Why Experience Centres Are Changing the Way Consumers Shop for Interior Materials

India's interior materials retail sector is gradually moving beyond conventional product showrooms towards experience-led formats. As homeowners, architects and interior designers seek greater clarity on materials, finishes and applications, experience centres are becoming an important part of the interior buying process.

Luxury Home Solutions (LHS) represents this shift through the development of Royale Touche Experience Centres, which bring multiple interior material categories together under one roof. Initially established as dedicated Royale Touche showrooms, these centres have expanded to include decorative laminates, plywood, wooden flooring, veneers, acrylic surfaces and designer doors.  

The concept allows customers to explore different materials within a single retail environment rather than visiting separate outlets for individual requirements. Displays featuring kitchens, wardrobes, furniture, wall cladding and commercial interiors help customers understand how materials can be used in different settings. This approach also provides an opportunity to compare finishes and combinations before making purchasing decisions.

The expansion of experience-led retail reflects changing expectations in the interior sector, where material selection is increasingly connected to design consultation and project planning. Customers often need guidance on colour coordination, surface combinations, product suitability and application requirements. At LHS centres, product consultants assist customers, architects and interior designers with material selection and information about available solutions.

The Royale Touche retail network includes more than 240 exclusive Experience Centres, over 20,000 authorised dealers and more than 30 regional distributors, according to company information. The network spans markets including Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Hubballi, Guntur and Thiruvananthapuram, among other cities.

The company has outlined plans to expand its Experience Centre network to more than 300 locations by 2028, with a focus on Tier II and Tier III markets through a franchise-led model. The proposed expansion reflects the growing role of organised retail formats in making interior materials accessible beyond major metropolitan areas.

Beyond product displays and customer consultations, the centres also serve as venues for architect engagement programmes, design workshops, product launches and dealer initiatives. These activities provide opportunities for interaction between manufacturers, design professionals and retail partners, while helping communicate information about materials and their applications.

The shift towards experience-led retail is part of a wider change in how building and interior materials are marketed and purchased. As product choices increase and interior projects become more varied, physical retail spaces are increasingly expected to provide both product access and practical guidance.

For businesses operating in the interior materials sector, experience centres offer a way to bring product discovery, consultation and multiple categories together. The development of such formats by Luxury Home Solutions illustrates how traditional showrooms are evolving into broader retail destinations, reflecting changing customer expectations and the growing role of organised interior retail in India.