Top Australian interior designer Greg Natale’s proven secret to elevating in-store, online shopping experience

A master at creating ambiance through texture, colour, geometry, and pattern, Greg’s passion for blending eclectic design influences in his work is underpinned by his use of sensory outputs like sound to craft stunning and unforgettable spaces.

Having started Greg Natale design in 2001 as an interior design practice with a side gig in designing products for other brands, Greg eventually incorporated architecture into his brand services. A trained architect who has worked for several top-tier firms, Greg’s holistic approach to design has taken him all over the globe with projects spanning from Sydney, Melbourne, and Queensland to New York and London. 

Renowned industry-wide for his attention to detail and luxurious aesthetic, he is a big believer in sound and music as the essential finishing touch on a space.

It's about getting the space right. It's about getting the lighting right. It's about getting the music right. It's about creating an immersive experience,” he says. “Music is that final little thing that really finishes off that space. I know you can't see it, but you can hear it. It creates feelings.

Attention and care should therefore be put towards choosing music that will align commercial venues with a brand’s personality, to create a walk-in experience that caters to all five senses and leaves customers with a lasting impression.

How music impacts business performance

‘Music is the background of life’ states to one systematic literature review on the deep connection between music and business. Research demonstrates without a doubt music’s powerful influence on our mood, productivity, memory, and wellbeing. In one landmark study, scientists found that music tempo had an impact on consumers’ shopping behaviour with slow music leading to a 32% increase in sales due to customers spending more time in store.

As much as the right music can entice customers to stick around and spend more, the ‘wrong’ music can send 44% of a store’s visitors away. The music genre of choice also has an effect on consumer behaviour in retail spaces - playing classical music triggered customers to spend more money on higher priced wines with other studies suggesting the music itself has a corresponding impact on how the wine tastes. 

Alluding to venues as a richly layered tapestry, Greg says business owners should consider spaces holistically in order to curate a beautiful experience that authentically channels the brand’s unique personality.

“In 1984 I was ten years old and I discovered the New Romantics,” recalls Greg. “What I loved about the New Romantics is that they express themselves through fashion and music and design. I just loved the way that you could express yourself through music and fashion. I realised that I loved interior design through the sets I saw and that I could also express myself through work.”

Greg credits the early influences of music, design, and pop culture as the inspiration behind where he is today as a creative and business owner. 

“Everyone knows that I love disco. So referencing back to music we play a lot of late seventies disco for me. It's important for me for my personality to be in this place so when the customers come in here, they can really feel me, and it just feels really authentic.” 

What business owners need to know about music

Picking music for your business isn’t as simple as downloading a Spotify playlist and blasting out some tunes. Creative works like music are protected under the Copyright Act. This legislation protects music creators by ensuring their work is ethically and correctly used.

“You want high quality music in your space. You want to support these artists. The royalties go straight back to all the music creators, which means they can create more music that you can play in your spaces,” says Greg.

Obtaining a music licence or other permission is critical for businesses that play music in a commercial or public setting to avoid infringing copyright laws. Music licensing ensures artists are fairly compensated for their work while businesses reap the benefits of acquiring a wide catalogue of music. Permission or a licence is necessary to access the majority of music audiences typically hear on TV, radio, and streaming services for commercially released music worldwide.

As a creative himself Greg is all about supporting fellow creators so they can continue to produce more works. “I'm creating a mood. And the music is part of that mood, just like the walls, floors and ceilings and all the feelings. But the music just finishes off the space. I mean, I've walked into stores and restaurants where the music is terrible, and I've never gone back. So music for me helps create that immersive element that I'm trying to create in my interiors.”

Greg’s top business tips for incorporating music in your venue

Business owners can easily enhance in-store and online customer experiences if they follow Greg’s golden rule for branding: “Number one, understand your brand and your audience. You've got to be really clear with your brand, understand your product when you're talking about retail.”

Second, Greg recommends new and established business owners invest in good lighting and high-quality music to sculpt the ultimate immersive experience. 

Owners should be discerning in choosing the right elements for their brand. This extends to partnerships: “When a wholesaler comes to me or I'm looking for a wholesale account, the brand values have to be the same. We're in that medium to high end market, things have to relate like the music. 

“The easiest way [to use music well] is with a great playlist,” he adds. “You can create this playlist yourself. And we've commissioned DJs to come up with a playlist. If the staff understand the brand, they can play music too.”

Finally, brands need to be adaptable to thrive in competitive business environments. “Trends change, people change. If you can be adaptable and stick with your brand, you can then evolve.”

Businesses can assess their requirements and get their music licence in just a few simple steps through OneMusic’s online portal.