Top 5 Retail Design Trends for 2009: Value Engineering

The office is buzzing with excitement. Sure, most of it is for the impending holidays, but this blog editor thinks that a little bit of that enthusiasm is due to The Dadson Diaries reaching that pinnacle that is its 100th post. And what better way to celebrate the milestone than by revealing our final trend in our "Top Retail Design Trends for 2009" list?! We've covered flexibility, sustainability, and authenticity. This last one doesn't end in -ty, but it's a biggie: value.

#1: Value Engineering
One other big factor -perhaps the biggest given today's chilly economic climate- that we see affecting retail design and displays is value. Retailers will be seeking additional value for the money they spend. Value engineering isn't new to the scene by any means, but we hear it being brought up in more conversations heading into 2009.

Designers and manufacturers have and will continue to respond in a number of ways. To start, we'll continue to see more modular roll outs. The ease of repetition and consistency of design will be appealing because of the additional efficiency that can be built into the program once it gets started. Secondly, we'll see materials being substituted for more cost-effective alternatives that still offer the same appeal and integrity. This could very well be the year for laminate and veneer, both of which have stepped up their games in recent years to become viable candidates for a wide range of projects. Solid surface and acrylic are also likely to enter the fray as substitutes for more expensive options.

And there you have it, folks. Our picks for the top 5 trends to watch for in 2009. Any thoughts on our list? Leave a comment.


In celebration of our trend list's completion -and also because it's Christmas vacation- The Dadson Diaries is taking Thursday off. Worry not; we'll be back with a new post Monday. Happy Holidays, everybody!