RESTAURANT FURNITURE: 6 TIPS FOR FURNISHING YOUR RESTAURANT
When furnishing your restaurant, slight changes can make the biggest difference, whether it's the lighting or the accessories. With the many available options out there for restaurant furniture, we know it can seem overwhelming. Here’s hoping that this blog post can provide you with a little inspiration…
1. Colour scheme
Choosing a colour scheme is the initial decision that will influence everything else you do, including what restaurant furniture and lighting you opt for, right down to the paint on the wall. When choosing your colour scheme, consider that warm colours such as earthy reds, Tuscan yellows, and terracotta oranges will raise your customer’s appetite. Blues have been proven to suppress the appetite, so whilst it may not be the ideal colour for your wall, it gives you the opportunity to use it in furniture or accessories to enhance your space; notice how our customer Heim Gastropub has used blue leather dining chairs and industrial lighting to brighten up the space.
2. Bar furniture
The dining chairs that you choose will be based almost entirely on the style of your establishment and the emotions that you want to evoke. Are you offering a casual dining experience where fast turnover is imperative? Or do you encourage long meals where your customers stay for coffee and dessert? The comfort of the restaurant seating will have an impact on how long your customers stay. Why not add stools to your bar area? Bar stools will be the ideal place for customers to sit and drink whilst they wait for a table. Stunning velvet bar stools are perfect for high-end restaurants, whilst leather bar stools are sleek and timeless.
3. Outdoor dining furniture
Gone are the days of teak, rattan, and plastic outdoor furniture. Having a seating area outside your restaurant, an al fresco dining area or even a beer garden is something you will definitely want to show off in the summer months. Bring the character of your restaurant outside with trendy or unique outdoor restaurant furniture. Choose from a vintage garden set or retro outdoor folding chairs. You could even continue the bar theme by opting for galvanised poseur tables and outdoor bar stools; an option that will really make you stand out.
4. Tables
As with any eatery, you will require tables in varying sizes. Why not switch it up and go for tables of varying heights, too? Poseur height bar tables will ensure a more relaxed dining experience; see how The Canteen Portsmouth have styled their restaurant. If you don’t use them in your main dining area, then they are also a great way of creating a clear bar area. Mix it up with different tops or bases for a modern, eclectic look.
5. Lighting
Alison Tordoff designed this space to make fantastic use of our yellow large industrial ceiling lights. She used the lights for decorative purposes, to add colour and industrial style to the space. In a restaurant with lots of natural light, large pendant lights such as these can be used as the main form of ambient lighting. When the sun goes down, the lights will help create a mood that is appropriate for the evening, too. We also stock a variety of vintage wall and floor lights that are perfect for adding a quirky touch.
6. Room décor
The finishing touches. Once the design and functionality are sorted, it’s time to add personality to the space. Wall art doesn’t have to be in the form of paintings and photographs; vintage window frames, maps and even taxidermy animal heads can be used as interesting décor. At Heim Gastropub, they opted for retro bottle crates, reclaimed kayak paddles and cosy scatter cushions. Interesting accessories are ultimately what will make your restaurant stand out from the crowd. Add these homely touches to make your customers want to come back time and time again.
We’ve included images of our customer’s restaurant furniture in the gallery below. Check out the rest of our website to see our full range of items, or browse in person at our showroom in Staffordshire.
