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Top 7 Smart Home Technologies That Are Easy To Add to Your Home in 2023

Smart homes are no longer a thing of the future – they are the present! And in 2023, smart home technology has become more advanced, user-friendly, and affordable. The best part- there are numerous devices and systems to choose from. But this also comes with a caveat- it can be challenging to know where to start. But don’t fret! As your friendly, knowledgeable interior design experts, we understand the challenges that homeowners face when upgrading their homes, and we want to help you make informed decisions about which smart home technologies will work best for your lifestyle and needs.

So, whether you’re a tech-savvy homeowner looking to streamline your home automation or a newbie to the world of smart home devices, we’ve got you covered. This blog post will explore the top seven smart home technologies that are easy to add to your home in 2023.

Smart Thermostats

One of the easiest ways to make your home smart is by installing a smart thermostat. Smart thermostats are designed to learn your temperature preferences and automatically adjust the temperature to your schedule, saving you energy and money.

What’s more, smart thermostats can be controlled remotely via a smartphone app, so you can adjust the temperature of your home from anywhere. You can also ask your smart thermostat for the weather, music, and more using the Alexa built-in feature. How cool is that? 

Examples of smart thermostats include some of the best on the market, like the Nest Learning Thermostat and the Ecobee smart thermostat.

Smart Lighting

Smart lighting systems allow you to control your lights with your smartphone and voice commands. You also set a schedule and automate a timer as to when you want a certain type of light. You can change the color and brightness of your lights to create a customizable lighting scene. For example, you can sync smart lights with your TV, gaming, and music to elevate and set the right mood for the experience you want to have. 

Something else smart light saves on energy bills. It also creates a healthier circadian rhythm. This means better memory, better sleep, and improved energy levels.

Examples of smart lighting systems include Philips Hue and LIFX.

Smart Plugs

Smart plugs are an easy and affordable way to make any appliance or device “smart.” Smart plugs allow you to control your devices remotely, so you can turn off your coffee maker or space heater from your smartphone. You can also use voice control to enjoy the hands-free convenience of turning on and off any home electronic device with your voice via Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa.

You can also set your smart plugs on a schedule so your devices turn on and off at specific times. Examples of smart plugs include the TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug and the Amazon Smart Plug.

Smart Locks

Smart locks allow you to lock and unlock your doors remotely, provide temporary access to guests, and receive alerts when someone enters your home. They are an excellent security feature and can give you peace of mind when you’re away from home. 

With smart locks, you never have to leave your keys under the doormat again. Sharing codes is the new hide-a-key. You also don’t have to second guess if you locked the door when you go to bed at night. Examples of smart locks include the August Smart Lock and the Yale Assure Lock.

Smart Security Cameras

Smart security cameras can be accessed from your smartphone and can send alerts when motion is detected. They are also equipped with night vision and two-way audio, so you can communicate with anyone in your home. 

Smart security cameras are an easy way to enhance your home’s security and provide additional peace of mind. Examples of smart security cameras include the Arlo Pro 4 and the Ring Stick Up Cam.

Smart Speakers

Smart speakers, such as Amazon Echo or Google Home, allow you to control your smart home devices with your voice. They are an excellent addition to any smart home and can make everyday tasks much more manageable. For example, you never have to manually search and play music or get your phone every time you need to do a quick search online. Smart speakers will do all that for you. They’ll play music and get you the information you need from the internet. How convenient is that?

Also, if you love a vibrant, room-filling sound, smart speakers will fill the gap for you. They are designed with DSP technology, which will ensure you enjoy amplified music without distortion.

Examples of smart speakers include the Amazon Echo Dot and the Sony Speaker.

Smart Blinds/Shade

Smart blinds and shades can be controlled with a smartphone app or voice commands, allowing you to conveniently adjust the amount of light and privacy in your home. You can therefore use them to enhance your home’s ambiance and increase your privacy. There are several types of smart shades to serve everyone’s needs. We have motorized, cordless, doulite, retractable, and continuous cord loops. 

What’s more, smart blinds and shades are quite easy to install. They can also help save on energy bills and add a touch of luxury and style to your home.

An example of smart blinds and shades include the Switchbot Curtain Opener.

