La Galerie de Lunettes
La Galerie de Lunettes (optician’s shop) is a former art gallery located on rue Yves Toudic, Paris - a fast developing neighbourhood with increasingly diverse consumer needs.
The total area of the shop is 60m2 which includes a sales area of 36m2 and a spiral staircase at the back of the store that leads to a small office on the first floor. Great care was taken in designing the interior to ensure it would stand out from the many other shops in the area. American hard maple was specified for the interior furniture by architect Marion Dumazer from Dumazer & La Falisse.
The architectural concept is in keeping within the original ethos of the space, exhibiting the glasses as if they were works of art. The eyewear collection is composed of selective and retro fashion brands, such as Garrett Leight, Graz, Lunor and Prism London.
'We have designed a piece of furniture using light-coloured wood' says architect Marion Dumazer. 'It stretches and follows the curves of the wall in order to create eye-catching exhibition areas visible from the shop window. We specified maple for its clarity, colour and even grain. The client wanted to create a different atmosphere from other optical stores which can be quite clinical and bright and opted for something warm, natural and feminine.'
The layout of the space lets customers move about with ease and the visual and physical impact often keeps them in the shop for a longer time. Niches built into the wall are well lit, artistically displaying the glasses which vary in shapes and colours with the seasons. The eyewear cabinet is built in plywood and covered in Oberflex BIOPLY maple veneer. A simple matt varnish was added to the natural veneer. Opposite the cabinet is a gallery of antique mirrors where customers can try the different brands of glasses.