For many interior designers, the thought of opening a retail store or showroom seems like a natural progression. After all, your design expertise is perfectly suited to curating beautiful spaces and selling unique home goods or décor. However, the world of retail can be vastly different from design, which is why many designers find the transition to owning a store to be more challenging than anticipated. At Retail For The People, we've had the privilege of working with interior designers across the country— from West Hollywood to Florida—at all stages of the process, helping them make the leap from designers to retail store owners.

Whether you are just getting started with the dream of opening your store or have already been in business for a few years, but feel the world of retail is foreign to you, we’re here to help you navigate the transition and create a strategy that works for your long-term business goals. You've all seen Amber Interiors or Nickey Kehoe, let's talk a little about how you can open your dream store too.

Understanding the Intersection of Interior Design and Retail

Many interior designers are used to curating spaces for clients' homes, offices, or commercial environments. But what happens when you want to take that skill and apply it to a retail setting? Opening a retail store or showroom offers an exciting opportunity to blend your design aesthetic with the commercial world. It's where your creativity can shine, not only through the design of the space itself but also in the selection and presentation of the products you sell.

When interior design meets retail, it creates a compelling shopping experience. Consumers don’t just purchase a product; they engage with the environment that reflects your design philosophy. From selecting the right lighting and layout to designing the flow of the store, your work can provide customers with an immersive, design-driven experience that draws them in.

The Challenges of Retail for Interior Designers

For interior designers who are used to designing for clients, retail presents a unique set of challenges. It’s a whole new world of business and operations—one that goes beyond aesthetics. While design is a key component of retail success, store owners must also understand key retail functions such as inventory management, pricing, marketing, customer service, and staffing.

Some of the challenges our clients have faced include:

• Understanding Retail Operations: Many interior designers come from a background of one-off projects, where the focus is primarily on creating a finished design. However, owning a retail store requires day-to-day operational management, including managing stock, customer service, and finances.
• Financial Planning: Opening a retail store involves significant financial investment, and not just in design. Many designers overlook the costs associated with running a store, including staffing, marketing, and inventory control. Solid financial planning is crucial for sustainability.
• Retail Marketing: Even with the best-designed store, it’s important to understand how to drive traffic. Marketing strategies tailored for retail are vital, especially in an industry as competitive as home goods.
• Navigating Buying: It can be a challenge to not buy everything in sight at show or market, but you need to understand your margins, numbers, and have the foresight of knowing whether it's a good financial decision at the time or not.
• Pricing: Most store owners either overprice their goods or underprice them. It's normal. But, not knowing where you are at on the scale and if your items are priced appropriately to maximize your profit can be a nail in the coffin.
• The Fun Part of HR: When you were doing design you might have a team of folks, or maybe it was just you, but understanding the management of store employees and more importantly keeping turnover low and morale high can often be challenging to a newly minted store owner.

How We Help Interior Designers Transition Into Retail

At Retail For The People, we understand how daunting it can be to step from interior design into retail ownership. That’s why we offer consulting services that guide you through every stage of the process—from conceptualization to grand opening and beyond.

1. Strategizing for Long-Term Success We begin by working with you to understand your vision and long-term business goals. We help you determine how retail can complement your design services and how your store or showroom can reflect your design identity. Together, we develop a plan to achieve those goals and grow your business in the retail space.

2. Actionable Steps for Your Retail Business Once we have a strategy in place, we help you take actionable steps to make that vision a reality. This can include everything from sourcing products that align with your brand, designing an engaging store layout, and even recruiting and training the right team to help you manage the store’s day-to-day operations. Whether you're in the early stages or have already opened your doors, we can help implement a retail strategy that leads to sustainable growth.

3. Guidance on Retail-Specific Skills Because we’ve worked with interior designers at every stage—from those who have never worked in retail to those with years of experience—we know what it takes to succeed. We provide support in areas like inventory management, retail pricing strategies, customer engagement, and marketing campaigns. Our goal is to help you build a foundation that ensures long-term success.

4. Navigating the Home Goods Market Interior design and home décor retail are a natural fit, but there are specific market dynamics to consider. We’ve worked with many designers in the home goods space, helping them identify their niche in a competitive market. Whether your focus is on high-end furniture, unique home accessories, or custom-made pieces, we can guide you in curating the right products for your audience.

The Joy of Blending Design and Retail

At Retail For The People, we absolutely love working with interior designers who are passionate about taking their design expertise into the world of retail. It's exciting to see a designer’s vision come to life not just through projects, but in the form of a physical space that customers can interact with. Opening a retail store or showroom is a fantastic way to showcase your design style and establish your brand in the marketplace.

Retail provides endless opportunities for growth and creative expression. And it’s a fun journey! By blending the art of interior design with the business of retail, you can create a space that inspires customers, increases your revenue, and solidifies your reputation as a design-forward brand.

Ready to Take the Leap?

Whether you’re just dreaming about your future retail store or are ready to take the next step, Retail For The People is here to help. We offer comprehensive consulting and strategy services designed specifically for interior designers looking to bring their vision to life in the retail world.

Our experience working with designers across the country—from West Hollywood to Florida—gives us the expertise to guide you through every stage of opening your own store. With the right strategy and planning, transitioning into retail can be an exciting and highly rewarding step in your career.

If you’re ready to turn your design vision into a successful retail business, let’s talk! Contact us to learn more about how we can help make your retail dreams a reality. We have worked with many designers with thriving retail footprints.