Carpet Studio was designed as a casually traditional, home-like environment to introduce consumers to the floor-buying experience. Its warm, neutral palette includes wood and stone, light coves and skylights that draw in natural light and wood fixturing systems that convey the feel of home furniture.
While the store's emphasis is on customer relationships and the sales focus is minimized, the floor plan for the 4000-sq.-ft. prototype emphasizes the design center, the core of the store's strategy.
The carpet is displayed in four color groupings (warm, cool, warm neutrals and cool neutrals) that anchor the studio's perimeter walls at key points, supported by large-scale imagery and text describing the grouping. Home fashion vignettes were created to translate easily to consumers'homes.
Client: Stanley Steemer, Columbus, Ohio
Design: Chute Gerdeman, Columbus, Ohio
Consultants: White Associates/Architects, Columbus, Ohio; Euchromia Lighting Design, Dayton, Ohio; Thimditco Engineering, Columbus, Ohio
Suppliers: Superior Model, New York City (forms); K&S Imaging, Chicago (signage and graphics); Curio-To-Go-Go, Second Thought Antique and Biashara Antiques, Columbus, Ohio (antique furniture -- additional furnishings from local outlets of Functional Furnishing, Arhaus Furniture and Pottery Barn); Village Woodsmith, Columbus, Ohio (cabinetry); Hamilton Parker, Columbus, Ohio (floor tile); Loot, Columbus, Ohio (decoratives and props)
Photography: Michael Houghton, Studiohio, Columbus, Ohio