While the merchandise is designed to make a woman feel beautiful, Lingerie & Lace Boutique was feeling a little frumpy and constrained in its Summit, N.J., store. Among its problems were an easily overlooked storefront and an interior that had little room for storage.
Designer Laura Weeks (of Laura Weeks Interiors, Westfield, N.J.) went to work giving the 574-square-foot boutique a makeover with a new look, logo and layout. The logo, featuring a silhouette of a lady in a filigreed, lacy undergarment, is etched into the glass front door and illuminated by backlighting at night. A deep-purple awning also draws attention in the high-profile boutique shopping district.
Inside, where space was a concern, Weeks eliminated the back storage room and moved all the inventory onto the sales floor where it is stored in new shelving units, enclosed by cream-colored, quilted leather doors with peach-colored buttons. Merchandise is hung on racks located between the storage units, accented by mirrored walls and glass shelves for displaying accessories. The rearrangement also allowed the addition of two dressing rooms in the back of the store.
An architectural dome above the cashwrap, uplighting and cove perimeter lighting draw eyes to the vaulted ceiling and add a sense of height to the space. Two chandeliers and a peach-colored, clover-shaped ottoman add to the upscale boutique setting.
Client: Lingerie & Lace Boutique, Summit, N.J.
Design: Laura Weeks Interiors, Westfield, N.J. – Laura Weeks, principal/owner
Outside Design Consultants: Galossi Designs, Westfield, N.J. (glass); Waxman Designs, Tenafly, N.J. (logo design)
General Contractor: Brian Duffy Construction, New Providence, N.J.
Architect: David Baily Architect, Westfield, N.J.
Suppliers: Manual Canovas, New York (ottoman fabric); Lewis Mittman, New York (furniture); Waxman Designs, Tenafly, N.J. (graphics); F&S Awnings, Edison, N.Y. (signage); Gary Edwards Upholstery, Summit, N.J. (leather upholstery)
Eric Weiss Photography, New York