La Cuisine, an independent retailer in Tubbergen, The Netherlands was presented with the gia (Global Innovation Award) Martin M Pegler Award for Visual Merchandising during last week’s International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago (IH+HS March 2-5).
Reproductions of three famous paintings by Dutch masters (exhibited in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, including Johannes Vermeer) were the focal point for La Cuisine’s winning series of windows.
La Cuisine’s owners, Dagmar and Martijn Spekreijse linked the imagery in the paintings with their products on sale, such as crockery, wine glasses, water jugs and a cheese fondue.
“The paintings combine with products so they become a piece of art,” noted gia expert juror, Anne Kong at the IH+HS presentation on Innovative Retail Trends 2019.
Dagmar and Martijn took over La Cuisine in 2003 and undertook a large-scale renovation of the shop in 2017. With a Coffee Room, Wine Bar and Rituals (Home & Body) section, they now present the shop as a ‘brand store’ (rather than a cookshop and tableware store) ‘where blurring is the trend.’
For more information on gia, see www.housewares.org/gia
* In 2020, the IH+HS will become The Inspired Home Show, see www.theinspiredhomeshow.com/2020
Top: One of La Cuisine’s winning windows, where the artwork is echoed in the floral products on display.
