20 Unique Retail Furniture Examples For Your Retail Stores

Retail furniture should be more than just functional. It should be carefully selected so that it enhances the shopping experience, reinforces your values and brand image, and complements your merchandise in the best possible way.

Continue reading for our top 20 unique retail furniture examples and how you can use them to elevate your retail locations. 

 

Retail Furniture Ideas

1. On-brand display tables

Bespoke shop fittings in Maryling

The first essential piece of shop furniture we’re talking about is the trusty display table. These offer a huge amount of space to show off anything you’re selling and make attractive additions to the shop floor.

Ensure your display table is reflective of your brand. In this example by KSF Global for Maryling, the display table was designed to be modern and sleek to fit in with the brand’s minimalist aesthetic. If your store has a more vintage look and feel, enhance that atmosphere with display tables that have a rustic appearance.

 

2. Footwear stools

If your store has a shoe display, you need footwear stools. These pieces of retail furniture continue the sit-and-fit tradition of trying shoes on, which plays a crucial role in influencing the customer to make a purchase. 

KSF Global created these retail footwear stools for Regatta to do just that. The clear branding adds a level of professionalism while the use of high-density foam and PU leather maximises comfort and durability. 

The result? Striking footwear stools that encourage customers to sit down and try on the merchandise.

A collection of footwear stools for Regatta

 

3. Display plinths

Mulberry bag display plinths

Similar to display tables, display plinths are striking and functional retail furniture examples. They add variation to the shop floor, are within easy reach of customers, and increase the perceived value and exclusivity of your products. 

In this example by KSF Global for Mulberry’s showroom, the sleek white finish makes the colour of the handbags really pop. By placing them around nearby displays, they also direct shoppers towards other products so that they experience more of the store.

 

4. Create immersive showrooms with retail furniture

You can create immersive shopping experiences when you leverage the full power of retail furniture. Everything from the freestanding displays and bespoke cabinetry to the open shelving and light fixtures should be geared towards putting your customers in the mood to buy. 

The goal with shop furniture is to sell an experience. Select pieces that will create the right atmosphere. Here, for example, all the furniture works together to establish a relaxed, luxurious experience. Be selective and purposeful – every choice matters. 

A clothing display idea from Mulberry - bags.

 

 


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5. Hand sanitiser stands

Hand sanitiser stands available for branding

In a post-pandemic world, hand sanitiser stands are important pieces of retail furniture for any store. They make customers feel safe, which in turn can extend the amount of time they’re likely to spend perusing your shop. 

This example by KSF Global shows how even something as functional as hand sanitising stations can be turned into sleek and well-branded fixtures that promote in-store hygiene without compromising on style.

 

6. Retail furniture in window displays

When KSF Global was asked to design premium window displays for Farrow & Ball’s ‘Liberty’ paint and fabrics range, we had to think carefully about what kinds of furniture would be most complementary.

We chose a brand-rich chair that enhanced the colours of the wallpaper while giving shoppers a taste of how this range would feel in a cosy room. This shows how important retail furniture is to window displays. 

The right pieces can help you create an experiential scene that captures attention and entices people inside.

Farrow and Ball shop window install case study main image

 

 

7. Space fillers

An image of modern retail furniture on a store
Source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/684406474638262596/

You can make your shop feel fuller and livelier by adding decorative shop furniture to empty corners, wall spaces or shop floors. This reduces the amount of dead space in your store while making it feel homier and more visually appealing.

Side tables, mirrors, posters, and even plants are popular examples of space-filling retail furniture. Not only do they improve your store layout, but they also give you the opportunity to communicate your brand’s personality outside of merchandise displays.

 

 

8. Comfortable seating

As we touched on earlier, shop furniture isn’t just there to sell products, it’s there to sell an experience. Comfortable sofas and chairs are retail furniture examples that do exactly that. 

They give customers a relaxed shopping experience by encouraging them to sit down, relax from a day of shopping, and, ultimately, maximise the time they spend in your store.

A modern round sofa used as retail furniture in a store
Source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/56435801573960319/

 

9. Mirrors

Unique curved mirror in a retail store
Source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/416160821829476529/

Mirrors are important retail furniture examples no matter what you’re selling. The key reason is that they allow customers to see how they look wearing or holding your product. In turn, they’re more able to visualise the product in their day-to-day life, and this makes them more likely to buy it.

But mirrors do more than that. They reflect light, making your shop feel bigger and brighter. They can also be cleverly positioned to give customers glimpses of other displays and pique their interests further.

 

 

10. Decorations that reflect your style

Shop furniture should be carefully curated to reflect your brand, style and personality. For All Saints, this form of expression comes in the shape of vintage sewing machines that are arranged into visually striking displays.

