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Succeeding in the restaurant industry no longer hinges on just the food; perfecting the atmosphere is just as crucial. In fact, one might argue that it plays the biggest role in creating a positive experience for your patrons. As such, your restaurant’s interior must be both comfortable and visually appealing. To achieve this, your establishment needs the right decor and aesthetic. Some incorporate elements of their location into their design, such as restaurants in Banff. Others use bright colour palettes that appeal to different demographics, like various fast food joints.

Put simply, there are different routes to take when designing your restaurant. Choosing the appropriate aesthetic and decor for your establishment can be intimidating as there are a lot of ideas out there. This article will highlight some of those ideas to spark some inspiration in any aspiring restaurateurs.

Get creative with the seating arrangements

In a majority of restaurants, the most common options for seating are four-person tables and booths. To make your establishment different from the rest, put some creativity into how and where your customers will sit. Try stools in the place of chairs, or include communal tables in place of multiple small tables.

You can even save money on your restaurant’s budget by playing around with the seating. Look around flea markets or antique shops for different types of chairs to diversify the arrangement. Alternatively, you can restore existing chairs by applying a new paint job.

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Go green

The “green movement” has been making headways in the restaurant industry. It mostly pertains to environmentally-friendly energy use or plant-based cuisine. Another way to bring this movement to your establishment is to decorate your space with various foliage. Flowers, potted plants, herbs, the list goes on.

You can switch out the plants each week if there is room in your budget for it. Some recent design trends include vertical gardens (aka. living walls), which are walls that consist of vegetation. With this component, you can create an atmosphere that displays a natural aesthetic and emits freshness.

Try new styles of lighting

What many don’t know is that lighting is a vital factor in several establishments, especially restaurants. With the right application, it has the ability to embellish the furniture, conceal imperfections, and improve the patrons’ dining experience.

If you want to stimulate a specific mood, define your space, or create a particular ambiance, you need the right lights. Offbeat chandeliers, flickering sconces, and stylish pendants are notable options. Additionally, with the correct electrical work, this can be more along the lines of a DIY project. The right lighting could also help your restaurant on social media as guests will be able to take attractive food photos.

Lightning is an important component in any type of dining establishment, no matter what type it is or where it is located. Restaurants in Banff rely on lighting just as much as restaurants in more urban venues like Toronto. Put the same amount of care into arranging the lights as you would in selecting a colour palette.

Integrate your location into the design

Look around you for aesthetic and decor ideas. Specifically, look around where your establishment resides. Employ elements of your location into your restaurant’s design so that it can reflect the best parts of it. Moreover, try incorporating different antiques, trinkets, and treasures that can be found locally.

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Example: Restaurants in Banff

An example of the previously mentioned suggestion is – as touched upon earlier – various restaurants in Banff. This town in western Canada is well-known for its beautiful scenery courtesy of the surrounding mountains. Because of this, as well as the number of activities and attractions for tourists, it makes sense to incorporate aspects of this environment into assorted establishments.

The Grizzly House, for instance, uses a nature-oriented aesthetic for its design. Its exterior resembles that of a lodge and its interior consists of a variety of wood decorations. Additionally, there are mounted animal heads and various outdoor accessories on the walls, as well as plants. In this sense, the restaurant brings the captivating outdoors of Banff indoors.

Farm & Fire is an interesting contrast to the Grizzly House. While that restaurant emphasizes the wilderness of Banff, this one focuses more on the cozy side of the town. It trades the lodge appearance for something more local. Its atmosphere is contemporary and borders on chic, but the menu and natural ambience retain its locations’ beautiful environment.

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Take inspiration from restaurants in Banff or do your own thing?

These aesthetic and decor ideas can significantly change how you and your customers view your dining establishment. Whether you follow the example of restaurants in Banff or go for something different, make sure your design properly represents your business.

If you have any questions or comments, contact us here BUILD IT’s contact info. Furthermore, if you want to learn about what goes into building a restaurant, check out the Restaurant Construction Checklist.