When you think of doing a color-based display, do you dismiss white as the absence of color? In truth it is, because although clear light is the absence of all colors, in pigment you can’t mix all your paints together to get white.  But using nothing but white in a display can create a powerful image, as you can see in this window from Illums Bolighus in Copenhagen.

White is a perfect “color” for a bright summer display, but you need to pay special attention to shades and shadows. A yellowish white mixed in can destroy the crisp, bright effect you are striving for.

Another idea for using white is to create a display that is almost all white except for a point of red or other primary colors.  This creates a sharp focus that is sure to catch the eye of passersby.

We make us of white on white in our store packaging. Our logo is embossed in bright white on plain white tissue, creating a subtle, repetitive brand image when we use it to line gift boxes.

For in-store displays, white makes a great backdrop for almost any merchandise. The trick is to keep it freshly painted and clean — white is particularly unforgiving of leftover nail holes and scuffs.  We have a number of touch-ups on our to-do list for the summer!

Signage can also make use of the idea of white on white, as you can see in this sign from the Royal Cafe in Copenhagen. It was wonderful to spend the past couple weeks in Denmark, researching a book on Danish food with my daughter Katrina and of course finding retail inspiration in the many innovative shops in the capital and beyond.  If you’d like to read the blog of our culinary adventures, here is the link: Mother and Daughter Spiser.

Happy Retailing,

Carol “Orange” Schroeder