I love to display and rearrange - both at the shop and at home. This photo shows one of the two quilt rooms as an example of display. The other quilt room is now all in reds and greens as a Christmas show room, complete with fireplace and cozy love seat.
Whether you're planning a show, shop, booth, or your own living room don't let your creativity end with the individual piece. At a show you may only have 6 - 10 seconds to catch and keep the shoppers eye. As a professional crafter your goal is first to get their attention, draw them into your booth or shop and then make them feel comfortable and welcome so they will want to stay, browse, and buy. Lighting is essential. Clip-on lights and an extension cord are good items to include in your craft show inventory.
For me, the easiest way to display is by theme. It seemed natural to build a bedroom feel into the quilt display area. Props include the bed, pillows, dolls, a bed tray with teapot, floral arrangements, furniture pieces, and art work.Seasonal and Holiday items are great fun to incorporate into displays. Christmas uses garlands, lights, trees, scented candles, red and green quilts, and music to 'deck the halls'. (We tried to incorporate all 5 senses) Giving home decor and decorating ideas to the customer is a bonus. In our Christmas display area was a table set for a meal with silverware nestled inside a miniature needlepoint stocking. These same stockings were also used on a miniature bunk bed in the T eddy Bear display as well as Christmas ornaments on the tree.
I also like to group display areas according to color. This helps to make pieces 'pop'. The red and green of Christmas in the front window can be changed to red and white for Valentines day. Gather crafts from all over the store for a display. Sit stuffed animals in red and white on red quilted pillows atop chairs around a table covered with a red and white quilt. A red parasol fills the corner with hearts and smaller animals peeking out and framing the window. A red and white floral piece shares the table with a white lamp with a red shade. Baskets with red garters are under the table filled with heart shaped candles. Suction cups with hooks are used to add dimensional decoration to the windows. Garlands can drape a window with items hanging from the hooks to dress the perimeter.
Showcase items (large or one of a kind pieces) can be expensive and may sell at a lower rate but as long as they are eye catching or conversation starters they are invaluable. Use them as your focal point to catch the viewers attention. We have a life sized positional mannequin, Grandpa, who has started many a conversation. I liked him best when I placed him on the couch with a pillow and an afghan as if he were taking a nap for the Fathers Day display. If you're selling at a show watch traffic patterns. If you are at the end of a row or in an otherwise dead area, feature a larger piece just outside your booth to catch a visitor's attention, even from a distance.Make sure everything is priced - even display pieces. (You never know, I once sold the basket I was using to display smaller items inside) Many customers will not ask a price fearing it will be out of their range. Display your pieces in a self explanatory manner. If you're selling plant pokes, show them in a pot with a silk plant, if you're selling a magazine rack put a magazine in it, or if you're selling candle holders - put candles in them.
Whenever you plan new items for your shop, booth, show, or home it should be with an eye for how each piece will be displayed.Use all available space with shelves, backdrops and pedestals. Display at different heights and levels giving your area a feeling of dimension. Use depth, and layering keeping your focal points at eye level. Hang, stack, and drape items. Display at different heights and levels giving your area a feeling of dimension. The more the eye moves the longer you will keep the customers attention. The goal is to balance the display area while leaving room for traffic flow. There is a delicate balance between a cozy display and too much. The eye and mind can only absorb so much at one time. Break up items so they aren't too close together, but arrange them in an artistic, decorative manner. Use a consistent color scheme and theme for continuity. Group pieces of like color, size or style together, using odd number groupings, 3 or 5 items. The objective is to create a mini enviornment that will make each item attract attention. Keep the background solid with either fabric panels or paint to control your display area, and keep the focus on your sales items. If you use tables cover them with a skirt, quilt, or cloth to the floor. Hide extra inventory and supplies under the skirt. It is also important to change your display. If customers see the same display they may move on thinking they've seen everything.
Prop Ideas
Props may be just the thing to spice up a display and pick up sales. To display with an international feel try:
*A Shabby Chic suitcase from a flea market on a stool for elevation
*Tea Stained Old Map thumb tacked to the wall
*Globe
To Display Baby Items:
*An old Baby Crib with one side rail down could be a great place to stack items or leave the side rail up and hang items.
*A high chair or doll chair makes a good elevation for a variety of items from a stuffed animal to a doll or potted plant.
For a Holiday Display
Put merchandise out a month before the Holiday but remember that peak shopping occurs the week before the Holiday. The exception would be Christmas where people can start shopping the day after Thanksgiving.
A month prior add flyers to shoppers bags reminding customers of your selection for the Holiday. Include a few gift giving ideas.
Have some merchandise gift wrapped.
Adding Seasonal colored bows to otherwise un-themed merchandise adds a Holiday feel and can incorporate other merchandise into your sales.
On the Holiday itself (if you're open) or the day before hold a procrastinators sale with 20% off.
Have a table with items selling for $20.04 for this year and $20.05 for next year.
Use appropriate books as props - love poems for Valentines day, The tales of Peter Rabbit for Easter, and so on.
Everyone loves free - offer free seasonal recipes printed on heavy paper in a fancy font on an index card size with every purchase.
Consider a raffle with every purchase as an entry.
Play seasonal music.
To Display Dishes or Teapots:
*A Teddy Bear's Picnic
To display Nautical items consider:
*A backdrop of a fishnet is appropriate or lean a sail in the corner.
To a display of birdhouses consider adding:
*A Stuffed Cat or a bag of birdseed
To a display of framed artwork:
*Add a floral swag or wall sconces
To a display of baskets:
*Add some potpourri or artificial fruits and vegetables to one of your baskets.
To a Floral display:
*Add old shutters, window boxes, empty pots, a watering can and an old pair of garden gloves.
Whatever you are displaying add unexpected doses of whimsey to add some personality to your display. Most importantly have fun, it will be reflected in your display.