Use Smart Home Technology in Your Home

In 2023, aim to add smart home devices like or google home hub to your home. Smart home technologies are affordable, easy to install, and will make your life much more comfortable. From smart thermostats to smart blinds, there is a device for every home and lifestyle. Again, by investing in smart home technology, you can save on energy costs, enhance your home’s security, and increase your comfort level.

If you would like an expert to help you choose and design your home, we can help you. We have the expertise needed to help you make your home look and feel like a smart home.

Contact our friendly team today to learn more about our services and how we can be of help. 

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In Blog

Why It’s Worth It to Pay for a Designer

Whether you’re a retail business development manager looking for ways to revitalize an existing storefront or are looking to expand and open a brand-new and seamless retail space, partnering with, and paying for a designer can positively benefit your journey in ways you may not have thought of.

While you’re in the midst of budgeting your renovation, planning a budget, and figuring out how you can accurately demonstrate your brand to your target consumers, a designer can help bring together the details and create a visual storytelling experience like no other.

Not completely sold on investing part of your design and construction budget on a retail design expert? We’ll discuss the reasons that it’s worth it to pay for a designer below, from the start of your latest project through to completion.

What a Designer Can Help You Achieve

The overall design process of your storefront matters when it comes to persuading customers to browse your products and make the decision to move forward with a purchase. From the predetermined customer flow to the window displays that beckon foot traffic from your shops exterior, a retail designer can focus their attention on the smallest details which have the biggest impact on your sales.

Additionally, a best-in-class retail designer can infuse fresh energy into your retail projects, sharing their industry insights and providing connections that will help you streamline your revitalization process and align your branding throughout your retail shop’s built environment.

How to Choose a Designer to Fulfill Your Retail Design Needs

Designing an engaging retail space is no small feat, and as such, your first step in the design process is hiring a retail designer with the expertise and connections you need to cultivate an ideal customer experience. When choosing a designer, make sure that you review their design portfolios to ensure that they do in fact specialize in retail and commercial design. Only industry professionals will know how to work with construction companies and navigate the inevitable barriers and obstacles that can plague design implementation processes.

Why Is Investing in a Designer Worth It?

Only designers have the network, knowledge, and experience to weave your brand, vision, and product together seamlessly in the built environment of your store. Additionally, retail designers are in tune with what fixtures and non-visual cues impact the customer experience, including sound, texture, and ambiance.

A professional designer will sit down with you to generate new ideas, educate you on retail habits, and even help you optimize your budget for a cost-effective project. Design is a constant movement forward, and a professional designer can help you consistently innovate and create your ideal customer experience for your unique retail space.

For more information on our retail design services, contact us today.

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In Blog

Why Choosing a Retail Store Layout is Important

According to Big Commerce, 51% of Americans would rather shop online, with 96% of Americans sharing that they’ve made at least one online purchase in their lifetime. With statistics like this, it’s no wonder that many retail stores are rebranding and renovating their storefronts to encourage foot traffic and reconnect with a lost customer base.

Part of this retail revitalization process is choosing a retail typology that aligns with a shop’s target consumer while optimizing sales. The layout of a retail shop can make a major difference in customer shopping habits, visual aesthetic, and overall profitability of the store.

Whether you’re in the midst of a retail redesign or are interested in working with a retail designer to incorporate a best-in-class layout into your new retail location, acquaint yourself with some common retail design typologies that can impact your branding, customer experience, and business success.

Why Choosing a Retail Store Layout Matters

The layout or floor plan of your retail store impacts how customers flow through your store. Retail designers are experts in understanding how customer flow can help stores optimize their sales process and can guide you towards the right store layout for your unique brand and products.

Types of Retail Store Layouts

In the modern market, there are four typical store layouts that are often used by retail storefronts of all sizes:

Free-flow store layouts: These layouts encourage customers to browse freely with no predetermined customer flow. This layout allows for maximum creativity, allowing for retail and shop owners to play around with product placement to see what customers organically wander towards.

Grid store layouts: Grid layouts are one of the most popular layouts in major grocery chains. With designated aisles, product always in sight, and areas of the store where themed or related products have their “home,” grid layouts are often put in place to maximize sales and encourage last-minute purchases.

