A Retail Store Designed for Experience

Sergio Mannino Studio is the interior design firm behind this newly opened arts and crafts activity center, Bubble Splat. Bubble Splat offers a range of hands-on activities for the young as well as the young at heart. The Studio’s challenge was to create an arts space (on a modest budget) where kids and adults alike could engage in candle-making, soap-making, and ceramics-painting in a bright, cheerful and space-efficient setting: in other words experience!

The Design of the Space

Because of Bubble Splat’s great need for storage capabilities, Mannino had to maximize and enhance the center’s storage facilities without overwhelming the space. The solution was to construct brightly colored bookcase-style shelving (against a sky blue wall) where supplies would be easily stored and quickly accessed. The result, in yellow and red, is a clean and well-illuminated space where shelving systems are design elements. The bright white work tables and solid matching benches are attractively designed, being sturdy and utilitarian but never clunky. Cleverly designed, the benches can be pushed under the tables, disappearing into the space when not in use. Drawing on his Italian heritage,  the Studio has chosen stools for the downstairs café area by Stefano Giovannoni. There parents can sip a coffee or tea and enjoy a baked treat while their kids experience the art activities.