This shop did not, initially look very inspiring. The previous supermarket format did not give rise to a very aesthetic appearance which is obviously detrimental to a business that specialises in attractive kitchens. There was the unfortunate combination of bare grey metal, bashed in security shutters and a logo which was totally lost on the long fascia area. It is a large shop on a very important corner site, so dominates one side of Wolverton Square.

We were very lucky that the land-lords of the flat upstairs agreed to paint their premises (even though they were not covered by the scheme). They got together with the partners from Design-A-Home to discuss colour schemes. Everyone liked green and cream, so chose shades they liked from Dulux Heritage range.

The fascia was built up to give a traditional appearance, and now features attractive deep moulding. Replacement shutters are powder-coated green to match the green gloss work. These shutters are much less obtrusive and roll-up into a much neater shutter-box. The bare metal window/doors were thoroughly prepared/primed and are painted in "Victorian 24". This makes a pleasant contrast to the masonry paint in "Victorian 7". There was a corner (free-standing) pillar that used to be slate clad but had lost various components over the years! This column was rendered then painted cream to match.

We felt that the signage was going to be crucial to this scheme. There is a very large fascia area which really needs a well thought out design to balance the proportions of the shop frontage. It was felt that with these long sleek proportions, that th lettering/signage should reflect this. The striking Art-Deco lettering with bold under lining gives a presence to this corner site. It was felt that the letter shading of terracotta-orange was essential to provide a link to the other unpainted brick upper-storeys on that side of The Square. The quirky banner features on the signage provide a visual lift to the scheme.

This whole scheme now gives an extremely attractive appearance to this side of The Square.

Painter/decorater:ESK.

Signwriting: Colin Dundas & Robert Naghi.