THORNTON FLOORING

EGD | INTERACTIVE DESIGN | WAYFINDING & SIGNAGE | ARCHITECTURE | INTERIOR DESIGN | RETAIL
Yeah, we did that. From empty lot to first-class flooring showroom and everything inbetween, we designed every facet of the new Thornton Flooring + Design Center in Sioux Falls, SD.

With decades of experience, Thornton Flooring has quickly become one of the largest flooring distributors in South Dakota. The White Design Studio team was tasked with designing a new showroom but we delivered so much more. Touching everything from the architecture and interior design to the brand identity and signage, the result is a shining example of integrated branding and experiential design. No detail was missed as we flexed our design muscles to provide a first-class flooring buying experience.

Flooring stores are notorious for clutter and product overload. Our mission was to create an efficient, floor-selling machine. One where customer experience is king. Our over arching message is seen in the new tagline we developed: "We make flooring EASY" and it is the backbone of our design solution. From corporate selling strategies and brand storytelling to the actual layout of the showroom, the theme of "ease" can be seen everywhere. It's built into every aspect of the brand experience, bringing simplicity and peace of mind to a famously complex and often overstimulating buying experience.

Exterior of Thornton Flooring Showroom. In foreground, a white sign with black text shows where Customer Entrance and Shipping Entrances are.
Exterior of Thornton Flooring showroom. A large wall of glass is encased in a black frame to mark the entrance. To the right, dimensional signage on the building reads "Thornton Flooring + Design Center"
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The overarching message, and the backbone of our design solution, revolves around ease and simplicity. Clean black-and-white signage and a bold, modern building exterior introduce this theme while ushering customers in through a black metal entry portal.
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Exterior of Thornton Flooring showroom shows side of building with signage on building and a small putt putt green next to building.
Lobby of Thornton Flooring showroom has large white reception desk with "Flooring made EASY" on white wall behind. To right, two people use the large, interactive display that marks the start of the showroom.
Two customers sit talking at the Thornton Cafe. A third person walks by a large, lit graphic system that divides the flooring showroom.
10' tall graphics visually divide showroom floor and provide lifestyle imagery. To left, sales graphics sit on a custom pegboard for easy updating.
In foreground, series of 3 custom pegboards display easy-to-update graphics. In background, 10' graphic towers divide flooring showroom.
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A bank of semi-private Closing Rooms is adjacent to the showroom, offering casual areas to complete paperwork. Wood-slat light fixtures bring the ceilings down to create a more intimate atmosphere. Pennisula seating desks allow the salesperson and customer to view the same screen.
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At left, a design suite has a wooden wall as backdrop with digital display mounted to it. Outside the room, wooden slats and lights hang above entrance. To right, a custom tile display showcases tile samples and lifestyle photography.
Custom display racks line either side of an aisle showing various wood flooring samples.
Visitor uses iPad kiosk at the "Whats Hot" wall displaying latest flooring trends.
Large-scale, light box hangs along top of design suites at back of showroom. Lightbox shows lifestyle images and flooring textures.
Left: entry to Thornton Exchange is framed by thin lights and wood slats above doorway. Right: detail of periodic table inspired graphics at back of Thornton Exchange.
Custom displays show flooring samples at left, in center is a white workstation, to right more flooring samples are displayed along a black wall.
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Thornton's corporate offices for operations are in the building's two-story office area, which uses the same palette as the showroom. Hallways feature long arrays of wood slat lighting grids. Black-framed storefront glass partitions open up spaces. Various lighting and ceiling details break up the space to provide interest and create different privacy zones.
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Large panel of wood with dimensional white letters reads "Welcome to Thornton Offices". In background, stairs lead to second floor and a wayfinding system wraps the corner directing where to go.
Wayfinding wraps around the corner showing office locations. Above, slats of wood are mixed with slim lights the length of the hallway.
Grid of historic family images line the back wall above the kitchen in the breakroom. Employees sit around lunch room and talk, through windows offices can be seen.
Black blade signs line hallway of offices. Above, custom lighting made of slats of wood hangs down the hall.
View from second story looking into breakroom. Large-scale, grid graphic can be seen featured on far wall. Custom slat lighting hangs along ceiling of hallway at right.
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DAV (Disabled American Veterans)

EGD | Interactive Design | Wayfinding & Signage | Museum & Retail Design
Experiential graphic design with an accessibility focus for the new DAV National Headquarters in Erlanger, KY.
Custom reception desk, museum, and interactive feature in DAV lobby