Interior decorating for a restaurant is different than interior decorating for a home, but they’re the same in the fact that there’s usually a desired feel and style trying to be accomplished. In the case of a restaurant, the feel and style should be focused around brand.
For a restaurant that is part of a chain with an already well-known design, it’s best to stay consistent, but standalone restaurants have the opportunity to be completely unique.
Theme:
When it comes to choosing a theme, there are a few different ways to spark some inspiration. First, you can consider the location and what the town, city or general area represents. With this in mind, you can relate your theme to a local sports team, the popular activities of the area, or a special event or monument nearby. For example, there are plenty of restaurants in New York City that are inspired from the famous musical and theatre industry of Broadway. Another example is when a restaurant creates its theme around what the building used to be. Whether it used to be a library, post office or something else, restaurant owners can use that to their advantage and sprinkle some of that theme around to pay tribute to the town and building’s history. It’s a great way to make a local connection!
The type of food on the menu is another popular way to determine a theme. Many choose to implement the colors, sights and music of the country that the type of food is from. This is commonly seen in Italian and Mexican restaurants. Simple elements such as wall decor, table cloths and dishware can make all the difference when trying to accomplish this kind of theme.
Finally, audience. Every successful business plan includes a set of demographics the business is looking to attract, and this is most often determined by who is living nearby. If you’re looking to attract families with children, you may choose to reflect that in the theme, as parents sometimes look for restaurants that can be an experience for the children. If you’re looking to attract the young, working crowd that enjoys attending happy hour, you may choose an industrial brewery or rustic theme.
Color:
Color may depend on the theme, but it also may depend on the desired feeling. Different color schemes include: light colors, dark colors, warm colors, cool colors, and bright colors. Light colors tend to be relaxing, dark colors tend to be intimate, warm colors tend to be calm, cool colors tend to be energizing, and bright colors tend to be fun and exciting. There’s not a great deal of science behind it, but there is Psychology of Color. Psychology of Color is the study of how color affects the brain, and many use the findings for marketing purposes.
According to Small Business Chron, color impacts space perception, the way food appears, eating speed, and more. If you’re interested in color psychology, you should study the color scheme you’re interested in and conduct some of your own research. There’s also an article for exterior colors. If not, just choose the best scheme for your brand. Remain consistent with the brand’s existing elements and work from there. These colors can then be utilized through different areas of the restaurant, including the walls, seating, lighting, and more.
Just like entree presentation for any restaurant, the interior presentation is important. You don’t want your guests to leave with a poor taste in their mouth from your food, so don’t let them leave with one because of the decor!
Author: Aanchal Gupta of Rug & Home
