Small Footprint, Big Experience — Retail Design Insights from Cooltops

Koala Kreme Premium Frozen Desserts is a great example of what happens when a brand is built around one clear idea. From the very beginning, that idea shaped everything, from the visual identity and the design of the space to the experience the store aims to create for its customers.

Tasked with creating both the branding and interior design for the store at The Square in Rockville, Maryland, we translated that concept into an immersive environment where every detail reinforces the brand story. The result is a distinctive space, unmistakably connected to the brand behind it, that customers can instantly recognize and remember.

At the heart of that idea is Koko the Koala. The brand’s mascot comes from the Cooltops, a magical icy eucalyptus forest where everything is naturally cold, creamy, and delicious. From this whimsical world, Koko brings his “cool magic” to Rockville, inviting everyone to create their own frozen treat adventure.

The story carries through the entire brand experience. Frozen yogurt becomes Cooltops Cream Swirl, toppings are known as Forest Treasures, açaí bowls become Coolberry Bowls, and crepes and waffles are reimagined as Warm Treats from the Koala Hearth.

Fun, whimsical, and family-friendly, this little world gives the brand its unique personality. Our goal was to bring Koko’s world into the real one, creating a space where customers can step into the story and experience a little bit of the Cooltops for themselves. It also creates countless opportunities for storytelling, both in-store and across social media.

The store layout itself becomes part of the adventure. Rather than following the angular geometry of the space, we introduced a series of flowing, meandering forms that carve a path through the store and guide the customer experience.

Inspired by the winding landscapes of the Cooltops, these curves shape everything from the seating areas to the flooring patterns that flow throughout the space. The layout feels dynamic and exploratory, encouraging visitors to move through the store as if they are discovering different parts of Koko’s world.

This approach also allowed us to soften the constraints of the compact footprint. By breaking away from the rigid perimeter and creating a continuous visual flow, the space feels larger, more playful, and more engaging than its size might suggest.

We kept the chromatic palette closely tied to the brand, working with light and dark shades of Placid Blue and Blue Dianne, accentuated and warmed by vibrant coral and earthy gold. These tones are balanced with areas of white, which provide visual rest while also evoking the icy atmosphere of the Cooltops.

Secondary colors subtly emerge from this core palette, adding depth and variation without breaking the overall cohesion. The dominance of blue and white reinforces the freshness and coolness of the Cooltops concept, strengthening the brand message throughout the space.

Even where functional requirements introduced sharper geometries, such as the angular service counter, the overall spatial flow remains grounded in curved, continuous forms, maintaining the sense of movement established throughout the design.

A recurring motif throughout the store is the idea of abundance, expressed through playful melting forms that celebrate indulgence rather than restraint.

At the service counter, a dripping edge wraps around the façade, evoking frozen yogurt and cream spilling beyond their boundaries. What could have been a functional surface becomes a sculptural centerpiece that immediately communicates generosity, fun, and flavor.

This language continues in the display shelves behind the counter, where soft, fluid profiles resemble melting frozen treats along the wall. These forms introduce movement and soften the more functional elements of the space.

Together, these details turn frozen desserts into an architectural theme, reinforcing a sense of plenty throughout the store.

The seating layout strikes a balance between comfort and visual interest. Partially tucked behind the entrance walls, the seating nooks feel intentionally hidden, adding a small sense of discovery while also creating cozy, sheltered spots within the space. A mix of seating types keeps these areas engaging and responds to different group configurations and seating preferences.

The upholstered couches blend the coolness of blue tones with the warmth and softness of curved, cushioned forms. The chairs and rounded tables continue the theme of gentle curves, softening the room and subtly echoing creamy swirls. Even the pedestal tables feel connected to the story, their bases rising like small mountain peaks within the Cooltops landscape. Every detail is chosen with the core idea in mind, encouraging exploration and making the compact space feel fluid and inviting.

Another layer of storytelling comes through the accents themselves, which play between 3D elements and 2D graphics to create depth and variation. Koko the Koala leaps forward from the logo as a fully dimensional character, while ice‑cream cones transform into sculptural sconces and the light fixtures become clouds or soft dollops of whipped cream. These tactile pieces are layered over flat wall graphics, allowing the environment to shift between physical objects and illustrated moments.

