A French-inspired retail fit-out, delivered against the clock.

When Deliciously Yours Artisan Chocolate needed a new home before their existing lease ran out, speed and quality couldn't be traded off against each other. This project called for a full change-of-use redesign — shopfront and interior — completed through the CDC pathway to meet a hard deadline, without compromising on the considered, French-inspired retail experience the client had in mind.

Every Square Metre Accounted For

Retail fit-outs live and die on floor space, and this site came with a real constraint: the internal floor sat higher than the external footpath. The standard response is a compliant ramp — but that solution would have eaten into floor area the client needed for product display and customer flow.

Instead, we worked through a performance-based solution for the front entry, meeting access requirements without sacrificing the internal footprint the client was counting on. It's a small detail in the finished space, but it's the kind of problem-solving that protects a client's commercial outcome, not just their compliance sign-off.

A Palette Built Around the Brand

Rather than impose a generic retail aesthetic, the interior palette was drawn directly from Deliciously Yours' own brand colours — warm timber tones, soft neutrals, and considered lighting that let the product take centre stage. The result feels distinctly theirs, not a template dressed up with their logo.

Ceiling treatments were a key part of the design language throughout: dropped ceiling features highlighted by recessed lighting, with an internally stepped cornice detail that gives the space real dimension. A central chandelier anchors both the front and rear sections of the store, tying the two zones together as one continuous experience rather than two disconnected spaces.

Delivered Through CDC

With the client's existing lease ending, the CDC pathway was the only realistic route to hit the timeline. That meant strict compliance with every applicable control from the outset — no room for late design changes or negotiation once the pathway was locked in. Getting the design right the first time was the job.

The Finished Space

A French-inspired artisan chocolate shop, built to reflect a brand the client had already established elsewhere — now given a physical home that matches it. From the street-facing signage through to the display counters and seating nook at the rear, every element was considered as part of one cohesive retail journey.

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