A Sensory Shopping Experience – STABLE by studio manifold
Electric colours and bold geometric shapes elevate STABLE into a contemporary destination befitting its inner-suburb locale. With careful focus placed on highlighting the store’s products, studio manifold’s intervention artfully celebrates fashion, design and the magnetism of the shopping experience.
Formerly known as Filly’s Stable, STABLE has occupied its shopfront location in Albert Park since 2008. Tasked with reinventing the established boutique, studio manifold has curated a tangible experience that eschews the traditional. Initial workshops with the STABLE team and studio manifold aided in driving a unified relationship and vision from the outset; together, they’ve created a concept that feels like a natural extension of the store’s space, with an embedded flexibility that can meet growth and the expansion of brands and products as needed.
Colour plays an integral role in STABLE, drawing customers in and maintaining a sense of allure. The palette – which includes deep blues, rusty reds, crisp whites and a variety of greens – works alongside the STABLE products, never competing for attention. The bold red that frames the existing ceiling helps to complement the heritage moments of the interior, while the blue walls add an undeniable sense of warmth that juxtaposes pleasantly against the silver pieces within the space, including the raw metal jewellery cabinet in the lounge area.
Geometric shapes also fill the interior, providing visual intrigue and drawing one through with ease. Sharp edges feature heavily and offer a sense of structure – from the decorative front curtain by Think Positive to the custom kilim rug and adjustable shelving. These shapes are offset by softer, rounder moments, such as the Flos Taccia Table Lamp from Euroluce, the rounded Orbit Wall Mirror by Rodney Kinsman and the plush seating – even the openings of the jewellery cabinet offer reprieve from the sharpness of the store’s featured linear lines.
Each element works together to create a textured and sensory shopping experience. This was achieved through custom joinery and rare objects sourced both locally and internationally for the space. The artwork, sculptures, hardware and lighting are layered together to craft an immediate and refreshing appreciation for holistic design.
“Walking into a well-thought-out edit and a bold and immersive space will hopefully inspire our customers as much as it inspires us,” explains STABLE Founder Lauren Nicholls. “People are wanting a connection, areal genuine experience, an interaction with other people – and we can give all that to them. I don’t think it’s going anywhere anytime soon, but you have to keep your customers interested to get them in and take them on a journey they won’t forget.”
