Upholstery and Soft Furnishings: Challenges in Modern Restaurants

In this blog post, we look at the unique challenges faced by the restaurant industry and how FibreGuard’s performance upholstery can help provide a safe, hygienic and comfortable dining environment.

Restaurant design: making a great first impression

Aesthetics have a crucial role to play in restaurant design. Along with practical concerns, the visual appearance of a restaurant interior makes a major impact on customer experience. However good or bad the food, a welcoming dining environment with character and ambience will bring your guests coming back for more.

By cleverly combining form, colour and texture, restaurant designers are always striving to create inviting spaces. They want to encourage diners to relax and indulge themselves as they settle in for a meal with family or friends.

The acoustic performance of the dining space is another factor to think about alongside visual considerations. The sound levels in your restaurant can make or break your customers’ experience. Too many hard surfaces can amplify the sound in a crowded restaurant and make it difficult for diners to hear one another. Softening the environment with sound-absorbing fabrics and upholstery creates a more pleasant environment for guests to enjoy their conversations.

Related Read: How to use colourful fabrics in your bar or restaurant

Restaurant interior designers are feeling the heat to stay ahead of the trends

With social media playing a key part in hospitality marketing, the pressure is on to stay ahead of the pack in terms of restaurant interior design trends. Creating ‘Insta-worthy’ interiors is now a valid consideration alongside the usual design factors concerning practicalities and aesthetic appeal.

So what are the latest trends to look out for in restaurant interiors? Open kitchens are on the rise, as are retro interiors and the bold use of colour and wallpaper. We’re also seeing an increase in the adoption of technological innovations. Ordering via QR code allows customers to choose their food quickly and easily – reducing waiting times and removing the need for direct interaction with staff.

While restaurateurs may feel compelled to follow trends to attract and retain diners, it’s important to get the balance right. Remaining true to the essence of your brand and delivering an experience attuned to your specific customer base remains paramount.

Related Read: Transforming hospitality spaces: the role of texture in bar and restaurant design

Restaurant designers: facing unique challenges with FibreGuard

Although the pandemic is thankfully behind us, restaurants have had to work hard over the last few years to encourage people back to in-person dining. Although the majority of people are now comfortable in public spaces, restaurant designers still have to be mindful of customer concerns around safety and hygiene.

As a result of this, restaurant layouts tend to be more spacious than they were pre-pandemic. Using fewer tables with more space between them helps to reassure customers, as does the option of outdoor dining areas and lounge-style seating. Other hygiene-related measures employed in modern restaurants include air purification systems and contactless ordering.

While Plexiglass room dividers are a thing of the past (thank goodness!) we’re now seeing more understated alternatives such as beaded curtains or hanging foliage to create a subtle sense of separation.

With hygiene issues in mind, restaurant designers face a unique challenge in selecting fabrics that can withstand the demands of contemporary hospitality settings. They need performance fabrics that are not only easy to clean, but also durable enough to be able to stand up to frequent and thorough cleaning.

Performance upholstery engineered for the hospitality industry

When selecting fabrics that can meet the demands of your restaurant interior, we recommend looking for a key set of attributes. Your performance fabrics need to be highly durable and stain resistant, while looking the part in terms of visual appeal and softness. By bringing all these aspects together, you can be sure your investment in quality upholstery will be worthwhile.

FibreGuard have got all your hospitality needs covered because our fabrics are…

• Stain-resistant. FibreGuard fabrics repel spills such as wine and coffee because of their embedded stain-free technology. FibreGuard Pro fabrics, our commercial textiles, are even more effective because of their additional breathable, anti-moisture membrane.
• Easy to clean. Any spills can be simply removed with water or a simple rub with a bar of white household soap.
• Durable and fade resistant. FibreGuard’s hard wearing fabrics are colourfast which means they won’t fade, even after prolonged exposure to sunlight. Our fabrics are rigorously tested to ensure they surpass all industry standards.
• Luxuriously soft. Despite their durability, FibreGuard’s quality fabrics are wonderfully soft to the touch, making them the perfect choice to bring warmth and texture to your restaurant interior.

To sum up, we understand the unique challenges you face in the restaurant industry, and we’re here to make your life easier with our technologically advanced fabrics.

Available in a wide variety of colours and textures, FibreGuard’s durable fabrics are the perfect choice for your hospitality project. Let our fabrics take the strain while you get on with what you do best – the day-to-day running of your business.

Feeling inspired? Head to our restaurant-focused Pinterest board for fresh, on-trend ideas. You can also browse the bars and restaurants section of our website for case studies, blog posts and more.