WHAT IF no15: House of Linens

[leenewham]

We popped in a little while ago to get a few bits and pieces (we are going eco and are now fixing old clothes and buying 'vintage') and met the very friendly owner. He was talking about Billings so we told them about the What if Sydenham Project.

He looked all excited and rushed us outside to look at this sign which he wants to redo. We have been really busy and the few times we have had chance to pop by we haven't seen him in the store. So before we show them what we have come up with I thought it best to get some feedback on this.

If you comment, please say if you use the shop (and if you go in the store please mention it!).

This is what if looks like now:



But what if…

OPTION 1a



OPTION 1b



OPTION 2



For more info on each route including rough costs go to the blog: http://whatifsydenham.wordpress.com/2011/04/02/what-if-no-15-house-of-linens/

So which one feels the most like a small, family run, haberdashery that has been trading locally for many many years?

[poppy]

I am not sure, with this one. Think I prefer the last one.

I have always thought that one of main problems with their shop is their window display. The vast amount of net curtains in the window and the fact they often have it piled up with tea towels and other not particularly pretty wares. They do an ok range or curtains which you would never know from outside.

They are a different business to Designer Drapes in Penge which only seems to specialise in curtains and blinds but it has a very stylish shop front - for Penge anyway, they really could do with taking a look at their window display though, it is simple and uncluttered.

[mikecg]

Going eco?

You're not one of dem Neo-Librals are you Lee?

[mummycat]

..

[leenewham]

Going eco?

You're not one of dem Neo-Librals are you Lee?

I have no idea what you are talking about Mike! What's Neo-liberal? Is it like Nick Clegg?

[Rachael]

I like 1b, except for the lettering, which I agree looks like a kid's handwriting exercise and also might be hard to read from a distance. I favour the blue over the brown for linens - cool and clean.

However, I don't think there is much wrong with their sign as it is - they really need to work on their window display. I always assumed they sold nothing but nets.

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[Eppie]

I agree with rshdunlop, the window display needs a revamp. I passed by the other day and was confused at to what they are trying to display.

I prefer option 1a although the top fascia is mismatched and needs to be in keeping with the rest of the colour scheme and the typeface is a bit too playful. The typeface from option 2 is a step towards the right one to use (in the blue though).

An awning isn't a good idea in my opinion, the shop already has to contend with the many people queueing for buses and during rainy weather an awning would only encouraged passengers to stand underneath it. Also this will have an affect on the amount of lighting cast inside the shop. When you're selling homeware it is important to display goods under good lighting.

[poppy]

I'm pretty sure Lee that they only recently put in that brown shop front so not sure if that can be changed or if they will even want to given the expense.

P

[leenewham]

Hi poppy,
They did ask us to look at their sign. You are right, they have installed a new shopfront recently. As with the what ifs we have done we only change graphics and colours, billings changed the colour of the roller shutter without any problems so I don't see that as an issue here. The feedback from this forum and the blog should help the owners decide what to do with the sign. What ifs are exactly that, they are suggestions, visual debating points to raise the issue of shop fronts and get people talking about them. It's good that people have been discussing this and the other what ifs. We will take a break from doing any more for a while. They take a lot of time as they have got more complex and time is something we are short of right now!

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[poppy]

Just thought I should let you know that it was unlikely they would take out or want to spend money changing the colour of the metal shop front. In case you did not know it was new. Hence why the brown What If might get a better response from the owner!

[marymck]

Hi Lee:

I'll start this by saying that Lewisham Council have guidelines for shops on Sydenham High Street as to what they can and can't do to their signage, etc., so before anything is commissioned the shop would need to check with Lewisham that they're happy.

That said:

I like Option 1b for the colour scheme - but not the typeface. I don't only find the "House of Linens" strap hard to read, but I also find the numbers hard to read. I do think it especially important that the street number stands out clearly ... so many shops & businesses have "lost" their numbers that it's sometimes really hard to find addresses.

I like the awning. I think it's a good idea. Yes, people will shelter from the rain. But they'll look in the shop window while sheltering, so the shop could take advantage of this by putting impulse buys in their window. Curtains aren't exactly impulse buys. But small craft kits, pretty little cushions, etc. could well tempt.

On Option 2: I like the "House of Linens" logo on a piece of material.

Blue is really nice & clean looking. Brown (sadly) is more typical of the shop itself, which is really cluttered & badly laid out.

