The right restaurant furniture can make or break a new business venture in Hong Kong, but which pieces should you choose?
Alex Henrich, CEO of IROCO Design, has some tips:
Plan The Design: The starting point for every restauranteur is the aesthetic or theme of his eatery; envisage the design as a whole, and choose complementary colours, patterns and materials. There’s a psychology behind the colour and design of restaurant furniture which is well-researched: it shows neutrals such as black or brown create a warm and positive feeling, reds and yellows stimulate appetite, but cool colours like blues can act as appetite suppressants!
Consider Your Clientele: The restaurant furniture you choose will ultimately help to attract your clientele: older customers tend to prefer conventional, fabric-covered chairs and a table, while informal benches with refectory-style tables are popular with a younger crowd.
Calculate Available Space: Work out exactly how much space you can devote to seating, and – depending on your design – whether booths will seat more customers than traditional tables and chairs. Aim for the maximum number of tables and chairs, while leaving enough room for staff and customers to circulate.
Create a Mood: Shape, height and length of tables can all affect the mood of a restaurant; large, round tables engender discussion, for example, while high cocktail tables encourage mingling. Lighting is also important: it creates atmosphere and mood, but should be appropriate to the restaurants’ style or theme.
Prioritise Quality: Always buy the best quality, restaurant contract furniture you can afford: pieces at the budget end of the market don’t last, and will be a false economy. Choose pieces that are waterproof, easy to keep clean or wipe down in hygienic plastic or polyethylene, and that are free of deep crevices or grooves where food can collect. If you buy chairs with fabric seats, treat the fabric with a stain resister, and budget in professional cleaning a couple of times a year.
A smarter choice in contract furniture
Enhance the look and feel of your Hong Kong restaurant and speak to the team at IROCO Design today to learn how we could support you.