Loop store layouts: Loop layouts are a spin on the grid layout for retail environments who want their customer flow to see as much product as possible. In this layout, customers are guided through a store “loop” with targeted products placed in specific locations.

Herringbone store layouts: Herringbone layouts are ideal for long and narrow retail spaces often seen in dense downtown cores and malls. This particular layout again takes after the traditional grid layout of large stores, but add space for comfort and relaxation in the midst of so much product in a small space.

If you’re trying to find the best store layout or retail typology for your unique retail space, take the time to think about the types of product you have, your location, available space, and how you want your customers to flow through the store. Retail designers can be of benefit to shop owners who want to maximize their sales and create a welcoming retail environment.

For more information on what kind of retail design will work best for your new retail store, don’t hesitate to contact us today.

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In Blog

The Benefits of Having a Retail Designer in Your Corner

Although there are plenty of sales being made daily on online shopping platforms, there is still something to be said about the comforting and engaging experience of shopping in a well-designed retail store.

To maximize a retail shop’s potential, many shop owners are turning to the expertise of retail designers to help them make informed decisions, plan their budgets, and work their brand into every aspect of visual storytelling that they can.

Whether you are opening a new retail store or are interested in rebranding to align better with your customer base, consider partnering with a retail designer who can provide benefits that you may not have thought to be possible through design.

What is Retail Design?

Retail design is the way in which aspects of your brand and story are integrated into your shop’s built environment. From the lighting in your store to well-designed window displays, retail design works to capture a potential customer’s attention and encourages them to step foot in your shop.

What Are the Benefits of Partnering with a Retail Designer?

Retail designers are industry professionals dedicated to helping you create a visual storytelling process that is custom tailored to your unique brand. When done correctly, best-in-class retail designers can help shop owners increase their return on investment (ROI) by ensuring that:

·      Product information is accessible to potential customers

·      Branding can be seen in all details of the retail environment

·      Customer flow is optimized to encourage purchases

The general floor plan of your retail shop has a major effect on your customer’s buying habits. Retail designers help store owners design a floor plan that showcases core products and encourages casual browsing.

Retail designers are also specialists in helping you voice your brand and create appealing visual aspects that reflect your values and products. The interior design fixtures and features of your shop play a big part in how a customer feels in your shop. By discussing the pros and cons of specific environmental choices like lighting, furniture, and sound in your space, a retail designer can help you create an ambiance that invites in your ideal customer.

Your vision may not always match the results when you take on the retail design process alone. However, when you work with a retail designer, you can generate new ideas, communicate your vision, and have it executed functionally and incorporated seamlessly into your retail environment.

Standing out amongst the crowd is key to retail success. A retail designer can help you establish yourself as a best-in-class shop that your ideal customer base will be drawn and create brand loyalty.

Want to know more about the benefits of hiring a retail designer?

Contact us today, and we’ll happily answer any questions that you may have.

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In Blog

Why Hire a Designer to Help with Your Retail Design and Management

The design and management of your retail store is part of a greater collective of people dedicated to opening a top-notch shop. The interior design of your retail store has a much greater impact on your potential customer’s experience than you may think, so choosing to invest a percentage of your budget in a professional retail design studio can deliver a high return on investment (ROI).

From your store layout to effective retail signage, your retail concept should be represented continuously in a well-designed and managed store. By working with a design expert to ensure that your store is inviting and inspires purchases, you can streamline your sales processes and create a best-in-class customer experience.

A Designer with Retail Design Experience

A retail designer is an experienced professional who helps shop owners cultivate their retail brand in the built environment. From signage to window displays, a retail designer will help you manage varying aspects of your store’s design concepts.

How Can Your Store Benefit from a Retail Designer?

Because a retail designer has a diverse skill set, they can help businesses create effective retail environments that promote sales and create an inviting and comforting experience for shoppers. They can also benefit your storefront in the following ways:

·      Retail designers will help you avoid mistakes. Because of their experience and knowledge in the industry, a retail designer is often equipped with a network of contractors and connections that can streamline your renovations and help you make the most out of your design and construction budget.

