Choosing Furniture to Match the Ambience and Ethos of Your Restaurant

Once you’ve decided on the culinary style that your restaurant will offer and worked to get the menu to reflect this, it’s time to think about selecting furniture for your dining space that will complement and enhance your guests’ overall experience. There are several key things to think about that can help you make the best choice and bring to life your vision of your eatery – we explore these below.

The Practical Stuff

Firstly, some of your choices are going to have to be based on practical considerations. These include the layout of your space and the area you have available. You will also need to ensure that the furnishings you opt for are durable and easy to clean, as well as being comfortable and sturdy.

Budget is key, too:

• Be realistic about what you can afford.
• Make a plan.
• Do your best to remain within these financial parameters.

It’s worth spending some time sourcing the most cost-effective options and speaking with potential suppliers about the possibility of negotiating a deal on price to buy in bulk.

You will also need to consider the sizes of tables to purchase; in general, it is a good idea to have a range of sizes so that you can seat single diners, small groups, and large parties of guests. Again, this is where the layout of your space will come into play. Experimenting with different furniture arrangements on paper to see what could work best is a great idea before you prepare your credit card for action.

Enhance Your Concept

If you get it right, the furnishings you choose for your restaurant can take the theme or ambiance to the next level. Remember, the decor and furnishings are usually a diner’s first impression of your eatery, and their expectations of the food and service they are about to receive will be formed by this initial assessment: so make the introduction a good one by selecting the best restaurant chairs and tables for your space.

If your restaurant is high-end, make it look like it: choose superior quality furnishings and add opulent touches, and think carefully about artwork for the walls. If your eatery is offering a ‘surf’ feel, perhaps consider incorporating wooden benches and long tables, outdoor heaters, and string lights.

Think, too, about using your restaurant’s signature colors or design in your choice of furnishings. As an example, if purple and grey feature strongly on the exterior or interior walls, and the menu features these tones, too, you may want to select chairs with covers of the same colors, to tie the look together neatly.

Sustainable Options

If sustainable, ethical eating is an important element of your restaurant’s vibe, then incorporating this into your furnishings is a great idea. There is an increasing number of manufacturers offering, for example, chairs that are made with recycled materials or tabletops crafted from recovered wood. You could also look at purchasing items that are built to last to cut back on waste from the need to replace every few years. This may be, initially, a bigger outlay, but if your budget can stretch to it, it’s a good investment.

You could also consider your restaurant’s lighting: switching to LED lights will typically result in a 90% reduction of electricity as compared to that used by standard lightbulbs.

Think About Your Brand

The aesthetic of your restaurant furniture can, if used effectively, feed nicely into your overall branding. This is especially important if, in the future, you are planning to open at an additional site. 

To start thinking about furnishings as an expression of your brand message, first of all, get really clear about what your brand is, what it represents, and who your target audience is. For example, if you want to create an elegant, bohemian lounge vibe, you’re not going to want to incorporate bright red diner-style booths.

You may want to consider distinctive signature pieces of furniture that can be replicated when you open the second restaurant in your new chain. For example, cushioned, ladder back chairs painted in pastel shades; or unusually shaped tables. Be creative, and develop your restaurant’s unique identity.

The Benefits of an Evergreen Approach

If you’re nervous about opting for distinctive furniture, or you want to have the option to change your theme at some point in the future, then an evergreen approach might be the best option for you. This means selecting, for example, chairs and tables that have a timeless style and that wouldn’t need to be changed up if you decided to alter your color scheme or switch themes. Opt for neutral tones, and light wood, and avoid designs that aren’t overly contemporary or stylized.

Serving Up Style

Ultimately, the furnishings you choose for your restaurant have the potential to play a significant role in the perception and success of your business. Tying furnishings into an overall theme not only adds cohesion but is a powerful way to begin brand building and to create a positive identity in the minds of your customers.

By keeping considerations such as budget, the size and layout of the space you have available, and your target audience, you can create a dining experience that perfectly reflects the ethos and ambiance of your restaurant. This is key to keeping diners coming back again and again

 

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