Cafés and restaurants are practically the best pit stop for all of us. While going to work, coming back from grocery shopping and in between work, we stop at the nearby café and grab a drink or two to freshen up for the day ahead. Apart from the aromatic fumes of coffee, the café’s subtle design aesthetics boost the mood right away.
A lot of thought is put into the café and restaurant interior design. Sometimes the whole restaurant is designed on a single theme while others have a traditional interior. No matter what the theme is, the major hit in a restaurant or café is the furniture.
At the peak hours (especially), the restaurants and cafés are full to the brim. So the seating arrangement should be enough to accommodate all those coming to have a meal. Therefore the trend of smart furniture is getting hype. Folding chairs and multi-purpose tables are taking over the traditional heavy furniture.
Here are some ideas on how to maximize your space utility with smart furniture.
Invest in Extendable Tables
You might have seen the waiters running around and re-arranging the tables and chairs for different visitors in some restaurants. They have to combine two or more tables to accommodate families and separate the tables when couples arrive. This sight is common in restaurants that welcome couples, friends, and families all alike.
You can avoid this hassle of arranging and rearranging the furniture by investing in extendable tables. These are multipurpose tables that can be used as a dining table to provide a wholesome dining experience to the families and reduced back to the table-for-two.
Consider Some Counter Seating
beside the wall or the window.
Some extra seating is always a great idea in restaurants and cafés. Squeeze in some extra seating area beside the wall or the window.
No matter what the theme of your restaurant or café is, a bar counter and some stools are a safe bet. Some bar stools will add a modernistic touch to the traditional interiors and create a wow-factor in the already-contemporary restaurant interior. So include a counter along the wall and add some bar stools. You can also use the same approach for any unoccupied narrow area. In this way, you will be able to entertain more people in a small space.
Fun fact: Bar stools are cheaper than the wooden furniture so we can say it’s a win-win!
Get Equipped for the Outdoors
Well, the weather is not always good but outdoor seating, sure, is a great idea to double up the restaurant space.
Well, the weather is not always good but outdoor seating, sure, is a great idea to double up the restaurant space.
Minimalist wooden furniture works best for outdoors. You don’t have to invest stacks of bucks on the heavy sofas and exquisite dining tables, just go for some bamboo furniture and set a sitting area outside. You only have to install some heaters and canopies in order to make the outdoor dining experience practical even in winters. Lastly, for some fancy outdoor dining, get some glass tops for tables, and there you go!
Square’s the Charm!
Glass tops for tables add a feel of spaciousness to the interior and give a fancy dining feel. So go glass! But instead of round glass tops for tables get square tops. Round table tops take much more space as compared to geometric tabletops. Square glass tops for tables are the best as they can be pushed together to make a larger table. You can optimize space utility with square tables and maximize the layout flexibility.
Tip: Still confused to right tempered of your need? Read this guide to know from glass genius how to tell if glass is tempered.
Go for Gentle Tones
Lighter shades are the best for creating an illusion of space and therefore are great for enhancing the small spaces. You can make an interior look wider and brighter with the right choice of colors. However, use darker tones to give off a feeling of coziness. Since we are considering the small restaurants and cafés here, we suggest using furniture with gentle tones for your restaurants. Select light wooden color, white or subtle hues for furniture.
Make Muddle Part of the Design
If you don’t have enough space to hide away the napkins, cutlery, and condiments in the kitchen, just show it all. Get a floor-to-ceiling unit and store your restaurant essentials in it. Add some art pieces to it and make a statement. This storage unit will add functionality and uniqueness to the interior. You can place this unit along the wall, set a counter in front of the wall, place some bar stools and create a pub-feel in your restaurant. Place some art pieces in your storage unit to enhance the interior even more.
Enhance the Space With Benches
Benches are a great option to make the most of the small spaces. Place them against the wall and create space for a whole bunch of people at once. Benches also go well with dining tables and boost the space by accommodating more people. It’s also a creative way of offering a variety of seating options. Some small cafés go with benches only, as they have less space and more customers to entertain. So, benches are a must-have for small restaurants. Paint the benches differently (you can also get some artistic paintings done on benches), employ them creatively, and enhance the space.
Concluding Now!
A number of factors influence the choice of furniture for your restaurants. When you have limited space, you need to be extra careful about the choices you make. Keep the theme and space constraints in mind. Put some thoughts into making your entrance unique and impressive. Play with colors, use accessories and furniture that create an illusion of space. Choose the right glass tops for tables to perk up the interior. While trying to squeeze in maximum people, be mindful of the comfort of your customers. Think creatively and go smart!