This interplay continues throughout the store. The self‑serve area sits beneath stylized 2D mountaintops, while the refrigerator, filled with appropriately frozen treats, is crowned with illustrated peaks of icy sweetness. What appears in three dimensions in one part of the store reappears as a graphic in another, from clouds to desserts, creating a rhythmic back‑and‑forth that adds depth. By repeating the same themes in different forms, the design builds a cohesive world that feels rich, layered, and full of small discoveries.

This is also an efficient way to expand the world of the Cooltops while keeping the design practical, scalable, and budget‑friendly.

The back portion of the store is a great example of how all these elements come together into one unified design. Practical shelving becomes a 3D accent in brand colors, while large wall graphics carry the narrative across the space. Ice‑cream‑shaped sconces sit above waffle‑textured panels, tying lighting and texture together, and the flowing floor pattern guides customers naturally through the area. Directional lighting highlights Koko the Koala within the wall graphics, adding an extra, almost ethereal layer to the story.

Everything alternates harmoniously, creating a clear sweep of storytelling along the wall. It communicates what the brand stands for and what it wants customers to feel, all in one integrated gesture and one continuous moment across the space.

In addition, this area works beautifully as a selfie wall, extending the brand into free online exposure.

Snowflake graphics add even more movement to the space, giving the walls a sense of energy and playfulness. Even the outdoor light plays a role, filtering in and interacting with the interior elements to create subtle changes in mood. Occasional touches of LED accent lighting introduce small highlights and moments of brightness, adding subtle highlights and extra depth.

For the materials, we selected finishes that meet the practical needs of a high‑traffic dessert shop (durability, easy cleaning, and long‑term maintenance) while still supporting the Cooltops story. The white wall tile, arranged in a rotated square pattern, subtly echoes the shape of mountain peaks. This is a small detail that amplifies the cool, crisp atmosphere without calling attention to itself.

The wavy floor pattern in blue and orange guides the eye through the space like a trail of melting flavors leading customers deeper into the shop. In the seating area, the vibrant coral gathers into a defined shape, almost forming an island, a visual cue that this is a place meant for settling in. It subtly signals arrival, creating a moment that feels more grounded and inviting, as if the floor itself is encouraging visitors to pause and stay.

The Koala Kreme store is a great example of how a very simple space can be transformed with architectural inventiveness and imagination. The soffit, for instance, includes another 3D element, framing the counter area and mirroring the design and color of the floor. The corners, hidden spots, and small transitions are the answer to how a typical, compact space can become interesting. From each angle, the view sparks curiosity and reveals fun new moments.

The design of the entrance is anchored by vibrant coral framing the opening, giving it a clear sense of presence. The glossy surfaces were chosen deliberately; their reflectivity amplifies the ample light, much like the shine on the Cooltops themselves.

From this angle, it also becomes clear how the simple floor design guides customer behavior. Pools of color on the ground create pockets of visual and physical rest, gently shaping how people move, pause, and settle within the space.

A short pause inside Koala Kreme becomes a dip into Koko’s magical world: playful, flavorful, and full of small delights.

We also designed the outdoor signage, a framing of one of the logo’s oversized renditions, presented as an elegant architectural frame.

As part of the branding package we designed for Koala Kreme, we created the store’s logo as well as other practical pieces such as Coming Soon banners, window graphics, and We Are Open postcards to generate interest.

The brand graphics incorporated into the space and the marketing collateral were also developed by Mindful Design Consulting, including the typography and the different mascot renditions.

We extended our package with business cards, loyalty cards, and gift cards, and also provided everything else the brand needed, from stickers to letterhead and envelopes.

The serving and packaging items were also part of our work. We created multiple design variations, from ice cream and plastic cups to cake boxes, paper bags, and canvas bags. These pieces are meant to stay with customers even after they leave the store, keeping the brand present beyond the visit and extending the experience just a little longer.

Of course, we created T‑shirts incorporating the brand graphics as another extension of the visual identity.

Finally, recognizing the importance of a strong digital presence, we added social media graphics and post templates, completing an all‑rounded branding package that responds to every need.

Mindful Design Consulting is a commercial interior design and branding studio specializing in franchise and multi-location brand expansion. We help growing brands create scalable, consistent, and emotionally engaging environments rooted in the psychology of design. Our work goes beyond aesthetics. We design spaces that influence how customers feel, behave, and connect with a brand.

If you are thinking to open a new business or are in the process of rebranding and remodeling your existing business, contact us to get a free consultation from Mindful Design Consulting. Click HERE to price your project design.