·      Retail designers can help you manage and make well-informed budget decisions. Creating a well-rounded and efficient budget for your retail store can be a painful process ridden with obstacles and challenges. However, retail designers boast their knowledge of regulations, zoning, and industry research to help you account for all budgetary needs to create a budget and future-forward plan to get your retail space off the ground.

·      Retail designers can help you manage your brand and create a cohesive design flow throughout your store. Your retail shop’s branding doesn’t stop with logo creation. Retail designers realize that your store’s story and brand should be woven into every detail of your store, and will work with you to manage your decision-making process and create an ambiance that reflects your brand.

Are You Ready to Optimize Your Retail Design and Management Process?

Choosing to work with a retail designer and manager is a worthy investment that both current and future shop owners should consider. Whether you’re in the midst of a rebrand or simply want to open a shop that entices your target consumer, your retail design will help you capture and retain a loyal customer base.

Want to learn more about what a retail designer help you with your new store?

Contact us today to discuss our future-forward services.

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In Blog

3 Types of Restaurant to Consider when Designing Your Restaurant

Restaurants around the globe each attempt to create a unique dining experience, differentiating themselves from their competition in many ways. However, the typology and overall concept of your restaurant are what drives a specific audience to your establishment, especially when they know that they’ll be met with the service and best-in-class cuisine that they expect.

The interior space of your restaurant is tied directly to the type of restaurant that you own. From how a server acts to what a customer plans to wear to your restaurant all depend on the predetermined typography of your restaurant. There are varying types of service that distinguishes your restaurant, such as:

High-End Fine Dining

In a fine dining restaurant, many people go for the overall experience just as much as they do the high-quality cuisine. Find dining establishments are set apart by their attention to detail and impeccable service. Often, these restaurants will have moody lighting that creates an intimate table experience, paired with high-quality service tailored to the customer’s immediate needs. For example, servers in high-end dining restaurants will be well-trained in proper decorum and know the answers to customer’s menu questions.

When it comes to design in high-end restaurant typology, there is often a distinct style, aesthetically pleasing fixtures, and a beautifully set dining area to provide customers with a luxurious restaurant experience.

Casual Dining Establishments

Casual restaurants are meant to help individual diners and families alike enjoy their meal in a relaxed setting. In casual dining restaurants, customers will often be allowed to walk-in and wait for a table without a reservation required, hence the “casual” title. These restaurants often have more set menu options for the convenience of the chefs and guests alike.

Design-wise, casual restaurants will often play music that aligns with the overall concept of the restaurant, while the design can be themed, cozy, or eclectic. The servers will be well-educated on their menu and take time to check-in during the dining experience.

Fast Food Restaurants

Most of us are familiar with fast food restaurants in some capacity. However, proper concept design and branding are key to making these establishments profitable, meaning that every detail has been carefully designed to increase sales and optimize the cooking process.

Bright colors work best in these restaurants, while the layout of the restaurant itself is quite flexible. Fast food restaurants can be stand-alone buildings, kiosks in malls, or even be held in food trucks.

People go to these restaurants for convenience, often expecting a simple dining area. Anna Samygina points out that the furniture may be created to be uncomfortable on purpose to deter customers from loitering once they’ve eaten their food.

No matter the type of concept you choose, the right restaurant type for you is the one that best reflects your location, values, and the needs of your target audience. We can help you cultivate your restaurant concept and design, so contact us today for more information.

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In Blog

How to Come up with a Restaurant Design Budget

Whether you’ve previously started a well-designed restaurant or are new to the industry, you are probably aware to just how vital of a role costs and budgeting play in your overall success. In many commercial spaces, there is a limited ability to make major changes or additions, meaning that the design of your restaurant must be able to fit within predetermined layouts and budgets.

To make the most out of your restaurant design budget, utilize the following tips and boldly move forward to design the restaurant of your dreams.

Why Budgeting and Design Experts Go Hand in Hand

The ultimate goal of any restaurant is to stand out amongst the crowd. To do so, many restaurant developers assume that they will need a large budget to work with to create a truly unique concept and customer experience. However, when you choose to work with a restaurant design team, you can stretch a modest budget further than you may have thought. Restaurant design experts know how to work around challenging spaces to showcase your concept, streamline renovations, and address any design obstacles that could be costly.

