Nestled in the heart of the city of Nashik, Vandan Enterprises enjoys a prime location. Encompassing a generous 870 square feet, the store serves as a vibrant outlet for disposable paper and bamboo products, dispensers, candles and festive paraphernalia.
Project Name: Retail Reimagined in Dynamic Design and Soothing Hues by Sthetic Design Studio
Studio Name: Sthetic Design Studio
Project Location : Nashik
Project Size : 870 square feet
Project Status(Built / Design Proposal / Competition) : Built
Architect / Designer : Snehal Gadkari Jajoo
Styling credits: styleandmuch – Rasika Ghode
Writer credits: Ruchika Agarwal
Photographer credits : whatweclick – Yash Katariya
The architects have masterfully utilised roughly 400 square feet of this expanse to create a stunning retail display. The tranquillity of the neighbourhood is a delightful contrast to the usual bustle of city life, while still boasting excellent connectivity.
The clients had a primary objective—the design should optimally showcase the diverse range of products, thereby boosting store traffic. With this aim at the forefront, the architect crafted a store design that incites curiosity even before one steps inside, effectively enticing customers to explore further. At the entry, visitors are greeted by an intriguing full-height glass box display, showcasing the store’s products in a dynamic and engaging manner. The exhibit is akin to a lively party, featuring miniature mannequins caught in the act of juggling gift boxes, gloved hands clutching cups and straws, and abstract art crafted from paper plates and bowls. Stacks of cake boxes and cupcake holders add to the festive atmosphere. Each of these elements is cleverly affixed to the walls using hooks, allowing for easy removal and modification of the display as required. A door, subtly hidden within the grooves, swings open to the interior of the box, facilitating changes to this DIY showcase. The display serves as a precedent to the design ideology that emphasises adaptability and progression, enabling owners to modify, update, and eliminate elements according to their requirements. The store design acts as a flexible blueprint, accommodating this continual transformation.
The store features two entrances, situated on either side of the glass box. One directs the visitor to the retail display, while the other guides them towards the passage linking the retail and wholesale section. All corridors within the store are interconnected, ensuring seamless transportation of product-laden trolleys from one area to another.
Inspired by the Japandi design style that focuses on soothing natural colours, calmness and minimalism, the store is bathed in a tranquil colour scheme of sage green and brown that artfully enhances the prominence of the showcased paper and bamboo products. The display features gracefully arching structures, which are tastefully lit with ambient profile lights. Open shelving systems elegantly present a variety of disposable paper goods styled in various stacked and standing patterns, marrying practicality with visual allure as they engage with the varying heights and volumes. The arches are sandwiched between the lofts on the top and the trolleys at the bottom, both serving as practical storage areas for the products.
Beside the arched displays sits the cash counter, affixed with glass drawer displays. Finished with a white quartz base, these displays ingeniously spotlight the products, making them viewable from both the top and side perspectives. On the opposite side, a wall featuring a large window distinguishes the retail section from the main passage. This wall serves a dual purpose—it not only frames the view of the housekeeping section at the far end, therefore maintaining visual continuity, but also incorporates a vertical shelving system that showcases an assortment of paper items. Exquisite vases, finely detailed with jute and flowers crafted from tissue paper elegantly adorn the corners.
The far end, consisting of a unique section tailored specifically for heavy-duty housekeeping products, has products like dispensers cleverly mounted on pivoting perforated metal boards, enhancing both accessibility and visual appeal. Products can be affixed using nuts and bolts, allowing for versatile display alterations as required. Additionally, strategically placed spotlights guarantee visibility of the products, ensuring they are clearly visible in the absence of daylight. Beside this section is a small cabin designed minimally with a desk and chair, which facilitates sit-down interactions between the store owners and the customers.
The design for Vandan Enterprises was crafted with an innovative yet pragmatic approach, creating visually stunning spaces within a constrained budget. Attention to detail in elements like handles and grooves has allowed the laminate surfaces to mimic the luxurious appearance of rich veneer, while also offering ease of cleaning and maintenance. The store serves as an epitome of beauty, functionality, practicality, comfort, and everyday delights seamlessly amalgamated into one cohesive space.
