Multi-million-pound Showroom Marks a New Chapter for Lister Horsfall in Halifax

05 Mar 2025

Independent British jewellers Lister Horsfall have unveiled their breath-taking multi-million-pound showroom development in Halifax. Nestled in the heart of the historic town centre, this remarkable space marks a new chapter for one of Yorkshire’s most iconic family jewellers.

The remodelled showroom is a development of the historic site where Lister Horsfall began its journey as ‘The Little Diamond Shop’ in 1902. Now occupying the entire corner site, this major expansion is a testament to the brand’s enduring dedication to craftsmanship and innovation and offers customers an unparalleled shopping experience.

Spanning over 600 sqm and set across two meticulously designed floors, this new jewellery and watch showroom more than triples the space previously available to Lister Horsfall customers. 

Managing Director Gemma Moody highlights the importance of ‘experience’ for their customers:

“This is an incredibly exciting time for us. Our substantial investment in this expansion underscores our commitment to delivering a luxury shopping experience for our discerning clients.”

Nick Horsfall, CEO, continues,

“We’ve been a cornerstone of Halifax’s community, offering unmatched quality and service for over 120 years. But when the opportunity came along to expand the showroom, we recognised it was also a great time to evolve and elevate our in-store brand experience too."

Lister Horsfall engaged specialist retail design consultants, Innovare Design, to realise the vision for their new showroom, with the goal of creating an impressive luxury store destination that would build on the multi-generational and authentic heritage of the business. 

Of course, the physical customer journey starts from the outside, so the exterior of the new extension was just as important to get right as the interior. However, with no shortage of great architecture in Halifax, the Innovare Design team took inspiration from such outstanding buildings as the Grade 1 listed Piece Hall, Yorkshire’s most important secular building. Portland stone now dominates the façade of the new extension, which is styled to celebrate the grandeur of the local architecture. 

Working closely with the local authority team, the traditional stained timber shop front has now been repainted in a smart dark grey and the original gold leaf signage has been retained and replicated on the new building. The existing green marble stall risers from the original shop have also been extended to tie the new and old buildings together.   

With a significant amount of new space to play with, Innovare Design were very conscious to not overwhelm customers. “The showroom interior needed to be an exciting and inviting place for visitors to explore, we therefore planned a space that would reveal itself slowly”, says Lloyd Blakey, Creative Director at Innovare Design.

So, while there are plenty of commanding architectural features to discover inside – like the dramatic double height ceiling with its stunning sweeping staircase – the interior design elements and curated displays unveil themselves gradually as you move through the showroom. 

Lloyd Blakey, explains that the overall interior design concept “draws on the elegance of the region’s fine country houses, and blends tradition with contemporary styling.”  This has been achieved by the creation of a series of ‘rooms’ which flow together beautifully. Timber wall panelling, silk wallpapers, Portland stone flooring, and contemporary coved ceilings all add to the sense of grandeur.   

The main entrance opens onto the glittering jewellery room with its elegant bespoke display cabinets, library style shelving and reconditioned crystal chandeliers. From here, there are views through to the impressive double height Rolex room and the watch lounge beyond.

The statement staircase, with its intricate bronze handrails, creates an eye-catching centrepiece and the sense of a grand hall. It seamlessly connects the ground floor to the first-floor mezzanine which houses the private lounge, an events space, and the Rolex Authorised Service Centre. 

The colour palette throughout features neutral yet warm tones with pops of colour to define different ‘rooms’ – sage green walls to the watch lounge, and deep green tones to the first floor VIP room. There are vibrant touches of colour in the soft furnishings, with warm grey, burnt umber and rich green sofas, chairs, and cushions.

Family heirlooms are dotted throughout the showroom adding authentic brand story elements and conversation pieces, from the Grandfather clock on the first floor, to the Victorian dining table adorned with flowers which now has pride of place at the foot of the stairs. 

Importantly, the overall intention of this showroom is to house a curated luxury selection of fine jewellery and Swiss watches. Therefore wall and floor display furniture has been carefully designed and crafted in light oak and brass to showcase the exquisite collections on offer to customers. 

Of course, display, ambient and feature lighting add the essential balance of focus and sparkle in this luxury environment, while delicate chandeliers of gold and white porcelain leaves deliver drama and standout in key areas of the showroom. 

Comfort and service are paramount for customers at Lister Horsfall so there is a wide choice of consultation zones, all designed to enhance the customer experience. The inviting hospitality bar with its striking green marble waterfall top takes its material inspiration from the boutique’s exterior. Additionally, with new private covered parking spaces now available, customer convenience is assured from the moment of arrival.

Nick Horsfall concludes,

“This project was an incredible opportunity to completely reimagine our showroom. Innovare played a pivotal role, challenging us on our early design choices and guiding us through every stage. The result has exceeded our expectations, and we are delighted to share in the reactions of our loyal clients and the experience we can now offer.”

View Lister Horsfall

View Innovare Design

Source: Innovare Design