Commercial Architecture
We are commercial property owners too. We can bring our extensive permitting experience to your project to keep it on budget and schedule.
At Douglas Cutler Architects we work with you to design a beautiful new facility, where your customers and employees feel at home. We understand what it takes to create the perfect retail space.

When your first customers arrive on opening day, they’re excited to explore your new establishment. They walk in and let their eyes wander around the stunning layout. They’re immediately drawn to spotlight product displays and find themselves completely immersed in your brand.
A new customer is born…
Our Design Process
The renovation of any retail space, big or small, requires the expert coordination of a talented team. From the minute you start planning, to the day you open your doors, there are a thousand things to consider, and none that can be overlooked. The following are just a few examples of how we think about each of the elements that we strive to perfect in every one of our projects.
This is how we think about retail store design…
We strive to create space that’s imaginative, functional and unique. We design spaces in many industries including:
- Restaurants & Bars
- Mall & Shopping Center Stores
- Outdoor Cafés & Patios
- Coffee Shops, Night Clubs & Lounges
- Spas, Fitness Centers & Health Clubs
- Hotel Lobbies & Waiting Areas
- Service Business Interiors
- Office & Service Business Spaces

How We Think About Commercial Space

Traffic Patterns & Floor Plans
Every space needs to provide for a fluid traffic flow. Whether you’re dividing a store into departments or a restaurant into a bar and table sections, creative transitions between them can make your customers feel at home. In a retail setting, its important to keep your customers moving along in a way that’s comfortable for them, and efficient for your business. Our team of experts will be able to help you maximize your store layout while minimizing congestion.
The basic functionality of a store has to be invisible. Service stock spaces need to be kept out of sight from your customers, but must be easily accessible to employees and appropriately sized for your level of inventory. Your cash wrap areas need to be accessible, yet secure. Your floor displays must be prominent without getting tripped over.
Even the smallest of stores needs a well thought-out traffic flow…
Ambiance
Creating the look and feel of your store is a multi-step design process and it takes experience to get it done quickly and cost-effectively. We are always on top of the latest retail trends and research. We utilize proven techniques to direct a customer’s attention but even more important is that every patron feels comfortable and safe within your walls. Nothing is more important to keep customers coming back again and again.
We know how to use (and not overuse) a variety of materials to create that perfect ambiance in your location. Frequently we use combinations of metals, concrete, wood, acoustic tile, distressed materials and more for the surfaces within your store to create stunning and inviting destinations. The walls, ceilings, floors and displays can all be coordinated in ways you never imagined possible…
Lighting
Lighting design is used to accomplish many goals. We often find ourselves using lighting to creatively differentiate a store’s departments, a restaurant’s sections, a product display. Lighting can be one of the most dramatic and cost effective changes to any retail location and there’s no one that understands retail lighting better than us.
Lighting regulations can get complicated, however. So we at Store Design Architects work with licensed mechanical engineers to ensure compliance with all safety standards making the approval process a breeze. Come to us for the very best solutions in flexible LED lighting, dramatic high-intensity halogens and energy-efficient florescent set-ups. We can help showcase your exciting Spring lines, or make sure your restaurant is the hottest destination for romantic dinners.
Whatever you want to show off, the right lighting can make the difference…
Product Display & Showcases
Properly showcasing merchandise in your store can draw in new visitors and increase sales. But effectively featuring one product without detracting from others is often more difficult than it may seem, and it takes a skilled approach to get it right. The use of space for window and floor displays and showcases is one of our technical specialties. Creating the illusion you want for these same areas takes a magical touch.
Our creative team will work with you to stage everything to perfection. The use of unique floor, wall and ceiling visuals can segment different departments, or for smaller areas, separate products and services in a way that will seem seamless to your customers.

Types of Projects
Townhome Developments
Student Housing & Dorms
Hotels & Apartment Buildings
Senior Community Centers
Malls & Shopping Center Stores
Fitness Centers & Health Clubs
Restaurants & Bars


