Store Layout Optimization

𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺. 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀. 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀. What makes a conference room lighting design actually work? It’s not just about brightness — 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙮, 𝙜𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙡, 𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙤𝙙. Here’s how three strategic approaches tell three different stories: 🔹 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟭 – 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 & 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 Recessed downlights run in clean rows above the table, delivering concentrated light for writing, dining, or discussions. The ceiling-mounted washlights add indirect ambient glow, while wall-mounted track spotlights highlight the perimeter as needed. This layout emphasizes visual comfort with a modern corporate tone — especially effective when screen content is in play. 🧠 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬: 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 🔹 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮 – 𝗟𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 & 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 Suspended linear fixtures provide a balanced wash of direct and indirect light, aligning with the furniture grid. Downlights along the perimeter soften the room, while recessed wallwashers enhance the vertical surfaces at each end. The scene is fully dimmable — great for hybrid use where ambient mood, task lighting, and presentation need to work together. 🧠 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬: 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘶𝘮 𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘷𝘪𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘶𝘴𝘦. 🔹 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟯 – 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 & 𝗔𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 Here, wallwashers take the lead — casting an even glow across vertical surfaces for a soft ambient backdrop. Downlights deliver just enough task light on the table, while track-mounted spotlights add punch when needed, from presentations to product demos. 🧠 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬: 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵 𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴. 𝗖̲𝗼̲𝗻̲𝗰̲𝗹̲𝘂̲𝘀̲𝗶̲𝗼̲𝗻̲ Each of these approaches works — when aligned with architectural intent. The layout of light defines how a room performs, feels, and communicates. If you’re just picking a fixture type, you’re missing the opportunity to design with light. #codelumen #LightingDesign #ArchitecturalLighting #ConferenceRooms #LightingConcepts #Wallwashing #Downlighting #LightingStrategy #DesignWithPurpose #WorkplaceDesign

Long known for its out-of-town “big blue box” stores, IKEA is flipping the script, bringing the brand to where people are. In just two weeks, it opens the first of three small-format stores at Harlow Retail Park, following a high-profile move into the former TOPSHOP TOPMAN on Oxford Street. This is a smart, customer-first shift: - From “you come to us” → to “we meet you where you are” - Modular, flexible formats - Seamless online–offline integration What’s the strategy here: 🛒 Retail parks: Fast rollouts (100 days from lease to open), curated showrooms, click & collect, and grab-and-go food, ideal for everyday suburban shoppers. 🏙️ City centres: Immersive, design-led spaces with takeaway items and community features, perfect for car-free city living. It’s all about: 🔹Proximity & accessibility 🔹Cost-efficient development 🔹Omnichannel synergy 🔹Local, sustainable relevance As retail evolves, IKEA’s strategy is a powerful example of agile reinvention, meeting today’s customers with the right format, in the right place, at the right time.

How to WOW! I’ve been talking about ways to improve the way brands show up for over three years now from retail design to popups and Swarovski has nailed it with its concept store named Instant Wonder, a high-colour, full-immersion boutique which its creative director Giovanna Engelbert refers to as a Willy Wonka candy store of crystal escapism. This vibrant direction permeates everything you see Swarovski doing from retail design to popups to visual language across all communication channels. It’s a triumph in my view and one other brands can learn from. Takeouts: 🖍️Colour blocking: The brand has mastered the art of colour blocking as well as the palette it champions. 🎨 Bright is my favourite colour: The brand’s new direction serves up a feast for the eyes. Colour is a great way to engage curiosity in your audience. Stimulate their innate desire to explore and you can’t go wrong. 💎 Tactile temptation: Texturise your space to provide a sense of depth and dimension. It gives people more to notice and encourages guests to enjoy the details of the world they’re in. 🔶 Brand confidence: People can tell when a brand cuts corners and it denotes cheap. Brand confidence is infectious when it’s done right but it needs the right investment. If not you’ll get caught out and your reputation will suffer as a consequence. 💠 What's your WOW? When designing a space genuinely ask yourself where your WOW elements are. Be honest with yourselves. What will people genuinely talk about and tell their friends about. Design from the ground up with this in mind and qualify your output through this metric. #retaildesign #visualmerchandising #marketing #brandexperience

