The Optic Shop, Abergavenny
Abingdon Eye Centre, Abingdon
Mewscraft helps transform an old bank into a beautiful new home for opticians practice
Mewscraft recently completed the refurbishment of an old bank in the heart of Ilminster. Transforming the beautiful listed building into a wonderfully modern and calm home for Richard Stent Optometrists.
For more information and photographs, see the Case Study page here.
Mewscraft Fits Optical Practice in Listed Building in Norfolk
Mewscraft are proud to offer a sneak preview at one of our latest optical practice fit-outs. Located in the beautiful village of Bungay, Norfolk, this practice is based inside a Grade II listed building, Originally two cottages previously being used as a cafe, our client undertook the challenge of renovating them into one optical practice.
Having met our client at 100% Optical earlier in the year, Mewscraft were involved from the beginning, working on lighting and electrical plans, as well as displays, furniture and flooring.
A cosy feel was vital for this village location. The red wallpaper, dark woods and our clients excellent attention to detail have helped transform this building into a beautifully, warm and modern practice.
Keep an eye out on the website for a full case study with photographs coming soon!
Optrafair Review
The first weekend of April saw the Mewscraft team head to the Birmingham NEC for the annual Optrafair exhibition. Always a calendar highlight, Optrafair is a great opportunity to get together with other optical industry professionals, check out the new developments in technologies and – most importantly – catch up with our existing clients, whilst hopefully finding some new ones too!
As we have our own stand at the show, preparation for the event begins months in advance. This year our Senior Designer, Steph, took on the challenge of heading up the stand design. Keeping things simple, she chose branded Mewscraft graphics with just our Scope window system on display. However, one controversial design decision was left to a team vote. Can you tell what it might have been?
In a toss-up between a funky bright orange carpet and a more conservative champagne colour, the team were somewhat divided. Eventually Steph and our new designer, Jane, won out to bring plenty of colour to Optrafair!
As Mewscraft covers the whole of the UK and Ireland, it is not always easy to meet up with all our clients face-to-face so trade shows like Optrafair provide the perfect opportunity to catch up with multiple clients, all in one place.
Whether it’s a new client interested in finding out a bit more about what we can offer them, or an existing client sitting down to talk through our latest design proposals, talking face-to-face is always preferable. Over the three days it became more and more clear that many practice owners in the UK recognise the need to smarten up their premises and present their businesses in a professional way. Many are planning refurbishments, which range from complete re-fits, to perhaps just renewing their window displays.
While most of the Mewscraft team are seasoned Optrafair attendees, this was the first time at the event for our newest designers Jane and John. It was a brilliant opportunity for them to not only see what it is all about, but also meet a lot of our longstanding clients. Having chatted to them over the phone so much it’s always great to be able to put a face to a name!
The planning and preparation led to a very successful weekend for Mewscraft. Lots of fun was had by the whole team, many leads were generated and we’re hoping to see even more of you there next year!
Mewscraft’s new showroom opens its doors
Mewscraft impressive new showroom is now open at our offices in Monmouthshire.
The 650sq ft show space at Wyastone Business Park highlights an extensive range of modern optical and retail fittings. In addition, we now feature a wide range of lighting options set up to view as well as wall coverings and flooring options.
Following contemporary trends in optical interior design the new showroom features a variety of LED backlit displays and media screens.
The bright new space also doubles as an elegant and private meeting space where individual requirements can be discussed and projects organised.
To arrange a viewing call Mewscraft today on 01600 891 525.
Mewscraft's new showroom opens its doors
Mewscraft impressive new showroom is now open at our offices in Monmouthshire.
The 650sq ft show space at Wyastone Business Park highlights an extensive range of modern optical and retail fittings. In addition, we now feature a wide range of lighting options set up to view as well as wall coverings and flooring options.
Following contemporary trends in optical interior design the new showroom features a variety of LED backlit displays and media screens.
The bright new space also doubles as an elegant and private meeting space where individual requirements can be discussed and projects organised.
To arrange a viewing call Mewscraft today on 01600 891 525.
