“THE COMING YEAR”—INTERIOR DECORATION.—Hyslop.
INTERIOR EASTER DECORATION.—Goldsman.
Interior display should be simple, harmonious, artistic. Don’t attempt to bewilder your customers. A woman in search of an apron shies from a great bunch of aprons swung from the ceiling, but is attracted by a single apron tastefully displayed. So it is with all goods.
The day has gone by in the dry goods business when a few dummies, draped with dress goods and placed upon the ledge, will suffice. Something more attractive is required. Ladies especially like to see pretty goods, and will invariably do their purchasing where goods are brought out and displayed in an attractive manner. Some firms have objected to interior trimming, believing that it requires too many goods to make an effective trim, thus robbing the stocks. This, however, is a gross mistake, as we know from experience that pretty, effective trims may be made with the use of comparatively few goods. One idea which has found favor among trimmers is that of dividing off a ledge (where there is one of considerable length) into booths, by the use of draperies, and in each of these displaying different lines of goods.
This is perhaps one of the easiest effective trims which may be put up, but where time and space will permit we would suggest that the trimmer get up some sort of framework or something on which a few goods may be displayed in such a manner as to show them off to the best possible advantage.
Admitting all the benefits of good advertising—and surely there are no enterprising merchants in these days who do not admit them—it only remains to choose the best methods. The simple display of a bolt of goods is an advertisement, but a weak one. How much more effective that same piece of goods would become if spread out, or draped, or made into some shape that would mean something, create a mental picture, and leave an impression on the memory.
A little ingenuity, a little taste, an idea of the harmony of colors can do wonders in the interior of any store, no matter what the character of the stock may be, or its quality or quantity. The thing to do is to let your goods tell some clear, legible story that shall be as plain to your customers as was the handwriting on the wall of Belshazzar’s palace to Daniel, the prophet. Aside from printer’s ink and show window displays, there is no better advertising, and it costs very little.
It would seem as though dress goods might afford the very best opportunities for making an attractive interior display. It is, however, a fact that ordinarily this important line is shown to the worst possible advantages. One often sees an effort made at display by piling up a lot of bright goods on the end of a counter, and by filling a top shelf with pretty folds of goods; but no attractive effects are obtained. The risk of soiling expensive fabrics is of course one reason why a better show is not made, but with a little care, a little ingenuity and more or less trouble to make frequent changes of goods, an exceedingly handsome display can be made and run no risk whatever.