Stephanie Dunworth
Sydney Schneider
Andrea Slick
FCS 334
Small Window: Sweets & Treats
We chose a bold theme for our window because despite its small size, we wanted it to
grab the attention of students and faculty passing through the halls. The majority of the candy
was provided by The Fresh Market in Peoria. The target market is broad, appealing to students
and professionals, and brings about a nostalgic feeling. The theme of the window is titled
“Sweets and Treats,” featuring an assortment of colored candy, as well as vintage-inspired
glassware. We wanted the window to be fun and light-hearted, attracting people of all age
groups.
The main attraction in our window is clearly the candy. To direct the viewer’s eyes
throughout the entire display, we created a line of movement with layering shelves. Beginning in
the bottom right corner, there is a large cake display with cupcakes, cookies, and candy. To make
it visually appealing, we used an odd number of glassware. We also used varying heights in each
level to create interest.Balance is created with the lollipops on a lower level than the vertical
straws and the three-tiered cake display.
The next level on the second shelf attracts attention with the bright yellow lemon drops
and large lollipops. Once again displaying the glassware in an attractive manner, we made a
cluster of three. To make all of the containers seem full, we used brightly colored tissue paper,
which also provides texture. We carried on the drink theme with the pitcher by putting in
contrasting colored straws. This tier uses the most highly saturated colors and takes advantage of
the overhead lighting.
Finally, the top shelf has more of a pastel theme. While we know it is typically a “fauxpas” to mix differently saturated colors, we believe it creates a sense of balance for our window.
Use of nontraditional items such as pinwheels and candy grass provides texture and a whimsical
element. We also used varying heights of glassware to balance the wide bowl on the left and the
short dish.
To carry out the vintage candy shop theme, we lined the shelves with black and white
striped paper. We thought the juxtaposition of black and white against all of the brightly colored
candy created enough contrast to let the colors stand out. We also went with bunting instead of
traditional signage. To create additional visual interest, we put “SWEETS” in the forefront of the
window and “TREATS” toward the back. The mixture of patterns and solids for the bunting
brought a sense of solidarity among the variety of candy.
Looking at the window as a whole, you can see a line of view that travels from the
bottom right, to the middle shelf, to the top shelf, and then finally landing on our signage. To fill
the negative space in the bottom left corner, we thanked The Fresh Market for providing the
candy, in exchange for marketing their business.
Overall, we were very happy with how our window turned out. If we were to change
anything at all, we would have hoped that the lighting in the bottom left corner was better. The
diffusion of light is blocked from lining the shelf overhead. Otherwise, we were so thankful for
Jamie, the store manager of The Fresh Market in Peoria, for being so generous with his
donations. We hope that our window provides a bit of fun for all those who pass through the
hallway during the last couple weeks of the school year and enjoy our hard work to transform a
black window into a vintage candy shop.