The importance of customer flow
Customer flow enables you to focus on the movement and experience of your customers. In doing so, it provides you with a great insight into their journey which can in turn, help you develop your business. Small changes to a spatial layout can increase your sales by providing customers with a more satisfactory experience.
When clients ask us for a refurbishment they want to offer a new experience to their customers. When we design a layout that involves a space that has face-to-face dealings with customers. We don’t only think about the overall aesthetics (colours, finishes, lighting, etc.) we also need to imagine we are a customer within the space. A part of this exercise includes considering how we would feel and react in that environment, what would draw our attention and how we would move through the space.
The customer flow process encompasses the entire customer experience including the pre-arrival, when customer arrives on site, the service point and the after-service. These are all key areas to take into account within the design.
Every business has different target goals. Not all our clients are looking at increasing their sales, so first of all we need to know what their top priorities are:
- to increase sales?
- To increase customer satisfaction levels?
- To maximise staff efficiency?
Finding out what their needs are allows us to tailor the design and hopefully achieve this target goal.
A thorough analysis of our current clients situation may lead us to conclude how we could improve the customer flow, including the location of the existing entrance, the waiting area, reception area, the main retail area, how their products are displayed (by Price, target, sex, …) etc.
Designing a new practice isn’t just about how the space looks, it is equally important to design the space according to the customer journey.
Customers don’t just remember how a space looks, but how it makes them feel.
The Advantages of Employing a Project Manager
Taking on a shop fit or office refurbishment is not an easy task and can be costly, time-consuming and will always have an element of risk. The more complicated the project, the greater chance for potential issues to arise, including overspending and time delays.
Unless, of course, a Project Manager is there to take control.
The role of a project manager is to have the overall responsibility for the successful initiation, planning, design, execution, monitoring, controlling and closure of a project. They also have the ability to control all aspects of the project, including dealing with costs, safety and all contractors.
Many companies believe hiring a project manager means increased costs. This may be true in the short term but over a long term job a PM’s ability to deliver on schedule and within budget saves their clients both time and money. The experience and expertise a PM brings will often more than offset the additional cost of their salary.
There are several advantages of employing a project manager:
– Purchasing power; Knowledge of the sector and marketplace can help reduce costs and time, from employing the right contractors for the job to purchasing the right equipment at discounted rates.
– Avoiding pitfalls; In any job experience is key and in refurbishment it is essential. An experienced project manager will understand what pitfalls to avoid from the early design stages to help the project run smoothly.
– Project focus; A project manager will have sole focus on the project at hand, freeing up time for the client and allowing them to focus on other aspects of their business.
– One contact; The one and only contact during the project will be the project manager. They will deal with all other aspects including the contractors and deliveries to ensure all items on are site at the correct times.
– Quality control; The quality and final look of the project will be constantly overseen and approved by the project manager.
Ultimately a PM will control everything and see it through from the initial brief to completion whilst maintaining the highest quality throughout. By ensuring everyone is in the right place, at the right time, doing the right things, a project manager will help avoid redundancies, rework and costly mistakes.
The Importance of Furniture Design
The aesthetics of your furniture can make or break the style of your practice, so making sure you have the right look can mean everything. A piece of furniture can have so many different roles in the day to day running of your shop and it has to meet every demand made of it, whilst also ensuring it matches and compliments its surroundings.
As with all forms of design, furniture often follows either one of two avenues; Form driven or Function driven.
Furniture that follows form generally sets out with a desired aesthetic in mind, with concept designs based on design influences and mood boards. The Function is usually catered to as a secondary factor and the materials are chosen to match the desired style.
Furniture that follows function would be a piece that gets the job done, with no compromise. The aesthetic will purely follow function and materials are decided based on mechanical and budget factors.
Knowing which avenue you should go down or what mix of avenues you wish to follow, is one of the most important decisions you can make for the design of an interior space.
In a retail environment, it is imperative to get the blend of form and function so that you can attract, maintain and inspire your customers, whilst also ensuring they can be catered to in an effective and efficient manner.
The right reception desks, display stands or even coffee table in the waiting area, can affect how the customer perceives your entire business and your brand, so it’s important to make sure the design of your furniture perfectly matches the brand values you want to portray.
