To create a store that would feel like a Bloomingdale’s and yet depart from its traditional design approach, the designers started with the retailer’s classic black and white checkerboard floor. Here— instead of the usual stone—it’s made of stenciled concrete for a more casual effect that suits the setting. They also left ceilings exposed and organized the merchandise in clear zones with easy-to-understand circulation paths that are typical in Bloomingdale’s stores.
In another gesture characteristic to Bloomingdale’s, the designers used lightweight structures and fixtures to create varying design statements that define different merchandise segments and make the interiors feel more like a specialty store. In this venue, these elements often take the form of cabana-like pavilions or suspended trellis-like canopies that evoke the Southern California lifestyle. They’re also made of materials like weathered or whitewashed woods, chalkboard, and glass that further reference the beach.
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contract july/august 2011
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Contract - July/August 2011