DESIGN | Showroom style
Showroom of the month
Ripples Bathrooms, Chelmsford
Franchisee Ross Buck worked with Ripples MD Paul Crow to create a spacious showroom that would wow and inspire local customers
the hard work of franchisee partner Ross Buck, the Ripples team and an architect, they set out to create a showroom that would appeal to clients in the Chelmsford area. Although all Ripples showrooms have to follow a few brand guidelines, they also try to include something unexpected. Most of all, it should reflect the local area and what customers would want and be inspired by. Buck has been in the bathroom industry for over 20 years having owned his own installation company. He brought his vast knowledge of the Chelmsford area to the showroom and built the sets with local customers in mind. Ripples managing director Paul Crow comments: “A new showroom is a shared venture. Fundamentally, working with our supply partners, we are about putting stunning bathrooms into a space, with each of the displays tied around one theme.” An architect firm that Ripples has worked with for over 15 years came up with a blueprint for the showroom. Then Crow and Buck stood in the space and used chalk to mark out the displays and heights of walls to make sure the layout would work. The showroom flows from one display to the next. The half-walls create separation between the displays without making them feel closed-off.
D
The way the customer moves around a Ripples store is planned. Although the customer has room to wander freely, they are guided on a specific route to make sure they see everything there is to offer. As Crow explains: “We’re a people business. We want an open space that gives clients the freedom to wander around. We want to engage with customers and allow them to enjoy looking at the displays. Customers must be able to flow from each set, but be able to pause to take in the whole design.” Fifteen unique displays in the showroom cater to every taste imaginable, from fun and feminine to more traditional settings with roll-top baths and a bold industrial-style set. Each
66
esigning a new Ripples franchise store is a col - laborative effort. Through
Customers must be able to flow from each set, but be able to pause to take in the whole design
display is meticulously planned and, like every Ripples bathroom, starts as a mood board to focus on its style and function. According to Crow, although a lot of customers today are adventurous, they are often overwhelmed by the amount of information freely available online. A typical customer needs a lot of help, and the showroom is intended to convey expertise in bathroom design, so the customer feels confident when speaking with the designers. The displays are set out to showcase a range of products but without overwhelming customers. The open space is designed to allow them to appreciate each display, while also delivering the wow factor. The Chelmsford showroom’s main space is dedicated to bathroom sets, while a separate room off the main floor houses a variety of samples, tiles, tap variations, and every little detail in a bathroom right down to the grout. This area is for a customer’s second visit, when they can start looking in greater depth at samples and start to work with the designer on the final look. The showroom is an essential step for Ripples. It is a way to show that they are experts in their field, and to make customers feel secure when shopping with them. Crow says: “If they trust you, then they will share with you what they are trying to achieve as they have confidence that you can do it. The showroom has to convey the fact that we know what we are doing.” Buck found the retail space, which is in an ideal location on a pedestrian area of Chelmsford high street, with several high- end shops around like a John Lewis and a Rolex shop. The showroom began its refurb last June and was ready to open just as the third lockdown hit. It finally opened its doors on April 12. Crow concludes: “The showroom stands out, because Ross trusted his instincts and knowledge of local customers and was bold. Strong colours, high-end products and an attention to detail are all backed up by the financial investment in the showroom, which is already paying off.”
Although customers
have only been able to go into the showroom for a few weeks, Buck was flooded with enquiries even before the doors were open.
kbbr · May 2021
1. 3.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
