From supermarket to jewelry store: Five lessons from Polomé’s space transformation the Polomé jewelry store renovation case
Polomé jewelry store in the center of Charleroi, Belgium , was transformed from a former supermarket space. This case fully embodies the concept that space design serves business guidance . The project design uses a variety of means such as glass bricks, original structures and soft furnishings to create a high-end, ritualistic shopping scene and effectively guide customer flow. As ArchDaily introduced, the store "was transformed from a supermarket" and the design goal was to highlight the uniqueness of the original building . Below we will analyze it one by one from the aspects of entrance design, space division, display cabinet layout, material application and light flow, and its design ideas have important reference value for commercial space.
Entrance design – blurring boundaries and strengthening traffic flow. The store entrance uses a semicircular glass brick niche as a "contemplation space", blurring the boundary between the inside and outside of the store through the translucent glass brick wall . This design protects the privacy of the jewelry on the one hand, and on the other hand, the indoor light can shine through the glass bricks to the street, attracting the attention of passers-by . For example, ArchDaily reported: "The display cabinet is shaped as a contemplation space, surrounded by glass bricks stacked into a semicircle... The translucent facade protects the privacy of the jewelry on the one hand, and illuminates the street on the other hand ." This practice of blurring the boundaries of the store effectively stimulates the curiosity of customers, making people unable to help but stop and wait, and then step into the store to explore. Research shows that careful store design can guide traffic and increase customer stay time . Polomé 's entrance design puts this theory into practice, laying the foundation for subsequent experiential shopping.
Structure and partition – “Structure is scene”. After entering the store, the designer did not avoid the original beams and other structures that are common in supermarket renovations, but cleverly used these thick beams as visual guides and spatial nodes . ArchDaily pointed out: "There are a series of thick beams in the central space of the store. The designer matched the architectural structure logic with the spatial sequence, and the interior space organization became a scene design. A series of curtains divide different scene spaces, such as exhibition halls, auxiliary spaces, studios and offices ." In other words, through beams and curtains, the store is divided into several functional areas: the exhibition hall (scenic space) and the backstage (studio, office) are clearly distinguished. This layout makes the entire shopping process like a "ritualized journey", strengthening the customer's experience of entering the private backstage from the public exhibition hall. In fact, a clear traffic line design can guide exploration and increase the willingness to buy . Polomé 's structured scene layout is a typical example.
Showcase design – both private and open. The design of the store’s windows and try-on space is also iconic. Semicircular niches and gauze curtains are used in many places in the project to form a relatively independent try-on environment, but not completely closed . As ArchDaily describes: "This 'journey' is sometimes interrupted by semicircular niches, and the curtains around this try-on space enhance the intimacy of the space." This design provides customers with a good sense of privacy, making them more relaxed and at ease when trying on high-value jewelry. At the same time, through glass or open passages, sufficient visibility and a sense of security are retained to prevent the scene from being too closed and depressing. Lighting design also plays a key role here: lamps sometimes emphasize the horizontality of the display table, and sometimes highlight the verticality of the niche, creating a rich visual focus . This "scenario-based" display cabinet layout conforms to the design rules of retail space: it not only meets the privacy needs of high-value product exhibitions, but also creates a sense of ritual that attracts people through the connection of traffic lines and lighting.
Material creation – echoes product characteristics and enhances comfort. Polomé uses a unified color tone but a variety of materials to create a soft and high-end atmosphere . The designer used a wide range of textile materials on the walls and floors, and sprayed cellulose coating on the ceiling to create a soft acoustic environment . ArchDaily pointed out: "The choice of materials with a unified color tone with different textures highlights the color and luster of the gemstones. The use of textiles on the walls and floors and sprayed cellulose on the ceiling is to create a soft acoustic effect for the interior ." On the one hand, these materials reduce echoes and improve quietness, allowing customers to talk comfortably; on the other hand, the high-end texture contrast also sets off the exquisiteness of the jewelry. For example, fabrics such as blankets and flannel make people feel warm and friendly, which meets the requirements of luxury shopping for environmental texture. For professional store decoration companies such as Picsharping , reasonable material selection is not only the key to visual presentation, but also should match the brand and product characteristics to enhance the overall sense of space quality.
Light and movement – the guidance of natural and artificial light and shadow. Polomé’s design cleverly uses natural light and artificial light to guide customers’ movement and focus. At the end of the store, a second semicircular glass brick niche is set up to echo the entrance and introduce bright natural light . ArchDaily describes: "Customers’ flow is guided by the natural light from the second glass brick niche... These glass bricks reorganize the light and illuminate the depths of the store ." In other words, natural light becomes a "pull force" that attracts people deeper into the space . In addition, the tall mirrored walls in the store break the linearity of the space, making people interested in the flow and layering of the space, and the mirror reflection also makes the light softer and more dispersed . As industry research points out, a well-designed retail space can guide the flow of people and encourage customers to explore , and the lighting arrangement of the Polomé store is a practice of this: natural light and lighting together create a dynamic light and shadow effect, which makes customers can't help but walk into the store and prolong their stay.
The above points fully demonstrate the exquisiteness of the design of Polomé Jewelry Store: it is not only beautiful, but also deeply guides consumer behavior through commercial logic such as space layout and streamline design. For example, the translucent glass bricks at the entrance are not only decorations, but also a tool to attract customers ; the original beams and curtains are transformed into scene elements, making the shopping process full of ritual; the semi-circular niches in the trial area take into account both privacy and openness, and the balance of the two improves comfort; the material and sound environment highlight the high-quality texture of the brand from the inside out ; the light layout is like an invisible channel, pushing customers to continuously explore deeper display areas . These design highlights all show that excellent space design can effectively serve sales and brand image building in addition to visual effects .
✨Conclusion: From creativity to implementation The case of
Polomé Jewelry Store tells us that no matter how beautiful the creativity is, the key is to be able to implement it. Picsharping , as a professional commercial space design and construction team, is committed to turning these ideas into reality. According to its official website, Picsharping has been focusing on commercial space design and display cabinet production since its establishment 25 years ago , and provides a one-stop "turnkey project" service from scheme design to on-site construction . This means that they can not only provide brands with highly customized and scenario-based design solutions, but also have a strong implementation team to ensure that every detail is accurately implemented. As industry research points out, only by conveying brand identity to customers through physical space can the design value be maximized ; Picsharping emphasizes 1:1 restoration of design intent in order to achieve this goal. Whether it is store planning, structural utilization, display cabinet production, or lighting scheduling and material selection, they can consider it together with the characteristics of the customer's brand. In short, the space design of Polomé Jewelry Store provides a valuable reference for high-end retail: on the one hand, we learn from its idea of guiding customer behavior through space layout , and on the other hand, we also see that such creativity requires a strong team to implement. If you want to realize your store design vision, Picsharping can help brands efficiently complete space upgrades with its rich experience and professional capabilities, turning design drawings into reality. Bringing creativity into life is the ultimate value of design.
