Daniel's

A mall calling itself the Terrazzo Center invites expectations of European chic and elegance.

And Daniel's, as the upscale fashion purveyor in the Grand Rapids, Mich., center, felt a special need to register high on the elegance meter. The Grand Rapids retailer called on JGA (Southfield, Mich.) to create an inviting and comfortable shopping experience, with the ambience of a neighborhood village in an environment with a residential feel.

Drawing from Italy for inspiration, JGA produced a European feel with a minimalist Tuscan flair. The 14,763-square-foot store's architecture includes a brick and limestone façade, coffered ceilings, elaborate woodwork, chandeliers, fine fabrics and furniture-like fixtures.

Keystone of the fixture program is the elegant cashwrap, curved to mimic the shape of the mezzanine balcony above it. The piece is finished in tay wood and topped with granite, with a tay counter that hides the registers and provides a handbag ledge.

A pair of arched, louvered doors behind the cashwrap contain additional registers that can be rolled forward when business is particularly heavy. The counter is designed to make these portable units appear as a fixed component.

Laszlo Regos Photography, Berkley, Mich.

Client: Daniel's, Grand Rapids, Mich. – Daniel Hurwitz, president

Design: JGA, Southfield, Mich. – Michael Crosson, project principal; Mike Benincasa, creative director; Mike McCahill, project manager; Brian Eastman, graphic design director

General Contractor: Triangle Associates, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Architect: Integrated Architecture, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Outside Design Consultant: Lighting Management, New City, N.Y. (lighting designer)

Suppliers: National Millwork, Clawson, Mich., Commercial Store Fixtures, Grand Rapids, Mich. (fixtures)