When the space becomes part of the brand
PujoRetail Designs
In contemporary design, retail spaces are much more than mere shopping areas; they become places of interaction with products and complete environments where design is synonymous with the brand. In our projects, we create a distinctive image through store design, featuring imaginative ambiences that draw in customers and offer a pleasant shopping experience.
When designing retail spaces, we emphasise details that best showcase the product and put the brand centre stage. In our store designs, you can clearly see the key elements around which we build the space: product display design, customer interaction, and striking artistic design details that become hallmarks of brand identity. These spaces often serve dual or multiple purposes, to which we respond with thoughtful design solutions.
To ensure the product is the central point of the space, we design with the customer’s experience in mind, focusing on how best to make the product stand out. The overall space is embellished with striking details that serve as visual associations with the brand or type of product. In our bio food store project, for example, we defined several key design motifs that communicate most effectively with customers.
Starting with the colour palette, we opted for natural tones, with light wood as the dominant shade, allowing the specialised product range to serve as the space’s colour accents. By designing counters for products sold by weight, we emphasised their potential to become part of the design itself. We conceived the front of the counter as a vertical surface where products are inserted into box-like niches, almost like windows, creating an atmosphere that defines the space.
In our store design, we incorporated a tree-shaped shelf whose branching form symbolically represents nature. By using slatted elements and black lighting fixtures, we subtly highlighted the self-service area of the store, in contrast to the service area, which is illuminated by white lights. Thanks to the natural tones in our design, the entire store environment evokes a sense of health and well-being, with the vibrant colours of the products becoming an integral part of the interior design. As a striking black accent, a spiral staircase leads to the store’s second level, which serves a different function—offering a space for customer consultations and advice on healthy eating.
The Product as an artpiece
In our luxury food store project, a significant portion of the space is dedicated to the self-service area. For this project, we focused on how to present refrigeration units and shelves almost as display cases, making them analogous to exhibition elements that correspond with the premium products offered by the brand. We designed the individual display units using fronts with decorative mouldings, while sleek glass panels allowed for greater product visibility, evoking the impression of a showcase typically found in jewellery stores.
The interior design of this store is predominantly inspired by French charm, which we translated into the design through black-and-white mosaic tiles on the floor and black brick-effect tiles on the walls. These elegant and distinctive elements were introduced to visually connect the store’s product range with an ambience reminiscent of French cuisine.
In contrast to designs that rely on the colours and characteristics of the products, for the design of a flower and gift shop featuring elegant, minimalist packaging, we focused on creating a playful, feminine atmosphere that evokes beauty and lavishness. Building upon the brand’s overall design, we used white as the base colour for the interior, introducing soft, arched shapes into the space. As an accent, we incorporated pink tones in the niches where the products are displayed.
The pink hue echoes in a decorative floral wall, serving as a striking focal point within the sales area.
The floral wall in shades of pink and white, placed in the entrance area, is a key design feature that catches the eye from the street. From the very first interaction with customers, it establishes the brand as attractive and the products the shop offers as feminine and elegant. In the design of this space, we had the creative freedom to introduce a playful detail—a swing at the entrance—adding a whimsical element that gives the entire space a fairytale-like quality. Beyond its aesthetic impact, this wall becomes an “Instagrammable” feature, perfect for promotional photography as well as a backdrop for customers’ social media snapshots.
As customers navigate through the store, the ambience deepens visually, with the use of white and photogenic pink niches that extend across the ceiling, creating an optical interplay of layers. This design approach not only makes the space feel larger but also draws customers’ attention to the various product groups.
We had a unique opportunity to play with design in the retail space for baby equipment. In this environment, client interaction is characterised by a consultative approach, leading us to organise the space as a “showroom” where customers can experience curated ambient sections featuring products. Simultaneously, they can select and customise orders for new items from the collection.
Guided by the visual characteristics of baby equipment and the calming environments that new parents require, the design features an array of exceptionally relaxing furniture pieces intended for parents. The details within the space evoke the ambience of nurseries, incorporating whimsical elements and colours. This approach, infused with the brand’s specific values, allows both groups of customers—parents and their babies, as the end users—to enjoy the shopping experience.
In addition to enhancing the presentation of the nursery fragments, the organisation of these store elements is also designed to serve a marketing function. Through thoughtful arrangement and lighting within the space, the furniture ambiences—such as cradles and sofas, which are iconic pieces in the store’s offering—transform into interactive backdrops for photographs and videos shared on social media.
