Refurbishing a retail space is one of the most effective ways to refresh your brand, improve customer experience, and boost footfall. Whether you run a boutique store, a high-street shop, or a growing retail chain, a well-planned shop refurbishment can transform how customers perceive your business from the moment they see your shop front to the time they leave your store.
From colour choices and technical specifications to logistics and long-term maintenance, this guide walks you through everything you should consider before starting your retail refurbishment, helping you avoid costly mistakes and achieve a professional, long-lasting result.
Colour Selection & Psychology
Colour plays a powerful role in how customers feel inside your store and how they interact with your brand. The right palette can encourage people to browse longer, feel more relaxed, or even make quicker purchasing decisions.
- Exterior colours influence first impressions. A bold, clean shop front can stand out on a busy high street, while muted tones can convey sophistication and trust.
- Interior colours affect mood and flow. Warm tones often create a welcoming atmosphere, while cooler shades can make a space feel modern and spacious.
When planning a retail store refurbishment, it’s important to consider your branding, target audience, and lighting conditions. Natural and artificial light can significantly change how colours appear on walls, ceilings, and displays.
Professional advice from experienced retail refurbishment contractors can help you choose finishes that are not only visually appealing but also practical and durable for a high-traffic environment.
Paint Quality, Type & Technical Specifications
Not all paints and finishes are suitable for commercial environments. Retail and office spaces demand products that can withstand frequent cleaning, heavy footfall, and everyday wear and tear.
Key considerations include:
- Durability: High-performance commercial coatings resist scuffs, stains, and fading.
- Washability: Essential for shop interior painting in areas that need regular cleaning.
- Fire safety and VOC levels: Important for compliance and indoor air quality.
From a legal and safety standpoint, your project must align with relevant UK regulations. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers and contractors are responsible for ensuring safe working environments during refurbishment works.
Larger projects may also fall under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015), which outlines responsibilities for planning, managing, and monitoring construction work safely.
If your project extends beyond retail into back-of-house areas or office spaces, working with specialist commercial office painters and decorators can ensure the same high standards and compliance are maintained throughout.
Surface Preparation
Surface preparation is the foundation of any successful store refurbishment. Even the highest quality paint will fail if applied to poorly prepared surfaces.
Professional preparation typically includes:
- Cleaning and degreasing walls, ceilings, and shop fronts.
- Repairing cracks, holes, and damaged plaster.
- Sanding and priming for smooth, even coverage.
This stage is especially important for shop front painting and shop window painting, where imperfections are more visible and exposed to the elements.
Investing time and expertise here ensures your finished surfaces look professional and last longer, reducing the need for premature touch-ups or full repainting.
Timing, Logistics & Minimising Disruption
One of the biggest concerns for shop owners and managers is how refurbishment will affect day-to-day trading. Careful planning can significantly reduce downtime and disruption.
Consider:
- Out-of-hours work: Evening or overnight work to keep your store open during peak times.
- Phased refurbishment: Completing sections of the store one at a time.
- Clear signage and barriers: Maintaining safe access for staff and customers.
This approach is equally valuable for office refurbishment and projects where maintaining productivity is essential.
Experienced retail painting, decorating and refurbishment teams can help coordinate schedules, deliveries, and access requirements to keep your business running smoothly throughout the project.
Long-Term Maintenance & Durability Planning
A refurbishment isn’t just about how your shop looks on day one — it’s about how it performs for years to come.
Long-term planning should include:
- Choosing hard-wearing finishes for high-traffic areas.
- Setting up a regular cleaning and inspection schedule.
- Keeping a small stock of matching paint for touch-ups.
By thinking ahead, you can extend the life of your shop and maintain a consistently professional appearance without frequent major works.
Rough Project Timelines – Week by Week
While every project is different, here’s a general idea of how a typical shop refurbishment project might be structured:
Week 1: Planning & Design
Choose and finalise colour schemes, materials, timelines, and compliance checks.
Week 2: Preparation
Surface repairs, protection of fixtures and fittings, and priming.
Week 3: Interior Works
Interior painting, feature walls, ceilings, and back-of-house areas.
Week 4: Exterior Works
Shop front refurbishment and painting, signage areas, and window frames.
Week 5: Finishing Touches & Inspection
Detailing, snagging, and final quality checks before sign off.
Larger retail refurbishment or commercial office refurbishment projects may take longer, especially if structural changes or multiple floors are involved.
Why Work with Marshels?
At Marshels, we specialise in professional, high-quality finishes for retail and commercial spaces. Our team understands the importance of delivering work that enhances your brand while keeping your business operational.
We offer:
- A free no-obligation quote.
- Shop refurbishment in London, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire.
- Expertise in exterior commercial refurbishment and painting.
- Interior refurbishment and retail store painting services.
- Fully insured and experienced refurbishment, painting and decorating contractors.
- Comprehensive compliance with UK health and safety regulations.
- Flexible scheduling to minimise
- Clear communication and project management from start to finish.
Whether you’re planning a small refresh or a full retail refurbishment, our experience ensures a smooth process and a result you can be proud of.
Case Study: Commercial Retail Store in Farnham
A great example of our approach can be seen in our commercial refurbishment project for a retail store in Farnham, Surrey.
Project overview:
This refurbishment involved the careful renovation of a period commercial property, balancing modern retail requirements with the preservation of traditional architectural features.
The full interior and exterior refurbishment work carried out included:
- An overhaul of the front roof and a full replacement of the rear and flat roofs.
- DOFF steam cleaning, lime rendering and mineral painting of masonry walls.
- Restoration and weatherproofing the chimney and Dutch gable.
- Internal renovations such as a strip-out of non-structural elements to create more space and the installation of a staff kitchen.
- External enhancements including the rebuild of the back entrance and a drainage survey with subsequence improvements.
- New air conditioning units replaced throughout.
- Interior and exterior painting following relevant repairs and preparation.
The end result:
The finished project delivered a clean, professional appearance that respected the building’s character while providing a modern, customer-friendly retail space. The improved shop front and interior layout helped improve street presence and create a brighter, more welcoming retail environment to attract increased footfall and enhance their brand.
Summary
A successful shop refurbishment is about more than just a new coat of paint. It requires careful planning, the right materials, expert preparation, and a clear understanding of how the work will impact your business.
By considering colour psychology, technical specifications, timing, and long-term maintenance, you can create a retail environment that not only looks impressive but also performs well over time.
If you’re ready to start a retail refurbishment that delivers quality, compliance, and a finish that truly represents your brand, get in touch with our team for a free on-site quotation.
