Florist window graphics
Nothing you print will beat a bucket of fresh peonies. So the job of a florist's window graphic is to frame the flowers and stay out of their light.
Graphics at the edges, flowers in the middle.
Most shops cover glass to attract attention. A florist already has the most attractive stock on the street, so keep the central panes clear and treat the window as a picture frame: a name across the top, a band along the bottom, and nothing heavy in between.
A low band of frosted vinyl has a practical bonus, since it hides the buckets, hoses and cut stems at floor level without hiding the blooms above. It also lets light through, unlike solid print. That matters if you keep plants in the window, and they will need the daylight.
Glass in a flower shop is not ordinary glass
Florists keep shops cool and humid, and in winter that makes windows run with condensation. It matters in three ways.
- Application. Vinyl needs clean, dry glass. Fit it on a dry day, with the glass dried and wiped thoroughly first.
- Which side? Lettering on the outside stays away from condensation but faces the weather. On the inside it avoids the rain but sits in the wet. Tell us about your window, and installing window vinyl explains the options.
- Look. Beads of water behind a frosted panel can show up as streaks, so keep it wiped.
A calendar of glass
Trade comes in sharp spikes. A window can do its most useful selling a couple of weeks before each one, when people are thinking ahead.
| Moment | What to say | How to print it |
|---|---|---|
| Valentine's Day | Order ahead, and your cut-off date | Small removable vinyl beside the door |
| Mother's Day | Pre-order and delivery information | A printed strip along the lower band |
| Wedding season | Your wedding service, with a picture of your work | A poster on board, stood inside the glass |
| Remembrance and funerals | A quiet, respectful line, year round | Fixed lettering on the door |
| Christmas | Wreaths, workshops and gifts | Removable vinyl and a window poster |
Leave a permanent layer of name, phone and website in place. Keep seasonal messages as separate, easily peeled pieces, or as boards standing behind the glass, which need no vinyl work at all.
Choosing a look
Flowing script looks right on a florist's window, but it can lose legibility quickly from across the road. Use it for the name, and set everything else in a simple typeface. White or a soft metallic reads well against green foliage. Dark colours can disappear into it. Our guide to choosing fonts for signs explains what holds up at a distance.
Pavement and evenings
Your buckets already draw people along the pavement. An A-board graphic does the rest, but check your council's rules on pavement obstructions first. After closing, the flowers come out of the window, so make sure the graphics left behind still give the shop's name and a way to order.
Lettering on shop glass.
Your questions.
Can I change the window design for each season?
Yes. Keep the fixed lettering separate, and use small removable pieces or boards stood behind the glass for each season.
Will vinyl stay stuck on a wet window?
Well-applied vinyl on clean, dry glass generally holds, but constant wet conditions and edges that stay damp can shorten its life. Tell us about your window so we can suggest the right side and material.
Can you print a photograph of our flowers on the window?
Yes, using a printed window vinyl. Just remember it will not look as good as the real thing, so use your best image, sparingly.