Cutting-Edge Interior Design Trends to Consider for Your Restaurant

In 2013, the big restaurant interior trends were stark spaces with rigid geometry, industrial-style fixtures, rustic materials, and a lot of neutrals. If restaurants had any color at all, they had a single bright color painted on one -- otherwise, interiors were accented in metal, wood, or glass. The whole look and feel were gritty and earnest and, well, just a little bit cold.

Six years ago, this magazine published an overview of nine interior design trends that were making their mark on restaurants across all price points. You would think that six years later there wouldn't be that much change in how designers create restaurants - after all, it may take a year or more just to design, get permits for, and build out a full-service restaurant. So how different could cutting-edge restaurant design be in 2019 compared with 2013? Let us tell you: plenty different!

A lot has changed since then. We've all been craving comfort after a tumultuous few years and the prospect of an uncertain future. Restaurant designers pick up on society's vibes and translate them into dining spaces that capture attention and, because of the tremendous influence of social media on consumer behavior, try to encourage the likes and retweets that drive engagement with your operation.

Here, then, are some of the hottest restaurant design trends of 2019. If you are in the process of designing or upgrading your restaurant, you might want to discuss these with your architect or interior designer.

Well Rounded

If 2013 was all about hard-edged, semi-industrial looks, 2019 is all about gentle curves. Willmott's Ghost in Seattle is a striking example of this trend, with its curved banquette, curved bar, curved booths, and swooping S-curve soffit on the ceiling. Curves make spaces feel more welcoming and more cozy, perfect for guests that need a respite from the jangle of the everyday.

One particularly good application of curves is in current designs for booth and banquette seating. We know from research that guests like to feel enclosed and protected while they dine, and the half- and five-eighth-circle booths that are popular now are ideal ways to create that sense of safety and privacy.