Hospitality

Getting people to come into your establishment—and ultimately return. Dining has become an experience that involves both food and entertainment. Diners want an inviting atmosphere while they enjoy their meals, so it’s important that these two aspects work in harmony to be successful.

Since restaurant owners have a lot riding on their business, it’s crucial for restaurateurs to develop trends that positively impact customers, things such as delicious food and interior design that complement one another and attract new customers. When designing their space, here are three questions that every restaurant owner should ask:

1. What is your budget?

Budget is the one thing that everyone struggles with, and they should, because it’s the most important part of opening a business. Stretching a budget isn’t always advised because it leaves little room in case of an issue. Whether you plan on doing the work yourself or hiring a professional, figuring out your bottom line budget is what you need to decide on first. And remember that at the end of the day you want to make money, so sticking to a reasonable budget will allow you to achieve everything you want in a restaurant without going overboard.

2. What is your brand image and personality?

Every brand has a personality, a specific audience they are marketing toward. Your restaurant should be no different. The image you portray to diners will determine what kind of reputation you create. Are you a family-oriented establishment? Are you more fine dining? Will professionals be coming in after work for a drink? No matter your niche, the audience you plan on catering to is important to how well your business will do.

This isn’t about restricting the type of diner you attract, but more about choosing a brand that will do best in the area or neighborhood you plan to open in. Having a fine-dining restaurant in an area that doesn’t have the household income to dine out often isn’t the best move. Your brand should match the audience in its immediate neighborhood.

3. Should your menu reflect the overall design of your space?

When it comes to dining, the entire meal should be an experience no one will soon forget. Once you have a brand image and design plan in place, it’s time to move on to what you will serve. The food is just as central if not more so than the atmosphere you create for your patrons. The food you serve should go with the overall theme of your establishment.

For example, if you are a fine-dining restaurant, you may not want to serve burgers and fries. But if you did, they would include high-quality products that diners won’t find other places. Your menu should reflect the personality of your restaurant.

At KB Designs we like to work with your existing furnishings as much as possible, as well as do the work ourselves. This can ultimately save you a LOT of money not having to pay for designer’s extra commissions. For instance, why the heck do people still use wallpaper? The answer? Because it is easy for designers to pick out wallpaper, hire an installer and then mark it way up for their commission.

We can replicate virtually any wallpaper design, oftentimes using lime plasters which are a fire retardant, mold resistant, create a sound barrier, less expensive than wallpaper and no extra commission costs.

Would you like us to come look at your business and give you an estimate? Please fill out the form below so we have a better understanding of the work you want done. If it gets too long, just fill in the answers for what is the most important for you. We can always come back to the other things.