As a designer and interior architect, I embrace any experience to interact with product in a meaningful way. This is why the retail showroom concept speaks to me—a concept that maintains a sense of wonder for visitors while showcasing product in highly-interactive, yet aligned ways. Heavy focus is placed on holistic interior design and how it enhances the shopping experience for visitors.
ALT For Living has emerged as one of my favorite retail showroom concepts, featuring a well-curated assortment of modern-living textiles, accessories, and furnishings. ALT For Living boasts two Locations in New York City, one on 28th Street and the other on East 60th Street, and has opened a New Showroom in Los Angeles on La Cienega Blvd.
Analisse Taft-Gersten, the visionary behind ALT For Living, was deeply inspired by the exquisite design and fine craftsmanship she was exposed to while traveling in Europe. In 2008, Analisse moved from Los Angeles to New York City, and during the economic downturn, saw an opportunity to create something for a niche market that was under-served. She soon opened the ALT For Living flagship space in Chelsea; a dedicated place for designers and interior architects to find creative inspiration, first with luxurious handmade textiles then furnishings and accessories from all over the world.
“I wanted to create a showroom that pleased all of the senses and that felt boutique and European like many of my lines. Stepping off the streets of New York City into the aroma of our own locally roasted coffee, and then getting lost in the oasis of our handmade textiles and vintage furniture, I wanted clients to experience a true one-stop shop.”
– Analisse Taft-Gersten
A decade later, Analisse honed her vision, moving her uptown flagship to a smaller retail location in the heart of New York’s Flower District. The new locations create a unique, invigorating experience. Visitors are welcomed into a quaint space that evokes the spirit of a nomadic traveler.
The showroom’s layout encourages wandering, aimed at awakening the creative mind, strategically utilizing the space’s structure to create a roomy feel. Creatively housing one of two A Little Taste Cafe locations, ALT For Living encourages patrons to relax and indulge in in-house roasted coffee and delectable pastries.
Not long after, ALTBox was born. This smaller location caters to both designers and an elite clientele, featuring upscale items including luxury candles, unique accessories, and limited edition pieces from around the world. Although offering a grab-and-go experience, this retail showroom experience is anything but rushed. A European style espresso bar rounds out an overall experience that plays to all the senses, allowing visitors to interact with the rich texture and wide-ranging color of goods while taking in the aroma of brewing coffee and sampling locally-baked goods.
From ALT’s overall embracement of the retail showroom concept, we can see the evolution of the shopping experience. Immersive retail trends often start with tastemakers and slowly trickle into common practice. ALT’s model is indicative of the collective desire to change the way we view consumerism.
In our individual search for alignment, it is important to remember that it does not stop with our homes. It extends far beyond those walls into our everyday lives. To continue to connect to our goals and our deeper spiritual self, we must be intentional about the places we visit, the people we surround ourselves with and performing actions that maintain a mentally clear and emotionally calm state. The retail showroom concept is one that removes the feeling of anxiety and replaces it with curative feelings of comfort and enjoyment. Designed with a purpose, retail showroom spaces are a favorite of mine, allowing me to maintain a sense of presence and serenity while seeking innovative, elegant, and sometimes quirky product.
To learn more about ALT For Living and to stay up-to-date on their news and current events, follow them on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