I walked into Miniso just to browse, but a tiny design detail caught my attention I reached for a perfume tester, expecting to spray it on my wrist. But there was no push-button. Just an open nozzle, forcing me to bring it close and take a sniff. Observations: 🛍️ Smart Product Placement: Perfumes were neatly arranged in visually appealing color blocks, making selection feel intuitive. 👃 Tester Trick: The tester bottles had no push-button sprays! Instead, customers had to directly sniff the nozzle—reducing impulse spraying by passersby and ensuring serious buyers engage more deeply. 👉 Behavioral Science in Action: 📌 Commitment Bias: If you take the effort to pick up and sniff, you're more likely to consider buying. 📌Scarcity Effect: No free-flowing spray means the product feels more 'exclusive.' 📌Decision Fatigue Reduction: Minimal distractions, clear choices, and a structured layout make buying easier. Retailers are getting smarter—it's not just about WHAT they sell but HOW they sell it. Have you noticed any clever behavioral tactics in stores lately? #BehavioralScience #RetailPsychology #ConsumerBehavior #MarketingStrategy #BrandExperience 

What do the first 10 seconds in your store say about your brand? First impressions aren’t just for people. They define your brand too. In a physical store, your brand speaks before your staff does. In the first 10 seconds, a customer already knows: "Do I want to be here or do I want to leave?" The music, the lighting, the scent, the VM at the store entrance, the staff energy, the store layout, it all adds up to one silent yet powerful feeling: “This space is for me” or “This space isn’t for me!” Yet retailers often get caught up in shelf layout and product visibility. But they rarely pause to ask—what’s the emotional temperature of my store? The magic of a retail store isn’t just that it invites you in but also invites you to explore. Customer journeys need to be planned. Not just to help people find what they need, but to cross-sell, upsell, and keep them engaged. Think tops with bottoms. Accessories that complete the look. Or offers that nudge you to add one more item to your basket. This makes the journey more coherent, and the brand more relevant. Beauty stores do this well—inviting you in with colours and fragrance. A store that ensures you see the ‘complete range’ and hence buy more in my view is IKEA. They take you from one ‘room’ to another. The merchandise is the visual merchandise. You not only all the options available for a bed or a sofa, but other furniture and accessories that would liven up the space. Think of a side table. With a lamp or a vase. Maybe even a bedside clock. Or a magazine rack. Some photo frames. And voila, you have a redesigned your room, and not just bought a piece of furniture. That’s the brilliance of it. You’re not just shopping, you’re imagining. It’s retail done right. Not by shouting louder, but by designing better. Which store was that for you? One you walked into… and never really forgot? #retail #marketing #branding #linkedin

🏢 Mastering Real Estate Selection for Business Success: In-Depth Insights 🌟 Selecting the right location is not just a decision—it’s a strategy that can define the future of your business. Here are my detailed insights on how to approach this critical choice: 1. Strategic Location Selection 📍 • Action: Conduct thorough research on foot traffic patterns using tools like Google Maps and local traffic analytics services. Choose locations with high visibility and accessibility that match the lifestyle and routines of your target demographic. • Pro Tip: Consider the proximity to major landmarks, public transport hubs, or popular retail centers that attract your ideal customers. 2. Demographic Deep Dive 👥 • Action: Utilize demographic data tools such as the U.S. Census Bureau or commercial services like Nielsen PRIZM to understand the socioeconomic status, purchasing behavior, and preferences of the local population. • Pro Tip: Align your product or service offerings with the local community’s needs and preferences to ensure relevance and demand. 3. Evaluating Competition and Synergies 🤼♂️ • Action: Map out competitors and complementary businesses within a reasonable radius. Analyze their customer reviews and foot traffic to gauge their success and market saturation. • Pro Tip: Look for opportunities to locate near businesses that offer complementary services which can introduce your business to their customer base, creating a beneficial ecosystem. 4. Navigating Lease and Purchase Terms 📑 • Action: Work with a real estate attorney to review all contractual documents. Pay special attention to clauses related to escalations, subleasing, and termination rights to ensure flexibility and cost efficiency. • Pro Tip: Negotiate terms that allow for leasehold improvements and upgrades, which can be essential as your business grows and evolves. 5. Planning for Scalability and Flexibility 🚀 • Action: Choose locations that offer the ability to expand square footage or alter the layout. Engage an architect or planner to discuss possible future modifications before finalizing any deals. • Pro Tip: Secure first right of refusal for adjacent spaces or include clauses that allow you to expand as needed within the property or commercial complex. Choosing the right real estate is a crucial decision that requires strategic thinking and careful planning. By following these actionable strategies, you can position your business for long-term growth and success in a location that not only meets your current needs but also adapowers your future ambitions. 🌱

