Designing a commercial bar can be an exciting project and with many ideas running through your mind, it can be tough deciding which bar design to pursue and which is the best.
Regardless of the type of bar you wish to create you need to keep your customers at the forefront of your thoughts throughout the design process.
This holds true whether you’re wondering how to open a new commercial bar or you’re renovating an existing one. Whilst there are many aspects to consider overall, you shouldn’t be overwhelmed.
By considering these 4 simple design tips during the planning process, you can design a breathtaking bar that your customers will love:
Choose The Perfect Bar Top
Bar tops are one of the many elements that can make bars unique. These centerpieces add functionality as well as beauty to bars but you should remember to choose your bar tops wisely. Your choice of material affects the efficiency.
Sure marble looks luxurious and beautiful but it also requires extra care and maintenance as it is a softer and more porous stone. Marble also has a tendency to scratch, stain and it’s inflexibility causes it to be prone to cracking. If a customer were to slam a glass on your marble bench it would be the end of it.
Often business owners looking to save money look for ways to cut cost in their design only to pay more in the long term. For example, while laminate might seem like a great option due to its affordability, ease of maintenance and wide range of colours. This material also has its weaknesses, such as easily scratching and peeling if exposed to moisture for too long.
Before choosing your bar top make sure you do your research on each material and understand the maintenance cost, durability and other factors. A few materials to look into include:
- Granite
- Solid Surface Counters
- Wood
- Stone – Natural and engineered
- Metal
- Concrete
Keep Your Target Audience In Mind
Bar design should be significantly influenced by its client base. A bar should be designed to meet its target audience rather than the owners personal taste. For example, if you’re targeting business professionals and CEO’s who travel from time to time, you cannot create the same design as someone whose target audience is a younger crowd.
Consider doing some research on the suburb you wish to open your bar in so you can understand the demographics of the area. Apart from this, seek help from an experienced nightclub and bar fitout specialist company as can easily advise you on your best options.
When you stand out, you create a greater impact on your guests and this gives your business a chance for growth plus it distinguishes you amongst your competitors.
Consider the Space You Have and Functionality
Before finalizing any plans for the actual bar, determine how much space you have to work with. Functionality is directly influenced by the measurements of a bar. If a bar is crowded such that bartenders don’t have enough space to work, this reduces the efficiency of your staff.
With poor design, your bar will lose a lot of potential clients. So, space is a factor that cannot be ignored when designing bars.
Start by ensuring that the bottle display and the bar top are at least 3 feet apart. This ensures that there’s enough space to quickly grab bottles and move freely. It’s also essential that you include various register spaces.
Again, bars should have several register spaces otherwise customers will be forced to wait longer to pay their bills. Plus, you should make separate registers for bartenders. This way, each bartender will be accountable for each client they serve.
Think of Fixture Details
Specialty design elements make your bar unique. However, be careful not to overwhelm walls with decoration. Choose only the standout pieces that you need and make sure that they complement your overall theme. Your focal point can be a green/water wall, unique backlighting, funky seats, fish tanks, impressive table dividers, etc.
You should also use lighting to set your bar’s tone. Do a menu check to determine their lightning. (i.e. check if you can read something without using glasses or squinting) However, the lighting shouldn’t be very bright but you should opt for subtle lighting to set the mood right. You can buy recessed or track lighting which give you the option to adjusting the light intensity.
Final Thoughts
Bar owners should have their guests and staff in mind when designing their bars. As such, even if it means talking to guests and bartenders about their expectations and experiences, you should do this as it’ll give you some valuable insight on what needs improvement. Follow these design tips as they will help you create an attractive bar for your guests plus establish the comfort and appeal level you envision for your business. About the author: Sina Sadeghpour is the Director of ImpeccaBuild. Providing interior fit-outs designed for the 21st Century, ImpeccaBuild combines stunning aesthetics with highly functional fit-outs. Passionate about designing projects that are innovative, sustainable and delivering excellent value. From project management through to design and fitout, ImpeccaBuild provides a complete end-to-end interior fitout solution for all industries.
