Key Trends for Restaurant Design in 2019

As home delivery apps continue to entice large numbers of customers away from going out in the evenings, restaurants are having to work harder to get people through the door. Central to this is design, which has never been a more vital component to the dining experience. Here we look at some of the most important restaurant design trends in the coming year

Instagram-ready environments

If delivery apps are keeping people away from brick and mortar establishments, Instagram is pulling them in, as more and more people engage in activities that contribute to the quality of their feed. For restaurants, this means a unique and photogenic environment, mixing whimsical details and unexpected contrasts to provide an environment that camera-ready diners will flock to.

Newly opened in the Soho area of London, Scarlett Green restaurant and bar, designed by Run For The Hills, combines a mixture of furniture with distressed walls and vintage décor. Image courtesy of Run for the Hills

Ester Bruzkus Architekten’s design for Berlin, Germany, restaurant LA Poke features details and colours that are designed to reference David Hockney’s painting A Bigger Splash. Image courtesy of Ester Bruzkus Architekten

Mean Noodles in Hong Kong, which is designed by OpenUU, combines bright colours with detailed tiling and bold signage. Image courtesy of OpenUU

Sella Concept’s design for Omar's Place, a tapas restaurant in London, the UK, features deep green and orange hues to evoke a sense of the Mediterranean. Image courtesy of Sella Concept

Setsugekka Japanese Cuisine by Shanghai Hip-Pop Architectural Decoration Co in Jilin Sheng, China features bold colours provided by daring lighting. Image courtesy of Shanghai Hip-Pop Architectural Decoration Co

Camilla Deterre’s design for Primo’s bar in Tribeca, US, features a palette of bold colours paired with deep wood. Image courtesy of Primo’s

Setsugekka Japanese Cuisine by Shanghai Hip-Pop Architectural Decoration Co in Jilin Sheng, China features bold colours provided by daring lighting. Image courtesy of Shanghai Hip-Pop Architectural Decoration Co

Deep colours and hues

In contrast to the dusky pastels of the last few years, deep, and rich colours are making a comeback, adding warmth to restaurant interiors. In particular, bold reds and blue-greens are becoming increasingly present, with many schemes using multiple contrasting bold shades. Material selection and lighting is particularly vital to this trend to maintain a sense of luxury.

Organic shapes

A reaction to the geometric and Memphis trends that have become widespread over the last few years, organic and irregular shapes are becoming increasingly present across interior design, particularly in restaurants. In many cases this is being paired with wood, as the desire for environmentally aware interiors continues.

Designed by Infinity Nide, Chitchat By Shu River in Foshan, China features undulating screens to divide the space created using traditional bamboo weaving. Image courtesy of Infinity Nide

Designed by Gustavo Penna Arquiteto e Associados, Ateliê Wäls restaurant in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, features a dramatic curved canopy that is designed to reference beer barrels. Image courtesy of Gustavo Penna Arquiteto e Associados

Premium yakiniku restaurant in Tokyo, Japan, which is designed by Ryoji Iedokoro Architecture Office, creates a cave-like environment using layered, curved chipboard. Image courtesy of Ryoji Iedokoro Architecture Office

Designed by Infinity Nide, Chitchat By Shu River in Foshan, China features undulating screens to divide the space created using traditional bamboo weaving. Image courtesy of Infinity Nide

The Workstead-designed Garden & Gun Club in Atlanta, the US, pairs dark wood with black walls and low lighting for a moody feel. Image courtesy of Workstead

Carpenter & Mason’s design for New York, US, restaurant Tonchin New York features indigo walls and dark wooden benches and booths. Image courtesy of Carpenter & Mason

CATCH, a seafood restaurant in Kyiv, Ukraine, designed by YoDezeen studio features dark wood teamed with raw brick and black leather. Image courtesy of YoDezeen studio

Dark wood

Dark wood furniture and joinery is also seeing a comeback, with the rise of so-called Scandi Noir propelling stained black wood back into popularity. In the restaurant environment this is being paired with soft textures, subtle lighting and warm metals to provide a luxurious yet cosy dining experience. Man-made surface providers are also producing wood-effect products in these shades.

Zero-waste design

Zero waste is set to be one of the key trends of 2019 when it comes to restaurant menus, so it is no surprise that the trend is extending to restaurant design. This is driving a rise in recycled and raw, unfinished materials – particularly those that provide a sense of their prior use. Combined with these materials are industrial details and simple, stark lighting.