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Restaurant interior design: How the right ambiance can attract customers

Are you a small restaurant owner looking to decorate your restaurant to attract more customers? Then you have quite a task ahead of you. Restaurant interior design is now almost as important as the food you serve – in fact, your ambiance is what may set you apart from other restaurants serving roughly the same menu.

How do you compete with big name establishments who hired expensive restaurant interior design firms when you are on a budget? All you need is planning. Here are some pointers:

Design for your market

Find out what your demographics want. You do not need to spend thousands to hire a research firm to do this – simply talk to your customers (if you are already in operations) or talk to customers of a restaurant similar to the one you are about to open.

To get the best ideas for restaurant interior design, you should also talk to your competition. If they are hesitant to let you in on their design ideas, then observe the place yourself. What kinds of seats do their customers gravitate towards (window seats or private corners)? What little details have they put on the wall to achieve the look?

Define your style

Apart from five-start style, there are typically four kinds of restaurant design schemes for small- to medium-size restaurants. See which one is closest to what you need, and then use its elements as guide.

Upscale but casual. Restaurants like Tony Clark’s (in Philadelphia) and The Striped Bass (also in Philadelphia) used this aesthetic to drive their business upward. Their clients mostly belong to the up and coming generation of corporate workers, young couples, and successful career people in their mid-20’s, 30’s and 40’s. The upscale but casual look seems ‘classic,’ in that you may be not have to upgrade or renovate for at least another 15 years.

Entertainment restaurants.

Ever been to Hard Rock Cafe and Planet Hollywood? These two restaurants have the ultimate entertainment theme restaurant interior design. This is great way to go if you want a sports grill, or even an off-race betting venue that also serves beverages and food. You need to invest heavily in higher-end entertainment facilities like wide plasma TVs and speakers so you can simulcast concerts and sporting events within the premises.

Exhibition restaurants.

If you are particularly proud of how you prepare food and would you’re your customers to see it, then you should go for bistro-like exhibition restaurant interior design. You (or your chefs are visible – your customers see how their food is prepared and what ingredients go into it. This restaurant interior design works great if you or your head chef is famous.

Homey neighborhood restaurant.

This restaurant interior design is probably the cheapest to do (you can even use items from your own home). If your market is comprised mainly of families out to eat steaks on weekends or looking for dinner on weekdays when they are too tired to cook, then this is the restaurant interior design for you.

Japanese interior design: How to achieve the ‘Zen’ look for less.
Japanese interior design is all the rage these days, and it’s not surprising why. The East’s minimalist and harmonious approach to space layout is compatible with today’s western lifestyle. You will find Japanese colors, textures, and focal points in almost all modern homes – and the owners can never be happier.
Want to implement Japanese interior design in your own home? Now you can – and it’s not as hard or expensive as you think.
Go black and white
The cheapest way to transform your space into something out of a Japanese interior design magazine is to change its color – go back to basics with black and white, and your room will instantly look like Zen in no time.
Most Japanese interior designers use black to define form and align structural geometry. It never clashes, and it certainly works in harmony with other colors in your home. White, on the other hand, can help you achieve the orderliness that is the true objective of Japanese interior design.
Balance is key
In Japanese interior design, yin and yang is ultimate balance. Do not be afraid to mix strongly contrasting textures and finishes when decorating Japanese style. For instance, use cedar wood against lacquer, and you will see balance in action. Do you have wicker furnishings? Top them off with silky cushions.
Get rid of clutter
The aim of Japanese interior design is to facilitate the flow of energy. If your room is free of clutter and other obstructions that can impede this flow, then you have done a great job. Position your furniture so that they create traffic patterns that encourage fluidity. People should not bump onto pieces as they go from one room to the next.
Also find a way to hide your clutter. Inexpensive organizational tools such as rubber or plastic cabinets are not available inmost hardware stores. Invest in these pieces so everything in your house – from that remote control you have no idea what does to the sewing kit you only use once a year – finds a place. Organization does not only make your home look good – it also makes you feel good and even saves you time (now you know where to find your keys!). And that is the aim of Japanese interior design.
Do not overload on furniture
Want to instantly make your space bigger without spending any money? Throw away furniture you do not use.  Japanese interior design is all about open spaces – you can create more open space if you free your home of redundant furniture. Sell the pieces you don’t want anymore. This way, you create a Zen look while making some extra cash.

Interior design style

Interior design style is about as varied as the people in the planet – after all, each one of us has his or her own distinctive taste. However, there are four ‘leading’ umbrella styles to which all other design variations are hinged: modern, traditional, contemporary, and exotic. Let us discuss each of them to help you choose the aesthetic tat is perfect for your lifestyle and taste.

