brief: interior design for a supermarket in the Seychelles

Design CLD provide international interior design consultancy from the heart of the thriving British design scene in London. We have worked in Europe, West Africa, The Middle East and China so when we were contacted to provide design services in the Seychelles we were well placed to deliver a great international retail store design service. There is tremendous worldwide respect for UK design and many of our international clients come to us looking for a uniquely British blend of modern design and traditional detail.

We were honoured to be contacted by the Seychelles based prestige supermarket retailer Temooljee and Co. With a documented history stretching back to 1901 the company is an important and respected part of the island community.

As with all long established businesses periodic renewal and change is essential to maintain continued success. For Temooljee this meant widening their retail offer to include chilled and frozen food, updating their in-store bakery and introducing a deli counter. Design CLD were tasked with ensuring that all the new elements were unified within a consistent and professional looking interior design scheme.

This involved developing a new brand identity to be applied both to the shopfront and to the retail space inside. We created an efficient store layout to maximise the display potential of the shelving and designed new displays to complement and enhance the existing equipment.

Our approach to the project

An important part of the thought process involved how we would address the logistics of implementing the proposed design scheme in the remote island location. An initial visit was essential to better understand the market place, competition and gather practical information. We also met with the main contractor and potential suppliers and took a full metric survey of the shop.

Back in the UK the detailed scheme was finalised. Key joinery elements such as the signage and bespoke joinery were tendered and commissioned and with other components gathered together to be shipped out to the Seychelles.

The design scheme included new illuminated fascia signage and window graphics which focused on the core offers within the store. Internally, the existing shop display equipment was renovated and set into purpose built enclosures, new display units were designed to enhance and complement what was already there and a bright new colour scheme was applied throughout.

We returned to the Seychelles to oversee the final stages of the project and attend the launch party.

Above: the new brand identity creates an impact on the high street with a mix of internally illuminated fascia signs, projecting signs and window graphics. Many of which were made in the UK and shipped to the Seychelles.

The result

The supermarket now has a clean modern design that recognises and builds on the enormous goodwill and legacy of over a hundred years of trading. The revitalised store design will position Temooljee at the forefront of the islands retail offer for many years to come.