In designing the space for a jewellery store, where exhibition characteristics merge with client interaction in the search for personalised products, the focus was on showcasing the jewellery as nearly museum-quality exhibits within elegant display cases. The architectural design of the space takes the form of a futuristic capsule with rounded corners, suggesting the enduring nature of the jewellery.
In this project, we also employed material contrasts to softly separate the “exhibition” area from the service zone. In the service area behind the counter, a rich wooden texture evokes the qualities associated with precious natural gems. In contrast, the exhibition zone features futuristic monolithic black display cases, accentuated by an arch that resembles a portal leading deeper into the store.
A very specific project we had the opportunity to work on was the retail space for a furniture hardware store. Although this is a product that is essential in every home, as designers, we recognise the importance of the process behind selecting the right hardware for each individual space. Drawing on this understanding, we configured the retail space similarly to a jewellery store, as we believe that choosing hardware is also a personalised experience that requires longevity and quality.
In this project, we aimed to organise the space for customers around various furniture pieces that facilitate the exploration of hardware offerings—ranging from comfortable sofas and benches to marble tables, which provide a view of how the hardware integrates with one of the most common surfaces used in kitchens.
We were particularly inspired by the opportunity to showcase the furniture hardware. In our imaginative design solution, we treated the handles as pieces of art. Circular and square wall elements were created to display the hardware as if they were wall paintings or artistic installations. As a result, in this space, the hardware is presented as individual exhibits, with a focus on their design, and then applied to specific furniture pieces as the final product, highlighting the extensive possibilities for their use.
Design sells experience
In the reception area of the clothing factory, we identified a dual function in the potential to articulate the ambience for both primary activities, such as ordering clothing pieces, and secondary uses, like hosting fashion shows. To achieve this, we defined the space through three segments: an open area at the entrance, a counter for orders, and a blue “runway” that transitions from the gallery level and wall to the gleaming white floor, framing the area for smaller fashion events.
The design of this space is defined by white shades complemented with luxurious moulding accents and marble patterns. In the display cases and specially designed structures, golden and white mannequins showcase the clothing, serving as both a striking design accent and a display area for representative clothing pieces.
As part of a larger hotel project in Corsica, we designed a wine cellar carved into the rock. The multiple functions of this space—ranging from a wine cellar and luxurious aspect of the hotel offering to a venue where guests can experience the destination through all their senses—were transformed into a striking design that exudes sophistication. By using the rock as the backdrop, illuminated to highlight the raw texture of earth and stone, we created an effect reminiscent of a wine cellar that gradually unfolds towards the windows. The inclusion of slender metal wine racks as accents against the stone, paired with modern furniture in warm tones, introduces a timeless charm to the wine cellar as a traditional element of Corsican culture.
An interesting detail developed through playful interaction with existing elements within the wine cellar is the suspended lighting structure, composed of small lanterns that illuminate the central tasting table among hanging wine glasses. This striking design intervention intertwines function, aesthetics, and experience, making the ambience of the space truly memorable.
The bridal boutique in Novi Sad was designed with a special focus on its dual character, balancing functionality and experience. The space allows future brides to choose their wedding dress in a comfortable atmosphere, often accompanied by family, maids of honour, and close friends. The interior design of this boutique relies on organic elements and spatial niches, creating gentle transitions between dresses of various styles.
Neutral white tones enrich the space, complemented by full-height windows that allow natural light to illuminate the fabrics and highlight the intricacies in the texture of each wedding gown. The combination of curved architectural elements and functional zones featuring smaller tailoring stations in the niches for quick dress adjustments proposes an ideal balance between aesthetics and practicality, which is especially important for a wedding dress selection experience.
Equipped with upholstered sofas and chairs for the bride’s entourage, the open space of the boutique’s central zone provides comfort during dress fittings, which we envisioned as mini runway shows for friends and family, allowing the bride’s companions to observe and offer their suggestions. Each zone of the boutique is meticulously designed to facilitate the decision-making process and make it more enjoyable, providing users with a sense of privacy at the same time.
This space not only meets aesthetic standards but also serves as a practical solution for guiding clients through each step toward the final selection of a wedding dress. The design maximises the use of natural light and thoughtfully organises functional units within the boutique, ensuring a seamless and pleasurable experience for every bride.
Inspired by the diverse products and brand characteristics offered by our clients, we create not just retail spaces through numerous store projects but also specific experiences that, combined with striking design details, become integral parts of the brand’s visual identity. Through meticulous spatial design, the symbiosis of our unique architectural signature and the distinctiveness of the product offerings generate memorable environments that subtly convey elegance, durability, luxury, and the reliability of the products customers are purchasing.