When Agatha Boutique decided to open a baby boutique in the Town of Mont Royal area of Montreal, the space had to carry over the values of the company. Founded in 2012 as an online venture by a professional couple with three young kids, Agatha acknowledges that today’s parents are more than just busy- they are well-informed consumers concerned with details, quality, experience and service.  

Agatha Boutique’s carefully selected merchandise mix offers everything a discerning parent could wish for from pregnancy through toddlerhood. In addition, the company curates popular blog and Instagram communities to stay connected with their digital-native clientele.    

The modern, urban Mont Royal storefront opened in 2019. Designer Sophie Roy of Rubik Design was involved in the project from concept through project management and interior décor- including the selection of finishes, furniture and fixtures. “I gravitated towards a boho chic style, which features classic and contemporary trends, with a twist of girl glam,” said Roy.

“In retail we are seeing more and more customers reconfiguring their spaces to comply with what digital ‘influencers’ are expecting. So part of my intention was to make spaces and dedicated areas that can be used as backdrops for images, creating an immersive and interactive experience. An example of this is the specification of Arborite’s P1014 Terrazzo Grande high pressure laminate for the checkout counter. I selected the bold pattern as an interesting background for taking pictures- both for visitors to post on social media and for Agatha Boutique to make images of their products to sell online,” said Roy. “And when customers go to the counter to pay, they have something pleasant to touch while waiting for their transaction since the P1014 Terrazzo Grande laminate features the UL finish, which is a super soft and smooth texture. It adds a haptic effect to the shopping experience.”

P1014 - Terrazzo Grande  / Photo credits: Guylain Proulx

P1009 - Mont Blanc / Photo credits: Guylain Proulx

The 4,132 square-foot store includes clothing, books and toys, a stroller display, premium car seats, kitchen and bath furniture, baby skin care products, and nursery vignettes. A coffee bar clad in Arborite’s subtle P1009 Mont Blanc stone design high pressure laminate fuels customers through the shopping experience.

P1014 - Terrazzo Grande  / Photo credits: Guylain Proulx

In addition to being available in a wide variety of pleasing aesthetics, laminate surfaces give designers and their clients something more important- peace of mind. Though high pressure laminate designs look the same as natural materials, engineered laminate surfaces offer superior cleanability and resistance to wear and tear- so employees can clean off chubby little handprints after each guest without worrying about damaging the finish. It also costs a fraction of the price, and the structural/visual consistency of laminate streamlines fabrication and installation.

“I relied on lots of material with heavy texture play in this application, which is why I used the big Terrazzo pattern for the focal point of the checkout counter,” said Roy. “But I also used Arborite laminate for cylindrical display pieces and the coffee bar. I had to select very durable materials for this project because most customers visiting this location walk in with baby strollers. All fixtures, walls and corners had to be super resilient. I am very pleased with all the product performance features available with Arborite high pressure laminates.”

P1009 - Mont Blanc  / Photo credits: Guylain Proulx

Project: Agatha Baby Boutique

Interior Design: Sophie Roy, Rubik Design

Montréal, Québec

Photo credits: Guylain Proulx