How Good Design Is Good For Business

What is Good Design?

At The Design Creative, “what is Good Design” is a question that drives everything we do.

Good design goes beyond function and aesthetics. It is visionary. It looks to the future to create with longevity in mind.

Designing With Longevity

Longevity can mean many things.
It can be utilising materials and finishes fit for purpose.
Also, it can mean being forward thinking in regards to the changing nature of business and aesthetics.
We can also think about sustainability, and how a fit out can be recycled, reused, repurposed once the tenant closes shop, or does an upgrade.

Keeping Up With Changing Needs

With technology driving changes in how we live and do business, businesses need to be flexible.
Spaces that we design must have a level of flexibility so that we can adapt to future changes.

Creating spaces that are static, that are a ‘snapshot in time’ can create limitations and add costs to any future changes that are needed to keep up with our ever-changing world.

Jewellery Shop Design — LeGassick Jewellers is an example of classic design. 15 years on, and the tenancy has not required by the Landlord any significant upgrades.

Contemporary vs Classic

Aesthetics are important, and at the same time are rubbery when it comes to shop design. Trends come and go. This year’s latest fashion can look dated even a year out. This is where designing for the long haul comes in.

LeGassick Jewellers at Robina Town Centre, a store we designed 15 years ago, as part of the massive redevelopment of the shopping centre, is a case in point.

Shopping centre landlords often require minor refurbishment works after 5 years when renewing a lease. After 10 years, a landlord will often request an entire gutting of a tenancy, and new fit out installed. After a decade, most shops look outdated and worn.

LeGassick Jewellers, after 15 years, has not had any minor refurbishment works, let alone a new fitout. It has held its own in regards to aesthetics and durability of materials.

good design — Classic design is an example of Good Design. It can outlast clever contemporary concepts
that show their age even after a year.

Designing With The Long Term In Mind

As a retail business owner what design criteria are important to you in regards to a bricks and mortar store?
No doubt, they would include the following:
• a functional store
• a store that attracts customers through strong branding and aesthetics
• built-in flexibility to adapt to changing needs
• fitout budget
• hard wearing materials
• a design that ages gracefully and doesn’t date too quickly

After 15 years, LeGassick has “aged gracefully”, saving the owners in refurbishment costs.

Good Design

Good Design keeps all the above criteria in mind. Just like a fine wine, you want your retail business to ‘age gracefully’. For when it does, it can mean that you save big on the bottom line in the future if you store requires minimal costs to “update” and “upgrade” it to meet current needs and aesthetics.

If you are looking to open shop, please feel free to call us and learn how we can help you to create with Good Design principles in mind.