Igloo Design

Are you considering opening a coffee shop? It may seem like a trend but these coffee shops are popping up all over the country and people of all ages are stopping by for more than just a cup-o-Joe.

Coffee shops or coffeehouses as they are known are becoming more popular for meeting places and social groups. Not everyone feels comfortable hanging out in a bar at “happy hour” to meet with their friends if they don’t drink alcohol, but at a coffeehouse everyone can find something to imbibe and many coffeehouses are open late.

These coffee houses offer a relaxed atmosphere, which beckon their visitors to sit and stay awhile. Many are open in the evening and offer entertainment.

Coffee has now become more than the morning drink that gets you going, with all the flavors and choices, people love to consume coffee any time of day, which makes the reason for the coffeehouse a great business opportunity.

If you are considering opening a coffee house, you should consider a design agency with experience in  Restaurant Design. You may think all that is required is the coffee machines and a few comfortable chairs but what really inspires people to come back time and again is the story your coffeehouse tells. For example, if you are considering a coffeehouse in a seaside town, there is certainly a lot of history to be uncovered; newspaper stories, old photos and various paraphernalia, which can be displayed to tell the story of the town. Visitors love this. If you are going for a more bohemian look, your designer will be able to keep this Branding throughout all your designs and if it is an uptake on a modern look, again, a design firm can show you small details from lighting to the coffee mugs to enhance the feel of a modern-day coffeehouse

More than 400 billion cups of coffee are drunk each year, so if you want to join in the business with a passion for what a true coffeehouse is all about, contact an interior design firm and tell them the story you want your coffeehouse to tell.

When we think about design trends, particularly in the restaurant industry, we think of hip, chic urban lounges or subtle, yet elegant high-end restaurants.  Rarely do we think about fast food places, much less McDonald’s.

Yet it is nonetheless instructive to bring up recent news that McDonald’s plans a major face-lift in all its outlets.  And that’s because even if you never plan on going to a McDonald’s, the conversations they had – about branding, marketing, and the image they want to convey to customers – is one that can make or break a restaurant.

First, the news itself: McDonald’s plans to redesign all of its restaurants within the next ten years.  Gone are the plastic-looking tables, the bright yellows and reds, and the kitschy vibe that echoes the 1950s.  Instead, they’ll be installing LED lights and incorporating stone, wood, and glass.  The result?  A more aesthetically clean, streamlined, and modern look.

So what can other restaurants take away from this?  Well, first, it’s pretty obvious that McDonald’s is making a bold and unmistakable strategic shift around their brand.  The new design conveys sophistication – more Starbucks and less, well, Burger King.  And ultimately, this is the kind of thought exercise – understanding the link between commercial interior design and branding – that every restaurant should have.

When it comes to how customers respond to a space’s interior design, there is a very fine line between aesthetic success and failure.

Think, for example, of that cozy coffee shop from your college years.  The sofas were a little grimy, the lighting a bit too dim, and the furniture was likely pulled from a local thrift store.  But the aesthetics suited you, the hard-working college student, just fine.  Walk into it ten years later, however, and the impression can be quite different.

Ultimately, these little variances of impression that can be the difference between a “hip” and “sleek” new restaurant design versus a “cold” and “sterile” one, which is exactly where we come in.

The customer experience is deceptively complex – that initial first impression is in fact the customer reacting to a brand, and that brand must be based on a focused and coherent strategy.  In other words, we help our clients navigate that fine line between aesthetic success and failure by linking the space’s design to a strategy attuned to an establishment’s brand and their customers’ preferences.

You may not think that an interior design firm can help your small business with their branding, but that is exactly what they do. Branding takes place as soon as the customer hears your business’ name, visits your company’s website or walks into your store. The interior design firm works on branding from the outside in with designs and aesthetics, but what are the things a business owner can do to brand from the inside out?

Keeping your logo, tagline, business cards, website, letters, brochures, etc. consistent with the company’s colors and the chosen typeface is very important for increasing a company’s brand recognition. Hiring an expert might be necessary to make sure that that the image and the message your business begins sending out is homogenous with your designs and the general feel of your business. This might mean more in upfront costs, but in the long run, your business will be clear in its direction and that can save you lots of money later.

Continually send press releases to the media and regularly post them to your website. If you have a blog, write in it often, get involved in social media and stay in touch with your customers.

Get involved in a charity and participate in local and national industry trade shows or conferences.

Get to know your target audience really well and when you write, write as if you are speaking directly to them. Develop your niche and plug why your company is different and better than the competition.

Keep your website and all social media sites current. If you have to hire a writer to do so, then do so. Make sure the writers understand your branding goals and will keep your brand consistent with all of a customer’s social experiences with your company.

Branding your business is the way to remind customers about who you are and what you do well. Name recognition is instrumental in developing that perceived value of your business. Then, when you have loyal customers, your business’ name will resonate with the actual value your business offers.

Are you considering opening a coffee shop? It may seem like a trend but these coffee shops are popping up all over the country and people of all ages are stopping by for more than just a cup-o-Joe.

Coffee shops or coffeehouses as they are known are becoming more popular for meeting places and social groups. Not everyone feels comfortable hanging out in a bar at “happy hour” to meet with their friends if they don’t drink alcohol, but at a coffeehouse everyone can find something to imbibe and many coffeehouses are open late.

These coffee houses offer a relaxed atmosphere, which beckon their visitors to sit and stay awhile. Many are open in the evening and offer entertainment.

Coffee has now become more than the morning drink that gets you going, with all the flavors and choices, people love to consume coffee any time of day, which makes the reason for the coffeehouse a great business opportunity.

If you are considering opening a coffee house, you should consider a design agency with experience in  Restaurant Design. You may think all that is required is the coffee machines and a few comfortable chairs but what really inspires people to come back time and again is the story your coffeehouse tells. For example, if you are considering a coffeehouse in a seaside town, there is certainly a lot of history to be uncovered; newspaper stories, old photos and various paraphernalia, which can be displayed to tell the story of the town. Visitors love this. If you are going for a more bohemian look, your designer will be able to keep this Branding throughout all your designs and if it is an uptake on a modern look, again, a design firm can show you small details from lighting to the coffee mugs to enhance the feel of a modern-day coffeehouse

More than 400 billion cups of coffee are drunk each year, so if you want to join in the business with a passion for what a true coffeehouse is all about, contact an interior design firm and tell them the story you want your coffeehouse to tell.