Tricks: Inspired by AmericasMart

Jennifer Polanz

AmericasMart in Atlanta isn’t just great for buying products—it’s also great for display ideas. We’ve already covered many of the new products that caught my eye at the gift show (see the March Green Profit for those). Now take a look at the displays.



Casual Corner
Studio M had lots of these little vignettes set up all throughout the showroom and it worked so nicely to set off each of the collections inside them. If you’ve made the effort to purchase a whole collection of something, this is a great way to show it off together.

Step It Up
We’re always talking about using varying degrees of height in retail displays and this presentation from Kalalou is a great example of why. Starting on the floor and working its way up provides ample space to shop all the great products on display. The company sells the multi-level tables, too.

Use Your Tools
Any wheelbarrow would work for recreating this display and maybe an older, beat-up one might even lend some of that lived-in, boho chic look to it that everybody loves right now. It’s a fun, eye-catching display from Midwest-CBK that shows off the creatures being featured.



Wall of Wheels
This is another great one specific to our industry. All those spinny things you sell, you can mount to the wall to create a destination and an eye-catching display. I saw this in the Studio M showroom and what you can’t tell from the photo is they had a fan blowing on the wall to make them spin.

Make a Scene
One thing I feel many of our retail spots are lacking is a talking point. Something that kids love to come in and see, and adults can smile at or talk about. This huge metal elephant from Zaer Ltd. International is an example of that. The company also offers large Christmas trains, sleds, a plane, a Cinderella carriage and many other show-stopping pieces.



Clip It Up
This was one of my favorite displays because it’s so applicable to our industry. Seen in the Kalalou showroom, it’s another way retailers can display tillandsia. Paint a strip of chalkboard paint on the bottom of the clipboard and you can add a name and a price to each.

Window Dressing
Who doesn’t love a good window display? This one from European-blown glass ornament company JingleNog can be easily recreated in a store in a corner vignette if a storefront window isn’t available. With its green and cream stripes, white pine branches and colorful ornaments, it strikes just the right happy-go-lucky tone.

Taking Off
This one is part product, part display. The hot-air balloon from the Think Outside collection of recycled Vietnamese oil drums provides color, whimsy and a great vehicle for showing off a succulent mix (these aren’t real, but yours would be). GP