architecture and design - Lifestyle Strategy and Design

Image © StephanPyles.com

High-end restaurants used to be an "event." The eatery was the destination, and you dressed to the nines, donning your pearls and shining your shoes.

But lately, upscale eateries are taking cues from the atmospheres at local dive bars. En masse, high-end, chef-driven restaurants are becoming more casual in both aesthetics and ambiance. Why? My research and observations indicates that diners desire high quality food and service, but they also want the informal comfort and ownership of a neighborhood haunt.

Late baby boomers and Gen Xers seem to be driving this trend-—they have a higher expendable income, appreciate luxury, and will still pay $40 a plate, but at the same time are more casual in both appearance and lifestyle. Restaurants like Stephan Pyles in downtown Dallas meets both of these needs: superior local and seasonal food in a beautiful setting that’s free from ostentation.

So what can architects and interior designers do to accommodate restaurants’ changing casual dynamic?

Rely on the bones of the building. Exposed beams and stripped walls speak to the authenticity of a place, and contribute to customers' comfort with and connection to the restaurant.
Minimize materials. Stained concrete floors, dimmer lighting and simple settings do away with pretense.
Create cocoons. Ambient noise and the proper furniture arrangements can allow groups to cocoon themselves for a feeling of privacy and ownership amidst a bustling restaurant. No one wants a restaurant so quiet that it enhances eavesdropping; creating a casual environment includes enhancing the atmosphere as well as the aesthetics.

I predict this dining-trend will continue for the next couple of years, and I believe strongly that tracking and reacting to consumer trends is the best way to help restaurants adapt to the ever-changing cultural climate. So don’t pack up the pearls forever, but you probably don’t need them for dinner.

Ross Conway is a design director for the Lifestyle studio in Gensler’s Dallas office. With over 29 years of design experience, Ross is recognized as a restaurant specialist. He has designed eateries in every venue imaginable and has a wealth of retail-knowledge and consumer trends. His work includes all aspects of retail and restaurant design from ground up base building construction to graphic design. Contact him at ross_conway@gensler.com.