Ongoing refurbishment of BHV Rivoli

After the fourth floor (decorating) and the lower ground floor (DIY), this major Parisian department store is continuing with its programme of refurbishment. With each floor aiming to offer consumers an all-encompassing range, the third floor (3 800 m²) will from now on bring together the different elements of the home where the private individual ought to have a feeling of well-being: the bathroom (excluding technical products, which are housed on the lower ground floor), household linen, soft furnishings and storage solutions (coat-hangers, boxes, interior cupboard fittings, etc). For the first time all these elements are being brought together in the same world. “The trend towards open living spaces means that we have more and more need of storage elements to provide an impeccably coordinated interior. This also contributes to wellness,” comments Laurence Heiz, sales director at BHV. A Parisian “grand magasin” Each floor benefits from a powerful individuality that helps visitors to find their way around. And so, immediately upon arrival on the third floor, the customer is bathed in an atmosphere created by the trace of perfume that pervades the premises. The aim here is to play the card of cosiness and intimacy, with colour schemes that favour light shades, sometimes with a touch of gold. “The issue was to modernise the store and to differentiate ourselves from the hypermarkets in terms of both visual impact and quality. BHV is affirming its identity as a major Parisian department store,” explains Ghislaine Binvignat, departmental head. The aisles have increased in size, moving from an average of 20 per cent of the store’s floorspace to 25 or 30 per cent. “The product offer is easier to decipher and people feel good.” The bathroom area quite clearly appears in this spirit. This particular world has kept the same floorspace (1 000 m²) but gained in stagecraft and themed presentations, of both the manufacturers’ brands and BHV’s own labels. “Absolument Maison”, launched in 2009, indicates trendsetting and decorative products for the home, while the company’s other private label, “Les essentiels”, appears on all basic essentials. Even though the store’s objective is to cover all the market segments in terms of price, battling with entry-level products is out of the question. While clearly exploiting the positioning of the brands, it also favours a style that is modern and contemporary, and on a grand scale. “The message to our customers is that we have the…