Portfolio: Jigsaw, Guildford, UK

A luxury brand offering high-end clothing and accessories, London-based Jigsaw is nestled on Guildford High Street within the midcentury bricks of an old Georgian building.

After gaining prominence in the area for more than 10 years, Jigsaw creatives decided it was time to polish the store’s interior and freshen the brand by introducing a new upstairs annex, called The Shop at Bluebird. In order to preserve the space’s style while enticing a new customer base, they sought out design consultancy Checkland Kindleysides (Leicester, U.K.).

“We took a ‘light touch’ approach retaining the building’s characterful architecture,” says Charlie Ellis, design principal, Checkland Kindleysides. The building’s history fueled the project’s design, but it was equally important to sprinkle hints of modernity throughout.

White surfaces flood the entrance of Jigsaw as the ascending wall space softens to delicately whitewashed brick. Visual graphics and midcentury modern armchairs and ottomans create pathways through each department. Pops of pastel color appear through dressing room interiors and on the undersides of petal-shaped tables propping handbags and leather wallets. A high, windowed ceiling, as well as skylights, help illuminate the environment.

The Shop at Bluebird features a sky-blue ceiling with scrolls of white detailing the space. Copper and blackened steel contrast the white staircase and complement the neutral, earth-toned merchandise. Glass orbs suspended over the cashwrap illuminate the floor, adding to the contemporary feel.

According to Ellis, the merchandise consists of high-end designers and labels, appealing to an affluent suburban audience outside of Central London.

“We believe the design needed to amplify the tactile and sensorial elements of the brand,” says Ellis. “Sometimes the smallest and simplest details spark the greatest emotional response.”

PROJECT SUPPLIERS

Retailer
Jigsaw, London

Design
Checkland Kindleysides, Leicester, U.K.

Photography: Keith Parry, London