Did you know that in addition to your food and customer service, your restaurant interior design is of utmost importance to your guests? But we design freaks seek more and often end up lusting over great interiors at places like these. Choosing an aesthetic for your business can be overwhelming. To help you narrow down your options, we’ve compiled a list of interior design ideas for restaurants along with tips to help you decide on which look is right for your menu, location, and target customers.

MAXIMIZE YOUR FLOOR PLAN

Before you start picking out paint chips and furniture, you want to decide your setup. A good rule of thumb is to set aside 60% of your total interior space for dining and 40% for your kitchen and prep area. Count your entrance and your bathroom areas separately. 

Besides, using a blank canvas, you can use a large butcher block paper to sketch out the floor plan of your dining area. 

For example: If you’ve picked out tables, you can take their measurements and account for the chair space and start laying things out.

This helps you when you’re ready to order furniture and allows you to “move” furniture around with ease.

SUGGESTIONS ON TABLE SPACING

A few suggestions on table spacing for restaurant interior design include:

  • Have 18 inches between chairs.
  • Keep 42-62 inches between square tables and 24-30 inches between the corners of tables on a diagonal.

Consider using different seating arrangements such as tables with booths on one side and chairs on the other. 

Depending on your theme, you can get creative with your tables. For example, An eclectic restaurant might opt for a bunch of tables that are different sizes, shapes, and finishes.

TYPOGRAPHY

When done right, typography as the decor is always a hit. Bold graphics, marquee letters, diagrams, and charts are all fun and it is informative as well. There are many ways to add type to your design scheme. Old-school neon signs are a big hit right now. They can be custom made with a quote or phrase that reflects the vibe of your restaurant 

GO GREEN

Indoor plants are in trend right now not in home interiors but also in restaurant interior because it gives us a bit of natural touch and gives peace of mind. Keeping this in mind decorate your space with lots of greenery. Not only plants are beautiful and relaxing, but many help to purify the air. They also make a visual connection for guests about the freshness of your ingredients.

OPEN UP SPACE

Make the kitchen itself part of the decor, especially if you have a unique focal point, like a wood-burning oven for pizza. If opening up the kitchen isn’t a possibility, consider an exposed wine “cellar,” whiskey tunnel, or something else to give guests a glimpse of the interior. Inviting people to get close to your products gets them talking and the more they learn, the more they tend to spend. 

PULL FROM YOUR THEME

Before designing the theme for your restaurant the first thing you have to be clear that what message you are trying to convey to your customer or guests. Stay true to your mission and theme for your restaurant. As you start thinking about design, color, and fixtures, you want to make sure you keep to your restaurant’s style.

TIP:

Try to pick a theme that isn’t too trendy. It will look dated in just a few years. Instead, pick something that reflects your menu or brand and incorporate your theme in a modern way, like Ladybird’s 1970s-style summer camp theme.

For example: If you serve only locally grown vegetarian food / pure organic food, you should create a modern industrial looking interior with plants for decor. Conversely, if you are opening a barbecue joint of a non-veg restaurant then you have to use that kind of decor that can enhance your menu. 

In short, you can create the right mood for the restaurant that can inspire the guests not only to come again and again but tell their friends about your food and interior. You should create that peaceful place where people come for relaxation.

USE COLOR

One of the easiest and the least expensive ways to spruce up your small restaurant is with a fresh coat of paint. You can also use wallpapers if it will fit your theme.

Deep rich colors or simple/modern bright colors can affect your restaurant in many positive ways. 

TIP:

Paint as well as wallpapers can add dimension to your small space making it seem bigger. Cool colors such as blue and green can give the illusion of a larger space. You can even choose to paint colors to keep the small scale of your restaurant. Do it with darker colors and warmer hues

Keep the 60-30-10 rule in mind. It’s a classic decor rule that helps create a color palette for space. It states that 60% of the room should be a dominant color, 30% should be the secondary color or texture and the last 10% should be an accent

COMMUNITY-CENTERED DESIGN

Food is the great equalizer and restaurants can bring a community together. To create a community-centered experience in your restaurant interior design try adding a communal table, removing TVs, or offering board games for guests to play while they wait.

BE MINDFUL OF LIGHTING 

Good lighting creates ambiance for your guests. Think about what type of environment you want to create and how you want your guests to feel in your restaurant. Besides the feel of the restaurant, other things to consider when choosing your lighting is energy efficiency, staff safety, and whether you want customers to be able to get a good shot of their plate for the ‘gram.