Designing with the Future in Mind

Whether you’re aiming to create a stand-alone restaurant or eventually break out into a chain, it’s important that you utilize your budget to avoid future problems. It’s better to make sure that you get the job done right the first time, rather than experience costly mistakes due to poor budgeting and design during your initial planning.

Restaurant Design Budget in the Kitchen

For the most part, a large chunk of any restaurant design budget will be used to repurpose and create a best-in-class kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of any successful restaurant, with plenty of moving parts that chefs and servers alike rely upon to keep service running smoothly. From plumbing to powering gas ranges, there are plenty of costs to consider when designing your kitchen. This should include a fund for inevitable repairs of large-scale commercial kitchen equipment.

How Much of Your Overall Budget Should Be Put Aside for Restaurant Design?

According to Aaron Allen & Associates, restaurant developers often spend around 10% of their construction budget on the design and planning of the restaurant. Additionally, they find that the cost of building a restaurant to be anywhere between $85 and $300 per square foot, but costs can increase as your restaurant uses more high-end materials, as are often used in fine dining establishments.

If you’re working within a set budget for your restaurant, discuss your options with a professional design studio who can help you avoid obstacles and bring your restaurant concept to life cost-effectively. For more information on creating a restaurant design budget for your future best-in-class dining establishment, contact us.

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In Blog

Why Restaurant Design and Branding go hand in hand?

In the first stages of opening a new and successful restaurant, there are a variety of critical elements to consider that will work together to create a solid foundation on which to start your business on. Things like your restaurant’s overlying concept, interior environment, and name all come together to create the brand of your restaurant.

If you’re unsure of how to cultivate branding that best represents your mission and values, an interior designer will work together with you to bring your restaurant concept and brand to life.

Why You Should Invest in Branding Your Restaurant

Your restaurant’s branding will go far beyond the type of food that you serve, although incorporating your menu into a cohesive brand is vital for success. Your brand is how your future customers will interpret your restaurant, aligning who you are with what you do. 

Branding is an important part of restaurant development, whether you’re opening a quick stop restaurant or one that provides a high-end dining experience.

People are drawn to places that feel comfortable and inviting, and your restaurant’s brand is what will help your target audience’s decision-making process when deciding between your restaurant and another. Your branding is what helps you stand out amongst the competition which is especially important in a saturated industry like food and hospitality.

How to Succeed at Restaurant Branding

To create a restaurant brand that is distinguishable and enticing, focus your attention on perfecting these specific restaurant design areas to highlight the uniqueness of your offerings:

Create an engaging concept. Your restaurant’s concept ties together all other aspects of your brand. If you’re open to taking a path less traveled, look at gaps in your local market and cultivate a concept that will entice future customers. If you’re in an area where there are not a lot of casual-style restaurants, consider creating a laid-back concept that invites people in to sit back and enjoy a good, fairly-priced meal.

Set the tone with the right interior environment. If a customer’s expectations are met with the right service and an interior environment that ties into their perception of your restaurant, chances are that they’ll tell others about it. The interior environment of your restaurant goes much further than what it looks like.

Creating a certain ambiance that matches your concept and overall brand helps customers remember their experience. From the right lighting to the use of color in your space, every facet of your interior design goes a long way to creating a lasting brand for your unique restaurant.

When it comes to branding, cultivating a best-in-class concept paired with the right interior ambiance helps you connect with your customers. When you work with an interior designer to create your restaurant’s brand, they’ll help you instill your brand into the smallest touches that create a truly memorable customer experience.

For more information on how an interior designer can help you brand your restaurant and bring your concepts to life, contact us today.

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In Blog

What Defines a Good Restaurant Brand?

A good restaurant brand doesn’t just happen. Rather, it is the result of meticulous attention to detail, expert storytelling, and a consistent effort to innovate with every decision. Best-in-class restaurant branding is smart, customer-centric, and can be easily interpreted throughout the interior environment of a restaurant.

With the right strategies, help from a professional designer, and a dedication to enhancing the customer experience, your restaurant can portray its unique brand in a bold way.

Why is Branding So Vital for Overall Success?

