Casual and high end restaurant design combined
High-end expensive restaurants used to be an “event.” The eatery was the destination, and you dressed to the nines, shining your shoes and putting on your best clothes on.
But lately, upscale restaurants are taking cues from the atmospheres at local casual restaurants and bars/cafes . The high-end, chef-driven restaurants are becoming more casual in both aesthetics and ambiance.
Why? My research and observations indicates that diners desire high quality food and service, but they also want the informal comfort and ownership of a local haunt.
Late baby boomers and Gen Xers seem to be driving this trend —they have a higher expendable income, appreciate luxury, and will still pay 50 euro a plate, but at the same time are more casual in both appearance and lifestyle. Restaurants are now trying to meet both of these needs, superior local and seasonal food in a beautiful setting that’s free from ostentation.
So what can architects and interior designers do to accommodate restaurants’ changing casual dynamic?
- Rely on the bones of the building. Exposed beams and stripped walls speak to the authenticity of a place, and contribute to customers’ comfort with and connection to the restaurant.
- Minimize materials and use natural materials. Stained concrete floors, dimmer lighting and simple settings do away with pretense. Timber/stone give a natural warm feeling.
- Create cocoons. Ambient noise and the proper furniture arrangements can allow groups to cocoon themselves for a feeling of privacy and ownership amidst a bustling restaurant. No one wants a restaurant so quiet that it enhances eavesdropping; creating a casual environment includes enhancing the atmosphere as well as the aesthetics.
I predict this dining-trend will continue for the next couple of years, and I believe strongly that tracking and reacting to consumer trends is the best way to help restaurants adapt to the ever-changing cultural climate. So don’t pack up the pearls forever, but you probably don’t need them for dinner.
Doyle + Partners – Hospitality Design.
Our aim is to elevate your business through the power of fantastic design.
All our work is in or around the world of hospitality and the workplace, which means we have the experience and expertise to know exactly what performs visually in hospitality design and how to generate the maximum financial return. We believe in creating spaces that are remarkable, extraordinary, but above all, spaces that work.
Our bars, restaurants, and retail environments don’t just look great, they function efficiently. With this in mind we offer a full interiors service, from providing the most effective and up to the minute lighting to designing bespoke furniture and furnishings to make your project truly unique.
See more on our website –
https://mdppartners.wpengine.com/#!interior-design/c1q33
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