Changing the look of a restaurant bar can change the entire vibe of the establishment.
Running a business requires you to stay one step, at least, ahead of the competition. In the bar and restaurant industry to remain competitive and relevant you must have an establishment that patrons seek out on a continual basis. If you find your bar and restaurant are starting to lose that edginess, redesigning the area may help bring a new life to your business. Going through the process of redesigning involves visualizing, making design decisions and planning for the actual renovation process; all which must occur before the new look is ever unveiled.
Instructions
1. Assess your current establishment. Take notes for a few months regarding the type of clientele your restaurant bar has and determine if that is the image you want the new design to reflect. For example, if your establishment is best known for after-work happy hours and caters to local businesses, determine if that is the same image you want the new design to reflect. Take notes regarding the way people dress and act when they come into the bar.
2. Visit other bars and restaurants in your local and regional area. Take notes while visiting, making sure to list things that catch your eye or that you find appealing. For example, if you are considering changing your restaurant and bar to a country and western theme, visit bars with that image and decide what design elements you would like to use. Using the country and western idea, take notes about places with mechanical bulls, stages for live country group performances and wagon wheel style bar stools. Take extensive notes so that you have a long list of options for use when coming up with your final design.
3. Make a list of all items in the restaurant and bar that you wish to keep. Include high-dollar items such as built-in bars, booths and lighting fixtures. Decide which items will remain and which ones you can and should swap out to reflect the new design you have envisioned.
4. Go through your income and expense reports for your restaurant and bar. Touch base with your accountant or business partners if applicable to get a rough estimate on how much money or borrowing allowance is available for a redesign of the restaurant and bar. Take note of that figure and keep in a location that is accessible.
5. Sketch out the entire bar and restaurant area on paper. Use the services of a graphic designer if you would prefer to have the drawings computer based for easier manipulation of design concepts and ideas.
6. Start marking up your drawings with the basics to start. Sketch out where the bar area is, bar area seating locations, dining tables and booths, doors, windows, bathrooms and cooking and food preparation areas. make sure to get all major items noted on the drawing prior to proceeding. Remember to note locations where you store beer, liquor and drink items, as inventory in a bar takes up space.
7. Shade in the walls, floors, ceilings and furniture of the restaurant and bar. Use colored markers or a computer program to achieve the color palette represented in the drawing. Play around with different colors to create the look you wish.
8. Make a separate list of additional design and decorating items to include throughout both the bar and restaurant areas. Include overhead lighting fixtures, table linens, plates and serving utensils, glasses and drink ware, and wall hangings. Consider additional decorating elements such as mirrors, vases, bowls on the bar for snacks, coasters for drinks, plants, jukeboxes and supplemental and ornamental lighting.
9. Review the bathrooms in the restaurant and bar. Determine if you need new fixtures such as toilets and sinks, or decide if you want to redesign the bathrooms using just paint and new decorations that coordinate with the rest of the establishment. Know that investing in new plumbing fixtures will increase the total cost of your renovation project.
10. Go through your list of options and highlight the ones you are most interested in. Start gathering prices for the items you chose. Begin with the most expensive items first such as carpet, furniture, painting and any structural work such as drywall repairs, wall partitions, plumbing fixtures or electrical work that you need to do. Maintain a list of all rough costs. Add all figures together and add 20-25 percent to the total to allow for an extra cushion to accommodate extra costs.
11. Make the final decision to go through with the redesign. Start letting patrons know that you will be closing for business to facilitate the redesign or operations may be interrupted at times due to the redesign process. Make concessions for regulars so that they do not take their business elsewhere during the process. For example, if you know the process will take six to eight weeks to complete; host a "Remodeling Happy Hours" event every other evening for a few hours where all appetizers and drinks are half off to make up for the inconvenience.
12. Announce a grand re-opening event to celebrate the new look to promote your bar and restaurant. Publicize the event and offer both food and drink specials during the affair.
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