Essay - Store Layout and Design Analysis Store Introduction: Recent Visit to...

Store Layout and Design Analysis

Store Introduction:

recent visit to one of the newest IKEA US locations in Portland Oregon, inspired this analysis. The brand itself is a Europe*****n import that stresses high quality design forward house wares and furniture at low prices. ***** s*****re specializes in design *****, customizable furnishings for the home and *****fice that are in many ways self contained, as is the European style of complete ownership of ***** entire contents ***** a *****, including the kitchen. The store is also mindful of diminutive square footage plans and really caters to furnishing small spaces in a complete *****nd *****ly livable fashion. Each new area of the store, which can be admittedly kind of confusing, though signage is appropriate and everywhere, is a new environment.

Store L*****yout and Description:

Upstairs

***** IKEA Portland location is contained in a large boxed sized storefront of 280,000 sq.ft. split *****tween two floors. The second floor consisting ***** nearly half ***** total square footage contains a cafeteria style cafe with seating near the front windows of ***** store and the built environment of three full model homes, ***** 58 room settings ***** various ***** foot plans that are located in an intertwining ***** with area *****ated spaces that meet specific needs, large household furnishings, office furnishings, storage solutions, bedroom furnishings, textiles *****d rugs, window treatments, lighting, kids furnishings and toys and kitchen design center.

The full rooms ***** full home layouts are true to size, and utilize many of the IKEA feature products ***** ***** and decoration. Several ***** the room *****s, especially the kitchens can be purchased in their entirety, excluding accessories for one price, that includes all features, except such things as tile and flooring. All cabinets, appliances, countertops and large furnishing items can ***** purchased in a group. They boast two kitchens and several other ***** ***** ***** can be purchased ***** their ***** to be customized to the ***** square footage for between $1,200 and $2,000. The company, being of European dissent specializes in design forward furnishings for sm*****er square foot plans, so the center home model is titled "living in 480 sq feet" and demonstrates how an individual can layout a single *****, ***** bath apartment in a ***** 480 ***** ft *****.

The m*****jority of items are ***** for display and then tagged with pertinent information for retrieval in the warehouse ***** downstairs or in the market place for smaller *****-serve items. Many ***** the ***** features are custom, as each item, such as sofas, loveseats, chairs ***** even space saver beds are ordered ***** the size you need and a custom cover can be purchased simultaneously, that fits the base and comes in an array of design *****s. The upscale looking build outs can then all ***** customized in several ways to create exactly the look you ***** going for.

Main Floor

On the main floor ***** the building there is ***** entry, opening on ***** an escalator, under which there is a shopper's