Four Simple Touches That Instantly Refresh Your Jewelry Store

1. Let in the natural light

“Humans aren’t supposed to be in cavernous environments 24/7,” says Jennifer Farnes, who designed her own store, Revolution Jewelry Works, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. “The natural light makes everything more inviting, and our view of the mountains is incredible. I think the windows help make our space feel more like a home away from home for everyone.”

Interior designer Leslie McGwire, owner of Leslie McGwire & Associates, says the preference is to have windows everywhere possible. When she designed The Diamond Center in Janesville, Wisconsin, the owners were leaving a darker space to move into a freestanding store with 270-degree views and more than 2,000 square feet of floor-to ceiling glass curtain walls, brightening their business prospects.

2. Get the lighting fixtures right

“First impressions are everything,” says McGwire. “In the first 10 to 15 seconds, a customer’s eyes should go to something beautiful.” That includes lighting that makes a statement. While traditional chandeliers are big and bold, contemporary light fixtures can resemble works of art in their own right. McGwire recommends wall sconces to illuminate logos, and accent lighting to showcase jewels in pedestal cases.

That said, the fixtures shouldn’t be distracting. Instead of track lighting, which draws attention to the ceiling, using recessed LED-can lighting with correct color temperatures creates a more subtle, high-end look. “The eye should be drawn to the jewelry that is being illuminated,” she says. “You shouldn’t be able to see where the light is coming from on the ceiling.”

3. Build in flexibility

Store layouts are getting more flexible, with movable partitions, reconfigurable shelving, and showcases that facilitate side-by-side selling. The point of sale is vanishing, with staff checking out customers on iPads anywhere in the store.

At the same time, says Eric Lewis, principal at E/Line Architecture, stores are integrating their staff work areas into their retail zones — such as at The 1916 Company in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, which has table and chair arrangements throughout the store that double as client meeting areas and informal work stations. The trick is to blend these functional work spots seamlessly with the interior design.

Vertical showcases, meanwhile, serve as bright focal points to pull customers into and through the store, allowing them to view merchandise at eye level, says Lyn Falk, president of design firm Retailworks. “These towers and wall cases serve to break up the monotony of horizontal cases that have been the norm in the jewelry industry for too many decades.”

4. Go green

Plants, trees and floral arrangements are appealing in all retail spaces, as are nature-inspired photos, patterns and wall coverings, says Falk. Living green walls can be great for selfie stations — though that kind of foliage usually requires regular professional maintenance.

Why bother with greenery? Extra oxygen fights inertia and fatigue, and generates positive emotions that lead to both a happier shopping experience and increased sales, according to McGwire. This idea also conveniently meshes with 2026 color trends. “Green is everywhere,” she declares. “Green is the new black. Hunter green, celery green, every kind of green there is.”

In general, color schemes are moving away from white and grey and into warmer hues, including browns and wood tones; burgundy and rust are popular accent colors. “Sometimes an accent wall, a pop of bold color, is just what the space might need,” McGwire says.

Main image: Floor-to-ceiling windows at The Diamond Center in Janesville, Wisconsin. (The Diamond Center)