Manhattan, NY Kenne Shepherd Interior Design Architecture, PLLC (KSI) was selected by Canadian furniture retailer EQ3 to collaborate with their design team to bring its unique retail brand to life inside of its new flagship building. 

EQ3’s 11,800 s/f flagship store is located at 116 Seventh Ave. in the Chelsea Design District. Designed by EQ3’s former creative director Thom Fougere, the metal and glass building and store interior include three floors of open-flowing retail space that allows for flexibility in both furniture and product layout. The space is infused with daylight and benefits from a calibrated lighting design that illuminates the interior walls to balance the natural lighting. 

In collaboration with EQ3’s design team, KSI is also working on a second store at Brookfield Property Retail’s SoNo Collection Mall in Norwalk, CT. The 10,000 s/f store, which will open in early 2020, has a prime corner location on the second floor of the mall with a 112-ft. long storefront opposite Bloomingdales. Ceiling heights vary from 14 ft. at the entry to 12 ft. throughout most of the store. The layout of the store is open, allowing for a variety of furniture vignettes and accessory layouts throughout.

As EQ3’s New York interior architectural firm, KSI collaborated with the retailer on developing its concept for both stores, managing the many complex aspects of bringing these projects to life, sourcing architectural materials, navigating regulations, and selecting vendors and contractors to ultimately realize EQ3’s vision. The firm drew upon its 30 years of retail and residential design and planning experience to guide EQ3 through a demanding process that was taking place simultaneously at both stores. 

“It has been extremely rewarding to collaborate with EQ3 on these projects,” said Kenne Shepherd, principal of KSI. “EQ3’s design aesthetic is very much in alignment with our own and made it a pleasure to work with them to bring their retail vision to life. We know shoppers will be drawn to Thom Fougere’s uniquely designed ‘jewel box’ building housing carefully crafted spaces that beautifully showcase EQ3’s product.”

“KSI served as our feet on the ground in New York and Norwalk, meticulously overseeing every aspect of both projects. KSI’s familiarity with the nuances of the retail market, high-level design execution and project management skills have been invaluable,” says Nils Vik, Senior Director of Product Development at EQ3.

For both projects KSI created a team of consultants experienced in retail design, including: 

• Cooley Monato Studios, Lighting Design
• Gabor Szakal Consulting Engineers, MEP Engineering
• Architechnology Designs, AV/Data, Security and Sound
• Jam Consultants, New York Code Consulting/Expediting
• Michilli Inc., New York General Contractor. 
• Quesited Consulting, SoNo Expediting
• Connecticut Code Consultants, SoNo Code Consultant 
• Pustola Associates, SoNo General Contractor