The Story Behind the Design

20twelve is a high-end clothing store in the Broad Avenue Arts District of Memphis, Tennessee. With its posh interior and upscale brand offerings, it is often referred to as “Barney’s on Broad.” To get this experience, it was the responsibility of the Graham Reese Design Group to convert a space into an experience.

Chantal Johnson, the owner of 20twelve, was hoping to emulate the style of Tom Ford. Tom Ford freely uses French gold in his design, so when it came to the Broad Avenue store, using this metal was the first motive. Rich, exotic woods were also incorporated into the space, along with oversized herringbone floors. Suede walls were placed behind the product shelves to add texture, and rich, sleek metals were placed on the walls to make the high quality items stand out.

To add to the experience, the ceiling of the space was painted with the paint from an Audi Q7 for a ultra high-gloss finish. The ceiling was also adorned with an intricate rail system for a custom chandelier. This rail system allows the chandeliers to be moved about the space for different design looks. This creates a fresh experience for shoppers when they visit.

The high-end design of the space is made to reflect the designer fashions that are sold in the store, and gives the customer the sophisticated shopping experience that they would find on a trip to New York City or Paris. Without this attention to detail, the customers of 20twelve would not have the same experience, and the consumer “buy-in” we are looking for would be lost.

Tamp & Tap is a coffeeshop and tap room local to Memphis Tennessee. The first location is in the urban, downtown core, and the second is in an upscale office building. When it came to designing the second location, it was important that the space needed to be designed to reach a different market than its downtown counterpart.

To cater to the upscale business clientele in the building, I incorporated neutral materials, marble, and tufted bar fronts around the space. This space was meant to stray away from the average, dumpy “grind house”, and boast more of a well-travelled, big city feel.

A key feature of this space is the large conference room table on the main floor, with a floor -to-ceiling  transparent screen. This area allows customers an escape from their daily office space, and it gives them a space suitable for work while giving them a change in environment. The screen offers privacy, while the transparency of it keeps guests from feeling trapped or confined.

It is important to keep in mind the demographic of your customers when you are designing.  By providing a sleeker and more elegant coffee cafe for Tamp and Tap’s second location, the customers have a more comfortable and functional space, and the design finishes are continuous with that of the building.