Steven Stone is a family-run master jeweller that has been matching customers with fine jewellery for over eight decades. To create the right ambience for its third showroom, a space for jewellery consultations rather than a retail outlet, the Steven Stone team asked us for design help. The showroom is on the upper floor of a building in Manchester’s Springfields district, so there was no street frontage to worry about.
Since this was a zone for consultations – for choosing, specifying, and co-creating jewellery – customers had to be at the heart of the experience. Customers should feel as special and as precious as the jewellery.
We began by working with Steven Stone to break up the space into smaller areas for greater intimacy and a more personalised customer experience. The first of these is a low-key arrival space: it provides visitors with time for orientation with drinks, look books, and sample jewellery. The space doubles as an area for workshops and social content creation.
Beyond are the product collection displays and an informal lounge for relaxed consultations. The adjacent customisation area uses 3D printing and prototyping to help customers get a feel for the design of new, and the remodelling of old, jewellery. Towards the rear are more discreet consultation areas for greater privacy.
Finally we gave the showroom its aura of subdued luxury. The walls and ceiling are cloaked in warm, earthy greys; floor and table tops are lighter, and richly illuminated from above. Our style of pared-back reverence ensures that nothing can overshadow the jewellery, the undisputed hero of the space, or detract from the joy of spending time choosing gemstones and precious metals.
Steven Stone, Manchester Showroom
