When you open new premises for your business, it’s imperative to make the most of your money. By starting with your interior, you can truly transform a space. And with the British high street thriving despite speculation, 2023 could be a brilliant time to invest.

Whether you’re buying or renting, you’ll be able to change the floor layout as often as you’d like to. Not only is this great news for your creative freedom, but with the right tricks and techniques, an optimised shop floor should help you to increase customer spending too.

How can I maximise floor space in my shop?

• Avoid overcrowding

While it might seem that covering your floor in stands could help you to get the most out of your space, it could just make your store seem unkempt. Not only could this make it difficult for customers to navigate, but it could make tidying and cleaning a bit trickier for you.

Keep your shop floor clear, with clean-cut angles and a minimalist influence. Try to be creative when you arrange product displays, and don’t keep items too closely packed together.

Even though shoppers might be heading to physical stores less frequently, nearly one in five said they would be trying new stores in 2022. Making yours attractive and inviting could be imperative to its long-term success.

• Decorate the walls

Utilise your wall space by adding storage racks, bespoke shelving, or local artwork to help draw customers eyes’ upwards. Decorating the walls in your shop should also help you to minimise overcrowding on the floor, which could make your shop look cluttered and unappealing.

Planning some special offers soon? You could use bright, modern posters and customise them online to advertise upcoming sales or discounts. Alternatively, you could display promotional posters of your goods being modelled or in action.

• Maximise natural light

Not only can well-looked after windows brighten your store, but they can also be used to draw new customers in. With an effective window display, you can highlight your newest or most impressive products, along with the bestsellers that draw customers back inside.

Depending on the structural layout and design of your shop, you might be limited to specific types of window display. But window displays make the touchpoint between your brand and your target market, so you shouldn’t underestimate this visual merchandising strategy.

• Use mirrors

If your shop front lacks windows or you’re struggling to direct natural light into the right places, you can create the illusion of space with mirrors. Shop around in second-hand stores, car boot sales and online marketplaces to see if you can find a taller mirror.

Placed at a low level in your shop, a floor mirror opens the space and allows your customers to see your products from multiple perspectives too. If you sell clothing, mirrors enhance the shopping experience, allowing customers to see how products look.

• Create a customer journey

Rather than having multiple product types bundled into the same area, try to think of which products could work best together. You should aim to help make the flow of the store work better for customers, leaving room for customers to pass one another without feeling trapped or needing to walk back on themselves.

You might also choose to encourage multiple purchases by strategically placing discounted items or bundle deals on the way to the checkout.

Looking for more inspiration? If you’re not sure where to start with your store interior, don’t hesitate to seek professional advice from a designer.