Signals & Stats : Daily Signals

Preview: In-situ Showrooms

By Daniela Walker 23 : 01 : 2017 Home-tail : Retail Experience : Showroom

US – The showroom has evolved from a curated living space to a space where consumers can test the full functionality of products.

New showrooms enable consumers to imagine products in the context of their lives
These spaces combine the lifestyle aesthetic of Home-tail with practical try-before-you-buy elements

The Parachute Hotel, California. Photography by Nicole LaMotte

West Elm Hotel, US

Sonos store, New York

Rent the Runway Dream Closet by Heitler Houstoun Architects, New York

Retailers are opening flagship stores that recreate the feeling of the home when displaying products, but which are also showcases for the full potential of products within the home.

With that aim in mind, smart speaker brand Sonos has opened its first direct-to-consumer store, 101G, in New York. Seven rooms, including a kitchen, living room and study, give customers a sense of how its speakers will look and sound in their own homes.

Luxury bath and kitchen retailer Pirch ensures that each of its showrooms has full electrical and plumbing connectivity so that everything from stoves to showers can be turned on and tested by wandering customers.

The Big Picture

Home-tail has evolved, with these new In-situ Showrooms letting consumers test out the full functionality of products before buying. For more, see our latest microtrend.