Introduction to Explore Ideas
Explore Ideas changes how retail designers approach the early stages of a project. Instead of spending hours sketching concepts or scouring Pinterest for references, you describe the store in a sentence and get two design directions in under a minute.
This feature is specifically built for retail designers who need to:
- Explore multiple design directions quickly
- Present clients with diverse options for initial feedback
- Break through creative blocks with fresh ideas
- Turn concepts around quickly for pitches
How the Feature Works
Explore Ideas takes a short brief and returns two design directions per run, each costing 30 credits.
Simple 3-Step Process
- Input Your Requirements: Describe the store in a sentence: the store type, the style you want, and any specific elements to include
- AI Generation: Each run returns two directions based on your brief, each exploring a different aesthetic approach
- Refine and Iterate: Pick the direction you like and run the brief again with changes to colors, materials, or layout elements
What You Can Control
- Space Type: Pick a store type such as fashion, electronics, jewelry, or grocery
- Design Style: Choose a style such as minimal, luxury, industrial, Scandi, natural, or futuristic
- Color Palettes: Add colors or materials to your brief
- Key Elements: Ask for specific features like display walls, central islands, seating areas, or digital screens
- Lighting Mood: Pick a light preset, from bright and energetic to warm and cozy
Key Benefits for Designers
1. Time Savings
Sketching or sourcing references for each concept can take hours. Explore Ideas returns two directions in under a minute, so you can try several briefs in the time one sketch used to take.
2. Expanded Creative Exploration
When time isn't a constraint, designers explore more directions. The AI can suggest combinations and approaches you might not have considered.
3. Faster Client Buy-In
Present clients with multiple photorealistic concepts in the first meeting. This helps clients react to something concrete and gives you a clearer direction.
4. Lower Project Risk
By validating design directions early with realistic visualizations, you reduce the risk of costly changes during construction or after installation.
Common Use Cases
Client Pitch Presentations
Generate a variety of concepts to show clients the range of possibilities. This helps clients articulate their preferences and gives you clear direction before investing in detailed design work.
Design Exploration
When you have a general direction but want to see variations, run a few briefs exploring different material palettes, lighting approaches, or spatial arrangements.
Competitive Tender Responses
Submit visual concepts alongside your proposals. Explore Ideas helps you produce them even under tight deadlines.
Mood Board Development
Instead of collecting disparate reference images, generate cohesive concepts that show how different elements work together in a unified design vision.
Best Practices
1. Start Broad, Then Narrow
First generation: explore 3-4 different style directions. Second generation: pick the most promising direction and generate variations within that style.
2. Put Your Brand in the Brief
Put brand colors, preferred materials, and style keywords in your brief. This helps the concepts align with your client's brand identity.
3. Combine with Your Expertise
The AI generates inspiration—your design expertise refines it. Use AI concepts as a starting point, then apply your knowledge of spatial planning, building codes, and budget constraints.
4. Run More Than You Need
Run several briefs, then curate the strongest directions for the client presentation.
5. Document What Works
Save successful prompts and parameter combinations. Building a library of effective inputs speeds up future projects.
Conclusion
Explore Ideas speeds up the early stages of retail design projects. By returning two directions per brief in under a minute, it frees designers to focus on what they do best: refining ideas, solving spatial challenges, and creating memorable retail experiences.
Whether you're pitching new clients, exploring design directions, or simply looking to break through creative blocks, this feature delivers the speed and creative variety modern design practices demand.
Ready to accelerate your design process? Try Explore Ideas today and see how quickly you can move from blank canvas to compelling concepts.