This brings uniqueness and cohesion into every All Saints shop while strengthening their industrial, edgy style and making them easily recognisable on the high street. 

A wall of sewing machines at an all saints retail location
Source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/896779344528726973/

 

11. Mannequins

Mannequins with sport poses
Source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/312578030383369579/

One of the most important types of retail furniture you can own for a clothing store is mannequins.

As you can see in this example, they not only show how your merchandise looks on but also how it looks in action, making it easier for customers to visualise it in a real-world setting. 

 


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12. Retail counters

Another essential retail furniture example is your checkout counter. This is the centrepiece of your entire store and requires just as much attention to detail as your merchandise displays.

This retail counter is backed by a large mirror to catch people’s eye and reflect other parts of the store. The area is well-lit and breathable, and the counter itself offers ample room to upsell last-minute items. You can also see how the colour of the counter matches the store’s aesthetic to create brand cohesion.

Large modern retail counter
Source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/421719952620488222/

 

13. Display stands that look like something else

A unique retail display idea
Source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/563018680337192/

Freestanding display stands are ideal for displaying special offers, new products or seasonal campaigns. They also improve traffic flow through your store and become hot spots for customer engagement. 

You can turn this typical piece of shop furniture into a unique display by designing it to look like the product you’re selling. Whether it’s a giant Nutella tub or a Coca-Cola bottle-shaped stand, for example, brands all over the world have used this technique to make their products impossible to ignore.

 

 

14. Freestanding digital posters

Adding digital signage to your store is a unique way to provide extra product information, help customers navigate your shop, and drive visual interest. 

Digital furniture like this is on the rise in the retail world. It makes stores feel more modern and is an affordable way to switch up displays. You could also opt for interactive digital stands that allow shoppers to search for specific items.

An image showing a digital poster in a retail setting
Source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/776659898261845385/

 

 

15. Gondolas that stand out

A branded gondola in a beauty section
Source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/199636195984359477/

We all know that gondolas are among the most popular, versatile, and essential pieces of retail furniture for stores. They hold a huge amount of merchandise, display it in a variety of ways, and make it easy for customers to walk around the display and pick items up.

You can turn even the simplest gondola into an eye-catching display with the use of colours, graphics and lighting. The goal is to make it drive visual interest so that customers feel compelled to look at it more closely.

 

 

16. Industrial shop furniture

There are many types of retail furniture examples you can use to give your shop an industrial, rustic edge.

From reclaimed display tables and clothes rails made from pipes to office-inspired cabinets and even metal ladders, all the elements you choose should work together to make it feel like the customer is stepping into another world – your world.

A clothing store with industrial style retail furniture
Source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/872150284061814042/

 

 

17. Upcycled retail furniture

An image of upcycled furniture in a retail store
Source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/140667188350220501/

Speaking of matching your shop furniture to your aesthetic, upcycled pieces, like this spool display, pair perfectly with stores that have a more vintage style. They can also reinforce your brand’s values of sustainability.

Reclaimed furniture also means you get a totally unique piece every time, whether it’s a ladder-turned-display shelf or a stack of wooden pallets transformed into a gondola.

 

 

18. Bespoke shelving units

Shelving units maximise your floor space, fill up empty walls, and allow shoppers to see everything at one glance. But shelves don’t have to be simple out-of-the-box solutions. Bring originality to your shelving units by going bespoke. 

This will allow you to devise a shelving system that best suits your brand and lets you display your products in the most effective way. Bespoke shelving will also fit your space exactly, making it feel like an effortless addition.

A set of bespoke shelving units in dark wood
Source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/184155072252787207/

 

 

19. Display cases

Modern display case in a jewellery store
Source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/45387908719760372/

If you sell expensive items, like jewellery, or sensitive items, like tech gadgets or glasses, then display cases are a must-have piece of furniture for you.

While protecting your products from damage and theft, they simultaneously enhance their perceived value, make them feel exclusive and increase customer curiosity.

 

 

20. Create experiential zones

Finally, you can use furniture like display stands, booths or shop-in-shop fittings to create experiential zones within your store. This is most commonly done in makeup stores to promote different brands. 

These invite customers to become active participants, such as in this example, where the booth has been cleverly designed to encourage customers to walk through it and engage with the products.

A fun retail display for chocolate
Source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/844493666075333/

 

 


Enhance Your Retail Furniture With KSF Global

KSF Global is a trusted retail design company and store fixtures manufacturer that provides a comprehensive range of adaptable and reliable retail solutions. To hear more about what we can do for you, contact us today.


 

Everything you need to plan your next retail project