“These spaces are really instagrammable.”
Those were the exact words that came from a friend when we showed him Superdraft’s Instagram account. He never saw the houses and the rooms in real life but he's captivated by it. The other followers of the account who saw the photo could've felt the same way too.
To date, there are more than 500 million daily users of Instagram. They are growing fast and they are ranking behind the tech social media giant Facebook. The app predicts that almost 70% of all the brands in the world will have an Instagram page by the end of 2017. That is a huge leap, considering that only 48.8% of the businesses in 2016 have an Instagram presence.
Why? It is because 75% of people take action after seeing a photo on Instagram. It only takes two taps of a finger to “like” a photo you see. More importantly, it helps businesses in increasing their brand awareness, foot traffic, and sales.
The commercial market’s demand for Instagrammable Spaces
Instagramming is a business’ online marketing strategy. If they want more foot traffic, they have to improve a person’s experience in the place in real life. It is the only way to encourage people to snap a photo and share it with their online connections.
This is where the AEC industry comes in. The commercial sector needs the help of architects, designers, and builders to create Instagram worthy spaces which fuel lucrative businesses.
Surely, design professionals will build a hub that screams a business’ brand. It makes the place special, unique, and authentic.
But that’s not enough. There are specific things that attract people to Instagram a place.
An Instagram-worthy space, under a microscope
Good Lighting (for photos)
Normally, architects and interior designers will install proper lighting in order to make a person comfortable in a space. How the place registers in the camera isn’t a top priority in the design.
When Instagram becomes a part of an architect’s design process, photographing the space becomes a priority. Unfortunately, the appeal of dim places in photographs is not the same in real life. It is not comfortable and doesn’t enhance a person’s experience (unless it is a club).
To give justice to photos and real-life experiences, an Instagram-centered design must involve a lot of natural light. It is better if the structure has bigger windows or skylights that allow daylight in the space.
At the same time, artificial light should be controlled. The light fixtures, especially the task lights must have dimmers. This way, people can adjust the light to snap an awesome photograph.
Unique Floor Tiles
If you’ve seen some of the posts of @ihavethisthingwithfloors or @parisianfloors, you’ll see how much love people have with tiled floors.
People document their experiences in a 3×3 square photo in Instagram. Photographing your feet with the tiles meant you have set foot on a place. The tiles of a building or restaurant are the audience’s visual connector to the establishment. These awesome tiled floors, when included in a #ShoeSelfie of a #FeetAndFloor shot have the power to drive people to the place.
Graphic walls or Street art
Similar to tiled floors, an interesting wall of a restaurant, cafe, or building attracts a number of people. This time for shots that express the emotions that people felt at that moment.
The mural or street art can also serve as a landmark. It helps people remember the place. That way, they’ll keep coming back. Basically, anything wall with a distinctive and meaningful art becomes a photo booth. Unique art and colourful wallpapers are on top of the list.
If the mural tickles a person’s mind, it also becomes a subject of photographs.
Kitsch decor
When someone says that a place has kitsch decor, it means a place looks cool but the decor is too much or too sentimental. It is a place that can take you back to the 60s, 70s, 80s, or a tiki bar in the middle of the city. These are the details that millennials like to feature in their Instagram profiles.
Enhancing spaces for people and their phones
Whether we like it or not, Instagram is shaping the way you design commercial spaces. More restaurants, hotels, pubs, and cafes renovate their interiors to achieve raw or graphic designs. They’re after that Instagram post that geotagged their business. They want free advertising from people who walk through their doors.
No doubt, professional designers can definitely help them achieve that.
Hire a commercial designer in Brisbane.
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