Ben Wain, Founder – Wain Consultancy & Coaching, talks about why the in-store retail display is not about furniture, it’s about imagination.
I’ve often said that retail is theatre. Now, before anyone misunderstands me, I don’t mean salespeople should become actors or that showrooms should be full of gimmicks and flashy displays.
I mean that when people choose to visit a furniture showroom, just like when they visit the theatre or the cinema, they’re looking for an experience. They want to feel something. They want to be inspired, excited and able to picture what life could look like once that new sofa, dining table or bedroom furniture finds its way into their home.
That’s why in-store display matters so much. The best furniture retailers don’t simply display products. They create imagination.
Imagine for a moment walking through a showroom where every sofa was lined up in rows with nothing around it. You’d see different colours, different shapes and different sizes, but very little inspiration. Now compare that with a beautifully merchandised room set. The throws have been carefully draped over the arm of the sofa, the cushions thoughtfully layered, the coffee table dressed with a book and a candle, the lighting soft and warm, and the occasional furniture perfectly complementing the room. Suddenly you don’t just see furniture anymore. You begin imagining Saturday morning coffees, Christmas with the family, evenings watching films together and the home you’d love coming back to every single day.
That’s the job of a great display. It isn’t there to show customers what a sofa looks like. It’s there to help them imagine what life could look like around it.
One of the biggest mistakes I see retailers make is believing that more is better. More furniture, more price tickets, more promotional boards, more supplier branding, more product information and more choice. Unfortunately, every additional ticket, every oversized finance board and every bright promotional sign competes with the very thing we’re trying to sell.
The furniture should always be the hero. Point of sale should complement the furniture, not compete with it.
I’ve visited showrooms where there were so many promotional messages, television screens, supplier displays and oversized price tickets that I genuinely found myself struggling to focus on the products themselves. With high sensory overload the customer becomes overwhelmed. Instead of slowing down and enjoying the experience, they subconsciously begin looking for the exit.
Retailers often mistake noise for excitement. They aren’t the same thing.
One of the most inspiring showrooms I’ve visited wasn’t the one with the biggest sale banners or the loudest marketing. Quite the opposite. The atmosphere felt calm. Every room setting looked lived in without looking untidy. Elegant voiles subtly divided spaces, the lighting created warmth rather than brightness, the point of sale quietly informed rather than shouted, and the staff themselves looked comfortable, approachable and genuinely pleased to be there. Everything worked together to create one simple feeling: comfort.
That word matters because customers buy emotionally long before they justify their purchase logically. The showroom should do half the selling before a salesperson even says hello.
When the customer finally sits on the sofa, they shouldn’t be wondering whether it’s available in another colour. They should already be picturing where the Christmas tree will stand, where the grandchildren will sit when they visit or who will claim their favourite corner during family movie night.
That’s where great salespeople come into their own.
They don’t ask, “How many people live in the house?”
They ask, “Who uses this room the most?”
They don’t ask, “Are you looking for a new sofa?”
They ask, “Show me your room. Tell me what you’re trying to create.”
Those conversations move beyond products and into lifestyle. Customers aren’t buying a dining table; they’re buying the dinner parties they’ll host around it. They aren’t buying a bed; they’re buying peaceful Sunday mornings and a better night’s sleep. They aren’t buying flooring; they’re buying a home they’re proud to invite friends and family into.
Technology absolutely has its place in this journey. AI can help customers visualise products in their own homes. Tablets and QR codes make product information instantly accessible. That’s brilliant, because technology should support imagination, not replace it.
One phrase I’ve always believed is that retail is detail, and nowhere is that more evident than within a showroom. The unplumped cushion. The dusty lamp. The fingerprint left on a kitchen worktop. The picture frame hanging slightly crooked. The carpet that hasn’t quite been hoovered. The lamp that’s never been switched on. Individually these things seem insignificant, but together they tell the customer whether this business genuinely cares.
It’s amazing what happens when you soften a showroom. Turn on every table lamp instead of relying solely on harsh ceiling lights. Dress every bed like a boutique hotel rather than displaying another bare mattress with a manufacturer’s label attached. Introduce subtle fragrance. Remove half the unnecessary tickets. Create space for the customer to breathe. It’s remarkable how quickly an average showroom begins to feel aspirational.
If somebody handed me £1,000 to improve a furniture showroom tomorrow, I probably wouldn’t spend it on new furniture. I’d spend it on light bulbs, throws, cushions, bedding, fragrance and a thorough deep clean. I’d make sure every lamp was glowing, every display felt lived in and every detail reflected the pride the retailer has in their business.
Because customers rarely notice every individual detail. They always notice how those details make them feel.
Perhaps that’s the question every retailer should ask themselves before unlocking the doors each morning.
What do I want my customers to feel today?
If the answer is inspiration, comfort, confidence and excitement, then every decision within the showroom should support that objective. Every display, every ticket, every fragrance, every conversation and every finishing touch should work together to create one seamless experience.
The showroom is the stage. Your displays are the set. Your people deliver the performance. Get all three working together, and customers won’t simply remember the furniture, they will remember how you made them feel.