Modern interior design style

Modern design is characterized by straight and clean lines. Most modern homes have very minimal accessories – even appliances tend to be built-in so that nothing sticks out. Modern interior design style is generally preferred by the younger, usually single, usually male client, but it also has a string following in other demographics. This type of aesthetic is perfect for people with fast paced lifestyles, and is the interior design equivalent of ‘wash and wear’ hair because it is easy to maintain and is generally fuss free. When overdone, however, modern interior design style may make your home feel ‘cold’ and unwelcoming.

Traditional interior design style

A favourite in family homes, the traditional design aesthetic is actually timeless. Executed properly, traditional design is very effective in making an otherwise sparse space feel more homey and inviting. Furniture is usually carved and made of heavy wood. Traditional structures also have curved lines, which softens space and tends to add warmth. This design aesthetic is great for bigger spaces, such as family homes and estates.

Contemporary interior design style

Perhaps the signature interior design style of this century, contemporary design is a great compromise between ultra modern and traditional – the structures of contemporary homes are clean and seamless, but it uses traditional items here and there to make the space softer. Contemporary design works best in mid-size homes and apartments or lofts. It appeals to almost all ages and gender groups because it is easy to maintain (like modern homes) but still looks inviting, as traditional pieces bring in softness.

Exotic interior design style

The aim of ‘exotic’ design is to turn a space into an ‘oasis’ to run to when you are tired of your hectic schedule and everyday ordeals. Inspired mainly by Japanese Zen aesthetics (among many others such as African, Tuscan, and Moroccan), homes with exotic interiors usually use carefree furniture made of materials like rattan, bamboo, and cloths native to the exotic country it aims to follow. This kind of design is great for vacation houses – or for people who want their everyday home to feel like a vacation house.

Interior design schools: How to choose the best for you

So you want to become an interior designer? The first step is to choose one form among the many interior design schools in and out of the country. Knowing exactly what to look for and how to asses each school should help you find the one to enrol in.

Make sure the school is accredited

Genuine interior design schools are accredited by the Foundation for Interior Design Education Research (better known as FIDER). As of 2005, FIDER has accredited 145 schools in the United States. The foundation has very strict standards, so you can be sure that an accredited school offers truly outstanding programmes and student support.

Among the things FIDER looks at is the school’s ability to deliver high standards of design education via a solid curriculum structure. The students should be able to imbibe professional values and have a solid grasp of Design Fundamentals, Communication, Buildings Systems, Regulations, and Business and Professional Practice, among other subjects. FIDER also checks the faculty, the administration, and the facilities of the school.

Find out if the school’s students pass the NCIDQ

A bigger percentage (if not 100%) of alumni in the interior design school you want to study should have passed the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (also called NCIDQ). You need to pass this, too, after studying, as it is required by state licensing boards in states that require licensure – which is almost every state in the country. Good interior design schools have almost perfect passing rate. You certainly want to belong to a breed of graduates who can easily get a working license (or you may never get to practice). Ask the interior design schools you are interested in applying to if they can give you statistics on NCIDQ passers. If they are proud of their passing rate, they will probably show it to you.

Check the faculty’s background

One of the most important determinants of the success and effectiveness of interior design schools is the background and experience of its faculty. Look for interior design schools who hire only the best practitioners well-respected in the interior design world.

Check the facilities

Go to different interior design schools yourself to see if the facilities are current. See if there is enough space for students, if students are given access to galleries and showrooms, etc. Remember that interior design schools tend to cost a lot, so you want to get the best facilities your tuition can afford.

Choosing the right interior design firm

Hiring a good interior design firm can prove to be more cost-effective than designing an entire room or house yourself. If you are inexperienced, you may just end up making costly mistakes that can double your expenses in the long run. But how do you choose the right interior design firm? That’s certainly no easy task, but these pointers should help you out:

Ask for referrals

The best way to assess the professionalism and talent of an interior design firm is to ask its clients how good it really is. Tell your friends and family that you are planning to hire one – they just might be able to refer you to a firm that they have already worked with before.

You can also look for interior design firms in professional associations such as the American Society of Interior Designers (they have a website at www.interiors.org) or the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (www.arido.on.ca), to name a few. There is probably a professional organization in your area – just use search engines to limit your search.

Still can’t seem to get the contact details of an interior design firm you are interested in hiring? Then try calling the Chamber of Commerce in your area – they should be able to supply you with the phone number and contact details of design companies near your home.

Set a budget – and insist on it

Tell prospective interior design firms that you have short listed about how much you are wiling to spend on a project. Be as realistic as you can be – and then see if the firm can work around your limits. Good firms are able to agree with you about spending limits so you can steer clear of stressful budget situations later.

Ask them questions

It is important to meet with representatives of the interior design firm in person, preferably right in the room/home you want to decorate. Ask them questions about their firm’s experience, how long they have been in business, who their clients are, etc. Also inquire about their subcontractors – who are they and are they insured?

A good interior design firm is always ready to present its portfolio to you. Look at how they approach design for low-end and high-end spaces – this will give you an idea of how versatile they are. If you have colleted magazine clippings of the look you like, show it to them – see if they can comprehend your taste.

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