Bar Design Basics: Putting Together a Space for Customers to Enjoy
A lot of bars have sprouted across the country, thanks to a growing clientele of bargoers who want to relax and enjoy the company of friends while drinking their favourite beer, wine or cocktail. As a bar owner, this means that you’re up against strong competition, so you really need to step up your game and make sure that you stand out from the rest.
Whether you’re opening a new establishment or reinventing an old space, you need to consider design as one of the most important factors to the success of your bar. This is because your layout will be the first thing that customers will notice once they walk in, and they need to be attracted to it for them to stay in your space and enjoy their drinks. But how can you put together a bar that your customers will enjoy? Here are some bar design basics that you need to nail down:
Think About the Bare Essentials of a Bar
Chances are, you also have a favourite bar, and there are things about it that make you come back often. Think about those same things when you put your bar design together. Whether you’re just offering a bar or you’re combining it with a restaurant, you need to make sure that your customers can easily access the area without any tables getting in the way. Consider this when planning your table layout, so the bar has enough space for people to sit and move around. You don’t want people walking out just because they can’t get to your bartender in time, or they have to battle with other customers just to reach your bar.
You also need to think about that wall behind your bar because that’s precious location for not only keeping your most precious liquors, wines and other libations, but it also serves as a focal point for your bar since that wall takes up a huge amount of your vertical space. If you look at most bars, that back wall is always well designed and placed with shelves where you can display all your products for customers to see easily.
Think About Your Space
A bar doesn’t have to be huge to work. If you have a small space to work with, you just need to be extra clever with your design and layout. One of the best ways to navigate your way through this challenge is to consult a company like HE2020 that can offer you different bar designs depending on the space that you have. This will not only help you save time and money in putting your bar together, but it will also help you make the best use of the space that you have.
Think About Your Theme
A good bar doesn’t always have to be rustic or minimal. In fact, bars these days already vary in style and design depending on the look and feel that you want to achieve. There’s a common denominator among all bars, however, and that is comfort. People go to bars to relax after a busy week, treat themselves for milestones or just simply catch up with friends, so you need to think about that when designing your bar. Do your research and think about a theme that will best work with the existing space and location of your business. Just remember to keep things minimal since bars can’t be stuffed with too many things because they will look cluttered and busy.
Think About a Piano Area
If it fits your theme, having a piano bar is a great way to attract customers, especially if you want to offer live entertainment to make your business different from others. You can hire a piano player and singer to play for your customers on certain days of the week, so everyone can enjoy a great atmosphere while they drink their favourite liquors. Although it’s an investment, a piano area will add to that luxurious feel of your bar even if you keep other design details to a minimum.
Think About Storage
When people walk into your bar, they expect you to offer cold beverages and a wide range of other libations that can be put together by your bartender. With this, you’ll need a ton of storage where your staff can get easy access to the beverages that your customers want. This is where you can benefit from having your own fridge or display case depending on the space that you have for your bar. If you have a small space, you can go with an underbar display case where beverages are easily seen, and they can be organised in a way that they are attractive to customers.
Aside from that back wall, you can also maximise your countertop to display some of your equipment to add more style and character to your bar. Just make sure that everything is organised properly, so that your bar looks attractive all the time. Investing in pieces that double as storage and display will not only help you maximise your space but also ensure that you can operate your business efficiently. Think about your appliances when putting together your bar design, so you can accommodate everything without affecting how your staff moves around your bar.
Think About Your Menu
Of course, you can’t focus on design and layout alone. You also need to create a menu that will work for the space that you have. A lot of bars make the mistake of offering too many options to customers and end up not being able to live up to their expectations. Keep your menu simple but with some good offerings that patrons can always come back to. You also have the option to offer food alongside your drinks to ensure more satisfaction among customers.
So, are you ready to put together a well-designed bar that will make you stand out? Follow these tips to get started.