Also, why the emphasis on Sirdar Yarns? Is this because the shop are paid to advertise them? Sirdar's yarns are really boring and widely available. The shop actually stocks some really interesting yarns - including Berroco. Wouldn't "huge range of yarns" work ... or is that too long?

[chrisj1948]

I think that if only the blue lettering was a little less faded I would prefer the existing signage.

Sorry
Chris

[leenewham]

Hi Mary,

yes, you are right. House of Linens is in a conservation area and will have to pass any amends with the conservation officers. We have the guidelines on the What If Blog to make them easier to find (they aren't easy to find on the councils website and for years no-one in the council could tell me that they had any!).

We spoke with the conservation officers when we did Billings and the feedback was extremely positive, however as we are doing this for free (we are not paid for What If's) it's up to the shop owners to organize this and we help where we can.

Regarding the Sidar Yarns, that was one of the things mentioned by the owners that they wanted to include. It's always best to keep the information on a sign to a minimum if possible. The copy on the examples shown are merely suggestions. House of Linens knows their business better than we do so we will leave it up to them what they feel is right to include. At the initial stage it's more important to get the feel right and then we can iron out any details later.

There is always a danger with anything like this that it can become 'design by xfactor'. Certainly this 'What If' has been more divisive than any other I remember!

As with any market research, which this is a form of, it may have been better for me to ask 'which one feels the most like a small, family run, haberdashery that has been trading locally for many many years?'.

Wer'e not precious about whether people like the colour or awnings etc, those can be easily tweaked and changed, lettering can be made more legible etc. That's why this feedback that we have gathered on this from this forum, the blog, Virtual Norwood, pm's and emails is invaluable. Thanks to everyone for contributing.

When we started the What If Project we wanted to help raise the design of shop fronts as an issue as it never seemed to get mentioned on this forum. It's great to see that happening.

And finally to Chris, no need to say sorry! It's fine.

[mosy]

I quite like the existing lettering (font) which perhaps carries appropriate gravitas for a "House of...". It could be filled in and with a shadow echo perhaps. If that name is considered old fashioned now, they could reinvent themselves as "Linens for today" or some such. Simply attempting to update an old fashioned (implying "class") name by use of dubious modern script is counter intuitive to me.

The existing byline seems inappropriate as I regard the House of Linens as primarily soft furnishings offering curtains, bedding, towels - mostly consumables by wear & tear or change in fashion. Haberdashery, I doubt pays the bills, though the proprietors will know better than I from which items the bread and butter arrives.

Would a shop in Syd Road survive if people were encouraged primarily to stop-and-shop for a reel of cotton or yard of elastic? I.e. I wonder why haberdashery has such prominence in the byline of the What If options as soft furnishings take up the majority of the shop's selling space and presumably generate more income or more space would be given over to haberdashery, but I don't know the brief you are following of course.

Not sure about the awning. Colour fading or white going yellow must be a headache for window displays in sunlight, but the sun on Syd Road is worse along (E->W rather than down at noon) so another one that a shop owner will know already about what to put in his window and whether an awning will shade it and whether such has marketing potential at foot or car level.

Hey ho.

[Annie]

Option 2, very nice

[leenewham]

Thanks Annie.

I'm surprised that the pull out awning has received so much attention. If you look at old pictures of Sydenham Road it looks as if nearly all the shops in the road had awnings originally. Sydenham Road looks so much better then than it does now. These awnings are encouraged in the councils shop front guidelines. They help shelter potential customers from rain and sun, help keep the shops cooler in the summer and it obviously folds back when not in use. The awnings for Billings, Kirkdale Books, Trattoria etc all look good.

The only real drawback to pull out awnings is that they can get dirty and need cleaning. But in the grand scheme of things I'd say that it a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things.

[leenewham]

Sadly this isn't going ahead as they are closing down due to the lease coming to an end. I'm sad to see the end of this shop, as I'm sure many others will as Mike and co have served the area for many years.

I hope that the shop doesn't remain empty long, although there are a few shops closing in Sydenham at the moment.

[Ronski]

that's a real shame to hear that, hopefully another shop will arrive

[G-Man]

Oh no, that's really really sad news Lee. A great shop, actually gutted.

What are they nor re-newing the lease?

G-Man

[Annie]

What a great shame this is,
The high street really needs to encourage new ventures not just nail bars/£1 shops etc etc.