WINDOW SHOPPING

This week’s show is Window Shopping, The Art of Retail Merchandising. My guest is John Michael Martinez – professional visual merchandiser.

John and I will discuss the elements of successful product display. How retail merchandise and the interior design of a home work off of the same key aspects of focus, color and editing.

David begins by expressing his appreciation for window displays and his memory of decorating the displays in his family’s furniture store windows. David describes the appeal of new merchandise and walking into a store to see the newest designs. David shares the visual  joy of shopping and the experience of shopping in person instead of shopping online.

John Michael Martinez joins the show to share his expertise in visual merchandising. John finds beauty in many things, but cites the stone gothic arch fireplace as the beauty within his home. John explains how his first job at a grocery store sparked his interest in displays. John describes how he finds inspiration in color or in the product itself when composing a display. John breaks down his decision making process and how he chooses what to incorporate within a display.  

David and John converse about the ways that visual merchandising and interior design overlap. John describes how he creates spaces, how to guide shoppers’ attention, and determine how best to place products. John explains the importance of point of view and how he creates a story with retail workers to help drive sales. They discuss the ways they approach individual products and how you can display an item to emphasize the product’s quality.

David and John take questions from the listeners. They discuss whether items should be placed at elevated heights to draw attention or whether items are best placed at eye-level. John explains the difference in design approach when working with a small display space vs. a large display space. John likens his projects to problem solving and describes how he collaborates with clients to create the perfect display.