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 💡 Your brand isn’t just seen. It’s heard, touched, smelled—and maybe even tasted. In a world drowning in digital noise, standing out takes more than a good logo or catchy tagline. It takes engaging all five senses. Welcome to the future of branding: Synesthetic Marketing. Inspired by synesthesia—a condition where senses merge, like hearing colors or tasting sounds—this approach taps into how we naturally associate sensory inputs. 🔬 Studies by Oxford's Dr. Charles Spence show: 🎵 Music changes how wine tastes 🍽️ Food seems sweeter on white plates 🔊 Crunchier sounds = fresher snacks So what does this mean for your brand? 💎 Tanishq doesn’t just sell jewellery—it wraps it in soft lighting, velvet textures, and soothing Indian music. ☕ Starbucks isn’t just coffee—it’s warm lighting, jazz music, earthy tones, and rich aromas. 🧴 Forest Essentials is a spa-like experience—flutes in the air, sandalwood in the air, and texture-rich packaging in hand. This multisensory approach can: ✅ Boost emotional connection ✅ Improve recall ✅ Extend time spent in stores or on sites ✅ Build a lasting impression ✨ Pro tip: Next time you plan a campaign or design a store, ask: — What does it sound like? — What textures are we evoking? — Is there a scent? A rhythm? A vibe? Because in 2025 and beyond, people don’t just buy with their eyes—they buy with all their senses. TO READ MORE, VISIT LINK IN COMMENTS #BrandStrategy #MarketingInnovation #SensoryBranding #SynestheticMarketing #IndianBrands #CXDesign #BrandExperience #Neuromarketing #MarketingTips #Tanishq #Starbucks #ForestEssentials #ConsumerBehavior

Your customers don't want to shop - they need to dream. These environments tap into deep psychological triggers, engaging the brain’s emotional centers to create lasting connections. By designing spaces that feel both familiar and otherworldly, these brands create “liminal” experiences that resonate on a profound level, turning customers into participants in the brand’s story. Great Case Studies: Vans’ House of Vans: This space isn’t just a store; it’s a cultural hub where retail, art, music, and skateboarding converge. Visitors don’t just shop—they become part of the Vans ethos, living and breathing the brand’s core identity. Coach x Disney Pop-Ups: These enchanting spaces blend luxury with nostalgia, inviting customers into a world where Coach’s craftsmanship meets the whimsy of Disney. The result? Shopping experiences that evoke deep emotional connections. Gucci Garden Archetypes: This experience immerses visitors in the rich narratives behind Gucci’s iconic campaigns. Each room tells a different story, allowing customers to explore the brand’s world from within. Burberry’s Imagined Landscapes: These environments merge the physical and digital, transporting customers into futuristic spaces inspired by Burberry’s vision. It’s a journey that transforms shopping into an exploration of what’s possible. The results speak for themselves. Increased dwell time, boosted conversion rates, skyrocketing social media buzz, and most importantly, delighted customers who leave feeling connected to the brand. #retail #inspiration #creativity #design #experiencedesign #brand Grant Dudson AMAR ALNΞMΞR ☀️🚀 Nuno Antunes

𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘐𝘒𝘌𝘈 𝘚𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘋𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘗𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 – 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 We’ve all done “the IKEA walk.” That carefully designed path that winds through living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and workspaces, one by one. It feels like a slow stroll through someone else’s home, inspiring and often… longer than expected. But have you ever stopped to ask: 𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝑰𝑲𝑬𝑨 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒚? 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆? Let’s unpack it, through the lens of Lean thinking and customer experience design. The Intentional Flow IKEA didn’t leave the layout to chance. Their famous “natural path” (known internally as the Long Natural Path) is designed to guide customers through every part of the store in a specific order. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘥, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. You’re not just shopping. You’re exploring. You’re seeing how things fit together, imagining your own home, and discovering needs you didn’t know you had. That’s not an accident. That’s Lean thinking applied to behavioral flow. What Makes It Work ❇️ Inspiration-First, Not Product-First! Traditional retail is product-centric. IKEA is story-centric. Each section tells a story of how you could live, work, or relax. ❇️ Visual Management at Scale! There’s minimal sales pressure. The displays sell themselves. It’s a showroom that makes decisions easier, not harder. ❇️ Standardization with Local Flexibility! Every IKEA has a similar feel, however also localized touches. This allows global consistency while staying regionally relevant. So Why Don’t Others Do It? Because not everyone is selling inspiration. • Supermarkets focus on efficiency. • Electronics stores want speed and comparison. • Clothing brands want browsing freedom. The IKEA walk only works when the goal is to create ideas, not just sell products. Plus, it’s not cheap. IKEA stores are enormous, and designing such a path requires space, planning, and operations built for flow. A Lean Paradox IKEA slows you down… To optimize the customer journey. It’s a beautiful contradiction: • Reduce friction by increasing time • Drive sales by removing pressure • Standardize the flow to inspire creativity It’s not about perfection. It’s about progress that feels natural, to the customer and to the team operating behind the scenes. Next time you take the IKEA walk, take a moment to notice: • Where you stop • What you pick up • What inspires you Because what you’re walking through isn’t just furniture. It’s a carefully crafted experience. And a lesson in what happens when we design with empathy, intention, and Lean principles. Lean by AkiJun Let’s not chase perfection. Let’s pursue progress, right where it’s needed most. #LeanThinking #CustomerJourney #VisualManagement #IKEA #ExperienceDesign #LeanByAkiJun #OperationsExcellence #StandardWork #InspirationInFlow

More instances running are not enough. You need to distribute the load. Let's review an online ticket booking system during a major event sale, which often faces extreme spikes in traffic. 𝗪𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝟯 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.  • An API • A Database • A Notification Service The first solution that came to your mind was to scale the API. And, sure, that will work for some time, but it has two problems  • Scaling does not happen magically; it requires time. • Once you have 10 instances, those will transfer the stress to the other two services. Well, I can scale the Database too.  But make sure you are ready to deal with sharding, eventual consistency, and other things (this is the exact moment I might mention the CAP theorem).  𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼?  One solution is adding something in the middle, designed to handle all that load and process it at the right moment in the correct order. 𝗔 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘂𝗲 Use Azure Service Bus to manage the queue of booking requests.  When a user makes a booking request, it's sent to a Service Bus queue. The queue makes sure to process the request without overloading the system.  There are 3 main benefits:  • Producers (senders) and consumers (receivers) don't have to send and receive messages at the same time. • You will have a Dead Letter queue where Azure saves the failed messages • Duplicate detection  𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿 Deploy an Azure Function to poll the queue and process booking requests.  Azure Functions can scale based on demand, making it efficient for handling variable loads without manual intervention. Now, you can have those 10 instances of your API writing messages to the queue without worrying about your DB or Notification service. The queue acts as a critical buffer, smoothing out demand spikes and allowing the system to process requests. A good System Design needs a distributed load! What else?