This month, we are delighted to welcome interior architect and designer, Frédérique Coriat, to talk to us about the impact of Covid-19 on the retail sector and how design can support economic recovery.
Based just outside Paris, Frédérique runs her own interior architecture and design agency Coriat Design, working with a wide range of commercial clients including some well-known retail names.
Designflooring: Following the disruption of Covid-19, it is clear that the retail sector is in a recovery phase. The global pandemic has led to huge changes in consumer behaviour with online spending continuing to grow. What does the retail sector need to consider to bring people back to shopping in-store?
Frédérique: More than ever, the in-store experience needs to be considered alongside the pure design of the place. Of course the shop must be commercial and coherent but for a visit to attract us emotionally it must be a real destination of pleasure and discovery.
The quality of the offer and trust are the number one values. I see the speed, uncluttered offer and the ease of online shopping as a complement to, but not a substitute for, pleasure shopping. Retail businesses that I have worked with, such as Monoprix and Leroy Merlin, have understood this very well and as a result enjoy high customer loyalty.
Designflooring: Protecting our personal safety has been very much at the front of our minds. Have customers' needs for retail design changed and how will in-store changes help to make customers feel safe?
Frédérique: We will see the use of the entrance/exit circuit and provision of hand sanitising stations for a long time. This customer welcome and information must be communicated clearly and with kindness.
A new distrust of tight, unventilated cubicles and touchable surfaces such as hangers and handles is leading to a shift away from small spaces to large, well-distributed spaces with environmental management systems such as air-conditioning and misting. The impression of hygienic, easily cleanable materials is guiding the choice of surfaces such as Corian, smooth laminates and light parquet to provide a sense of confidence in terms of safety and sanitation.
Designflooring: Considering the increased importance and relevance of sustainable designs, has it become more important that specified materials have longevity?
Frédérique: This pandemic has taught us a lot about the dangers of overproduction and overconsumption. Every brand now has a new product made from recycled products. It will then be necessary to create concepts around these products either by recycling them in turn or by associating them with new similar materials. The volumes, the light and the ergonomics of the place will have to evolve with more innovation so that the consumer perceives a new image.
Designflooring: Interestingly, we have recently seen the office environment take inspiration from the hotel industry to create collaborative and social spaces. Do you think the retail sector is now being similarly influenced by other sectors?
Frédérique: We are increasingly seeing small shopping islands or stands being developed in large shops, meeting the desire for human contact like we experience in traditional markets. In addition, the practicality of ‘click & collect’ has been inspired by hotel concierge services.
Designflooring: To what extent is well-being considered as an important element of the design process and the materials chosen?
Frédérique: Well-being is of course relative to each person. In the shop, the product must shine but the consumer must discover it in a very natural way. They will walk on a soft floor, silent, well-lit but not too bright, with display height variations to offer rhythm and visual interest.
Designflooring: What do you see as the key factors in choosing a flooring for commercial spaces?
Frédérique: Today hygiene, ease of installation, range and cost seem essential to me so luxury vinyl flooring is a great choice for a wide variety of commercial spaces.
I chose the Korlok range for a recent ULYS de Vinci shop redesign project. These stores are on motorway service areas and so are subjected to a ‘tough test’. This product is very well suited to these specifications having a modern design with a good surface effect, easy and quick to install at reasonable cost, and has the robustness required such busy locations.
The notion of reusability and transformability is essential to all creative thinking after this pandemic and this has encouraged us to think even more deeply. In renovation, which is an important part of my work, the floors must be able to 'slide' everywhere so they must be flexible and thin to fit under entrance doors for example. In addition to giving an authentic, warm appearance, flooring must be laid in an afternoon and without re-grouting if possible!
Thank you so much to Frédérique for taking the time to talk to us. To find out more about her work, visit www.coriatdesign.com