With its glass walls and sparkling illumination, Mix at The Breakers Hotel is a literal jewel box filled with modern jewelry, evening bags and hair accessories. But when it came to the interiors, the four-wall exposure was as much of a liability as an asset. “Our challenge was to create the required merchandising capacity with only 645 square feet and limited wall space -- because of the glass,” says Mark Janson, partner with the design firm Janson Goldstein.
Vertical display boxes suspended from the structural piers that separate the windows put the merchandise at eye level while freeing up floor space for easy circulation. Cases along the center aisle mirror the floating feel with unobtrusive floor-mounted, recessed metal bases.
The store is designed so that all of the pieces are approachable. With casegoods positioned to break down the barriers between staff and shoppers, sales are not made “over the counter,” as in a traditional jewelry store. “The associate and client have a more informal relationship, often standing side by side,” says Janson.
Project Participants:
Client
Mix, Palm Beach, Fla.
Architect/Design
Janson Goldstein, New York
Executive Architect
Peacock + Lewis, North Palm Beach, Fla.
Outside Design Consultants
Lighting Consultants LLC, Dallas (lighting)
Evers Engineering Inc., Hobe Sound, Fla. (mechanical engineering)
Kuhns Engineering, Jupiter, Fla. (electrical engineering)
General Contractor
Weitz Co., Palm Beach, Fla.
Fixtures
Encore Retail Systems, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Flooring
Moruzzi Co., Montreal
Lighting
3G Lighting, Woodbridge, Ont.