A restaurant is a meeting place to enjoy good food with family and friends and a haven from the busyness of life. So, the décor should be welcoming and pleasant and set the mood. One of the best ways to accomplish these things is with color. When doing restaurant painting, there are important principles to consider when creating the ambience you desire.

There are several areas in a restaurant, and the needs for coverage and color may vary, as well as the finish required in each room. These include the reception area, the dining room and the kitchen. It is important to make a positive first impression, so the entry way or reception area should be warm and inviting and since it’s a high traffic area, it may need a Satin finish that is washable. Don’t forget to have proper lighting in this area to show off the color and design and help diners find their way to their tables.

The dining room or front of the house is the showplace and a flat paint that has a low glare would be softer and more relaxing. When planning restaurant painting, it’s important to remember that the dining area and kitchen are opposites when it comes to paint needs.

For the kitchen, ease of cleaning is vital, so a gloss or semi-gloss would be durable and washable and would also be tough enough to stand up to frequent scrubbing.

Once you have decided on the finish for each area, it is time to choose your colors. Select a color for your restaurant painting that complements the type of restaurant and the atmosphere or mood you want to convey. Diners often remember the atmosphere of a restaurant as much as the food that is served. It is well-known that the color red stimulates appetite, but use it in smaller areas as an accent so that it isn’t too overpowering. People seem to feel comfortable in rooms painted green and they associate it with nature, so green can be soothing. However, yellow is considered irritating and diners will not stay as long in an eating place that is painted yellow. This may be fine in a fast food establishment, since there is usually a faster turnover in customers.

Plan your colors according to the type of restaurant. Is it a fast food place? Then use vibrant colors such as a variety of reds or oranges. If you have a smaller café, try restaurant painting in bold, solid colors. Stay away from primary colors in an upscale restaurant, and lean toward more neutral tones that add elegance, such as shades of brown or gray. A health food café would be painted in natural colors such as green and tan. If your restaurant serves ethnic cuisine, use colors that complement the areas of the world that you are highlighting with your food.

Whether you are opening a new restaurant or want to improve the appearance of your eating establishment, restaurant painting is a very important part of your design and for setting the right mood for your customers. If they feel good and relaxed there, they will want to return often because they enjoy the food and they feel refreshed by the atmosphere.

Author Kirsten Ghaster

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