Kristie Morrison - Mother-of-Pearl
Honorable Mention - Cooper Lighting's Source Awards 2006
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As a children’s clothing store, Mother-of-Pearl seeks to provide an atmosphere where both customer and product are embraced, and where mothers can enjoy leisurely shopping with their little ones in hand. Mother-of-Pearl promises to treasure mother and child, understand the preciousness, celebrate purity, and protectively embrace its customers as a mother embraces her child.
Research has found that in retail settings people naturally turn right. Therefore, the shopping experience begins with a foreshadowing storefront view, before the store orients the customer to the right, towards a series of successive back-lit "pearl" displays. These displays will draw customers through the store, and highlight a series of 5 light layers found in Mother-of-Pearl.
Through the use of 5 layers, lighting in Mother-of-Pearl is designed to embrace its customers as a mother protectively embraces her child. These varying qualities of light represent the delicate layers of nacre (calcium carbonate-based crystalline substance) that comprise a pearl and reflect the light in unique ways.
5 Layers of Light
Shell Bottom-Subtle recessed fluorescent downlighting illuminates the floor, its product, and customers in a gentle overall embrace.
Sandy Wash-Smooth marble floors, wood fixturing, and textured countertops contrast a soft, sandy wash of light down roughly textured stone walls and represent the range of textures present in the context of a pearl. Flowing wall fixture boxes embrace the main "pearl" and display the protective layers of clothing needed to achieve the contents of the complete "pearl" outfit ensemble.
Ceiling Reveal-Ceiling panels of varying heights house custom LED light strips to illuminate the panel above emulating the protective embrace of a cracked oyster shell.
Purity Sanctuary-The Purity Sanctuary in the rear of the store attracts customers to its luminosity created by the use of lights installed within a frosted glass wall to achieve the glowing effect. As Paula Begoun, a skincare and beauty industry expert, identifies added fragrances and coloring agents as common culprits of baby/child skin irritation, the Purity Sanctuary offers select lines of pure mother and baby/child skin care products.
Pearl-Jeffry Corbin states "we are drawn to distant objects more readily than we are nudged along a complicated pathway." Therefore, glowing "pearl" displays beckon customers, drawing them through the store. Compact fluorescent lights with low color temperature and a high CRI index are housed within this glowing shaft wall to set off the precious product in its best light.
Judges Comments:
"Fantastic presentation. A creative concept."
"Strong concept responds to the client, brand and customer. Great layered approach."
"Great graphic display."