Visual Merchandising and Store Design | VMSD.com

Store’s interior is modeled after the great outdoors.

By Sarah Fasce

To create a store that both pet lovers and friends of pet lovers would appreciate, Rowland+Broughton Architecture and Urban Design created a backyard theme for the Jet Pets Boutique in the Denver Intl. Airport.

“Everyone knows a pet lover, even if they aren’t one,” says Shane Martin, architect for Rowland+Broughton Architecture and Urban Design. “We wanted you to feel that you could throw a ball in the sunshine and play with your best friend while you’re there in the store.”

The playful design for the 1057-square-foot space, owned by Skyport Development Co., includes galvanized chain-link fences used as accents between retail fixtures and as displays for merchandise. The cashwrap countertop was resurfaced in concrete to look like a sidewalk, while the back office door was created with barn wood to resemble a fence gate. Green turf and brown cobblestone-looking carpeting allow customers to feel as though they’re taking a walk in the neighborhood.

The boutique offers a range of gifts, from animal-themed sculptures, collars and leashes to bigger items like dog houses, dog beds and carrying cases.

One design challenge confronting designers was the location of a large column sitting in front of store, located in the Concourse B mezzanine. To make the entrance more visible to passersby, designers opened up the storefront by removing part of the existing wall at the entrance and keeping half of the previous store window and frame.

Another challenge was finding green turf flooring that would work in a retail setting. Martin says designers originally wanted to use the material throughout the space but realized it would create an issue with accessibility. Once they decided to use it just around the perimeter as an accent, designers still had to find a material that was appropriate for indoor application and could withstand heavy use, including luggage being dragged over it.

Working with SYNLawn (Dalton, Ga.), Martin says they picked a turf material that would pass fire and smoke testing and meet the requirements of installation at the Denver airport. The result, he adds, is the look and feel of natural turf that provides an outdoor accent to the retail setting. “People still have a chance to touch it and walk on it,” he adds.

Project Participants:

Client: Skyport Development Co., Denver -- David Mosteller, president/ceo

Design and Architecture: Rowland+Broughton Architecture and Urban Design, Denver -- Shane Martin, associate; Laura Butler, interior designer

Concrete Countertop
Concrete Revolution, Denver

Fixtures
Newood Display Fixture Mfg. Co., Eugene, Ore.
Oios Metals, Denver

Flooring
Masland Contract, Saraland, Ala.
SYNLawn, Dalton, Ga.

Paint
Benjamin Moore, Montvale, N.J.

Signage/Graphics
Freeman Signs, Englewood, Colo.