicity whilst leaving a gentle lustre with an almost tranquil pure and clean feel.

This doesn’t mean we will say goodbye to bright shades, but they will be toned down to reflect that we are facing a more uncertain future.

A run on from 2007’s masculine rich and glossy palette, here blue is once again a major player.

Used to create clean open interiors, with the combinations of stone, faux leathers and glass.

Fabric plays an important role featuring hand knitted fabrics, yarns and flowing patterns often with a touch of cotton, linen and silk cloth.

Browns of York is an award-winning, independent, family-owned department store that has been operating in York for over 100 years. JSA were taken on for a significant revamp of the cosmetics and fragrance department. During the project JSA also handled the design and build of the relocated handbags, ladies accessories and hosiery departments.

“We were impressed with JSA’s strong track record for developing independent department stores,” says MD Nicholas Brown. “We also knew that they had a good dialogue with the designers from the major cosmetics houses. They have strict parameters for their brand style that we needed to work with while ultimately reflecting our own brand interests.”

The refurbishment and relocation brought about a seismic change in the store with the discontinuation of own-bought ladies fashions, and all the work has been carried out to a carefully planned programme with minimum disruption.

The new look of the Accessories department has a far more contemporary feel with an Amtico floor in a modern pale concrete finish and the old, low-hanging ceiling tiles replaced by a chic new ceiling and revised lighting. The existing window backs were ripped out creating light and an invigorating sense of space.

The refurbishment allowed for the introduction of new brands in the cosmetics and perfumery departments include Chanel, Beauté, Christian Dior, Benefit, Sisley Paris and Yves St Laurent. Ladies accessories and handbags feature top brands such as Miss Sixty, Guess, Radley and Jane Shilton to name but a few.

Since completion in October 06, the new look departments have performed incredibly well.

Browns had a very good run into Christmas which saw a 44% increase in cosmetic sales and a 14% increase in the accessories department, despite there being less space. The store is now looking forward to good growth factors this summer.

Retail food outlet – Rocket
When I lived in London, after a hard days graft at the office and an hours journey ahead of me, I used to pass through Waterloo Station on my way home. On the concourse at Waterloo was a retail food outlet that consisted of two chilled refrigerated cabinets. A printed menu tells you what meals are available each week, normally three choices and price brackets. The raw ingredients, all peeled and prepared, are all packaged in perfect portions for either one or two persons. Cooking instructions are in the bag. So there you have it - two minutes before your train leaves, grab a bag, and you can have a delicious dinner on your plate in 10 minutes as soon as you get home ideal for those with a busy lifestyle and no time to go to the supermarket. Oh yes and they’ll also sell you a bottle of wine to wash it all down - great concept!

Bamboo flooring
High quality solid bamboo flooring as a product is not new to the trade and has been around for over 10 years. The product is made in China and is extremely strong, durable and beautiful to look at. It's also one of the most environmentally friendly building materials on the market today. It comes in two colour variations - natural or a darker coffee version created by smoking the wood during the drying process.

Because it is a natural, renewable resource, bamboo flooring is considered by many experts to be the logical flooring choice of the future. Bamboo is technically a grass, not a wood product, and it can be harvested every 5 years. As a result, no forests are destroyed to make bamboo floors. So for all you retailers, choosing bamboo flooring is an environmentally and ecologically responsible choice. Studies have shown that flooring made from bamboo measures up against - and can even exceed the most popular stable and durable hardwood varieties. Bamboo flooring is an environmentally, economically and aesthetically smart product. For more information and samples please give us a call.

Lighting
Designers are still looking to the Rococo period - a period of opulence, decadence and romance - as a design influence within stores. The style was characterised by a free, graceful movement; a playful use of line and subtle colours. The chandelier is a product that typifies this era beautifully - delicate feminine and contrasting against the cleaner, harsher lines typical of most modern stores. As with all design schemes it comes down to cost and I have sourced an option from Next Direct for £80.

Recyling
Bar design has been a big showcase for contemporary design for a long time now. Picture an eclectic mix of chairs and tables - a group of 60’s chairs and low slung funky table will be in one corner, for example, and a 1940’s oak dining table and chairs in another. Shouldn’t we be using similar principles in retail design, especially if you are an independent store? Furniture can be picked up cheaply from auctions then stripped, painted or varnished or left in its original condition (otherwise known as ‘shabby chic’.)

An old wardrobe unit, a special dining table or odd chairs scattered around the store, painted in a colour that the customer wouldn’t expect can add an element of fun and surprise, and a focal or talking point about your store or restaurant. It can bring a uniqueness and individuality to a department or store - and it's environmentally friendly! So why not send us out to scour the auction rooms for your individual look?