Design roles across interiors, stores and spaces are defined by far more than aesthetics alone. Designers in this field play a central role in how brands translate identity into physical experience, balancing creativity with commercial intent, cultural relevance and long-term value. In a landscape shaped by changing consumer behaviour, rising costs and evolving retail models, spatial design decisions carry strategic weight across the entire business.

Leading industry voices and research from organisations such as the World Economic Forum and McKinsey & Company continue to highlight the importance of experience-led environments that build emotional connection, trust and brand equity. In practice, this means designers who understand not only form, materiality and flow, but also customer psychology, dwell time, operational efficiency and the commercial realities of physical space.

In 2026, interiors and spatial designers are expected to be research-driven and culturally fluent. This includes drawing insight from architecture, art, hospitality, lifestyle, local context and global design movements, while also engaging with customer data and behavioural insight. Digital tools, AI-assisted planning and 3D visualisation increasingly support concept development, iteration and efficiency, but judgement, taste and spatial intelligence remain fundamental to meaningful design.

Practical, results-based experience is essential. Brands value designers who have delivered projects from concept through to build and opening, and who understand how early design decisions impact budget, timelines, operations and customer experience. This includes fluency in materials, finishes, sustainability considerations, supplier coordination and close collaboration with architects, project managers, contractors, visual merchandising, retail operations and brand teams.

Sustainability and responsibility are now embedded within spatial design rather than treated as secondary considerations. Designers are expected to understand material sourcing, durability, lifecycle impact and adaptability, creating spaces that are not only visually compelling but resilient, efficient and long-lasting. This reflects broader insight from the World Economic Forum around systems thinking, adaptability and responsible design as critical capabilities for the future.

We look for designers with a clear spatial language, confident taste level and the ability to evolve concepts without losing brand coherence. Whether working across flagship stores, roll-out formats, pop-ups or hybrid environments, the strongest designers combine creativity with discipline, intuition with insight and originality with a deep understanding of how people move through and experience space.

As physical retail and brand environments continue to evolve, it is designers who can translate brand values into considered, functional and emotionally resonant spaces who will shape the next chapter of experiential design.