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Merchandising: Spring Window Trends from NYC

April 25, 2016 | 0 Comments

I recently made a quick trip down to NYC to visit my sister before moving back west.  It also gave me an opportunity to snap lots of photos of spring window displays – photos that I refer to often when needing a creative boost for displays of my own.  Color, movement and politics were recurring themes.  The good news is that a few of the examples detailed below are ideas you can make your own with a little bit of money and a lot of ambition.  Follow along on this eye popping field trip of some of NYC’s most vibrant windows. 

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I love using vinyl records in window displays.  They are easy to find in any thrift store and don’t cost much.  And you can affix them to a wall or suspend them in a window from a piece of grid hung from the ceiling.  I am not sure what these albums have in common with Italian luxury leather goods, but who cares?  These windows are eye catching.  Records are at once a throwback to our youth and at the same time hipster trendy – hence broad appeal.

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Signs of spring  – chirping birds and lots of blooming flowers.  These are themes that are easy to replicate in your store displays.  Just hit up your local dollar store, craft store and/or Home Depot type location. 
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Grab some paint.  Spring is the perfect time to spruce up fixtures or brighten interior spaces.  I love industrial spools and painted white they look fresh.  I love ladders.  Painted blue they look play well with housewares in complimentary colors.  I love to use firewood. Paint the ends a cool shade that evokes warmer days ahead.

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Grow something green!  Plants are a surefire and affordable way to transform a space.  Succulents are hot right now.  They are low maintenance, require little water and therefore are good candidates for a retail space.  Terrariums are a bit more work and care, but are interesting and attractive details to add to your displays.

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Gracious Home is a regular stop for me on my field trip route.  They reliably have colorful and creative window displays.  Vacuum cleaners aren’t very sexy, but displaying them as objects of beauty in the photo above could convince me I need a new one. 

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Think about using temporary wallpaper or adhesive shelf liners to bump up the volume on plain backgrounds or even inside display cases to give them a lively update.

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Finally, in an election year full of fire and brimstone, one store – Fishes Eddy in NYC makes no excuses in poking fun at politics in America – past and present.  And while constructing a giant Hilary pantsuit might not be in the cards for your window display budget, sometimes irreverence can make us laugh.  It’s a slippery slope to bring politics into window displays, but poking fun never looked so clever.

I hope you have enjoyed our virtual field trip to see some inspiring window display ideas that you can use right now.  Stay display inspired.  Head out on your very own field trip sometime soon – either by yourself or take some employees with you.  It’s a terrific way to recharge your creative batteries.

Find more MERCHANDISING tips and resources from Ali at www.Snowsports.org/merchandising

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