Branding is much more than the logo on your menus and your exterior sign. It is a careful weaving of minor details that align with your restaurants underlying mission, values, and concept. There are various factors that define a good restaurant brand, with the key concepts being:

Your restaurant’s menu: The type of cuisine that you serve may be the most obvious way of defining your brand for your customers. From the font you choose to the way that you describe your food options all tie into your larger brand. For example, if you’re a casual dining establishment, you may consider wording your menu in a “humanized” way, so that it sounds like the menu itself is having a conversation with you.

When designing your menu and the type of food that you offer, make sure that it is streamlined to your concept. Busy menus with too many options can be confusing for customers or create a perception of messiness.

Your restaurant’s name: When we think of branding, the name and logo of your restaurant is often the first thought of restaurant owners or operation managers. Your name is the gateway into your concept; without a clear name, decoding your offerings is near impossible for an outsider. A professional designer would encourage you to choose a name that is simple, easy to say, and clear to read.

Presentation: Good restaurant branding includes creating an ambiance that fits your concept and creates an atmosphere suited to your customer’s expectations. If you’re opening a fine dining establishment, it’s important that your utensils and furniture are high-quality, background sound is soft and soothing, and that your lighting is moody to create an intimate dining experience.

Service: In the same way that presentation of your built environment is vital to good branding, service that matches your concept is critical. Service differs between restaurant typologies, and once again, should match customer’s expectations upon walking in. Traditionally, fast-food restaurants only have service staff behind the counter, while high-end dining establishments are met at the door by a staff member dedicated to providing them with impeccable service.

All of the above facets of a restaurant come together to create an overarching brand that is accessible to your customers and functional for you. As a restaurant owner or manager, it’s your responsibility to create a brand that sets you apart from the competition.

If you’re interested in partnering with an experienced design studio to cultivate an engaging restaurant brand, get in touch with us today.

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In Blog

Choosing a Restaurant Concept, Which Can Affect Design

Whether you’ve finally made the decision to open your first dream restaurant or are working on expanding your restaurant ownership career, choosing a restaurant concept is one of  – if not the most – important part of cultivating a solid foundation. The concept that you decide on will be your starting point in creating an engaging, welcoming, and sophisticated space that will stay in your customer’s minds.

If you’re venturing into the restaurant industry and need some assistance in how to design a branding concept that will engage your future customers, use the following tips and tricks to guide you through the restaurant concept design process.

Why Does Your Restaurant Need a Design Concept?

Often, the design concept that your restaurant chooses can have a great impact on the overall essence and message that your restaurant portrays. This undefined messaging is what tugs at a customer’s heartstrings and determines how they feel while dining in your establishment.

When choosing your restaurant concept, there are a variety of considerations to be made carefully, including the type of food that you’ll focus on serving, the ambiance you would like to present to customers, and your prices. Even the name that you choose for your restaurant goes a long way in presenting your concept to potential customers.

Varying characteristics of your restaurant should weave together to form a cohesive story to that interests – and maybe even inspires – your target clientele.

Consider the Type of Cuisine You Want to Offer

The most important part of a restaurant is obviously the type of food that you serve. Food style often defines the other design concepts of your restaurant, including the environment, theme, and price point of the cuisine you serve. If you’re open to different restaurant concepts or undecided on how you want to present your restaurant, nailing down the type of cuisine you specialize in will help you determine the other key facets of your concept.

How Much Will You Charge for Your Cuisine?

Deciding on your restaurant’s pricing guide and menu is integral in defining your concept. If you’re interested in creating a fine dining environment, it is likely that you’ll have to have a higher price point than a restaurant that chooses a more casual concept.

Decide on Your Restaurant Name

Your restaurant’s name will have a big impact on your future customer’s perception of your business, the type of food you serve, and what they can expect during a dining experience with you. Some restaurant owners choose to name their establishment to showcase the type of food they serve, while others try to create an aura of mystery or hidden meaning in their name. Whatever name you decide, ensure that it carries some significance and that the design concepts of your restaurant reflect your choice.

When cultivated well, your restaurant’s concept can be integrated into your menu, name, and interior design. If you’re amid a restaurant rebrand or new development, contact us for help with your restaurant concept and design process.