In the same way that fashion trends come and go throughout the seasons, so do restaurant interiors. In recent years, we’ve seen a huge shift in the way restaurants design their spaces – with a lot more emphasis put on the way a venue looks, as well as just great customer service and top notch food.

Today we’re looking at some of the top current trends for restaurant design, and how different seating styles can complement them.

Communal eating spaces

Eating and drinking have always been social activities. Whether you’re having a drink with your friends, enjoying a meal with your wife, or celebrating a family birthday in style – restaurants can usually accommodate all kinds of social occasions.

With market-style restaurants becoming more popular, some venues have started taking the social aspect even further with communal eating spaces.

Think long, canteen-style tables with bench seating for added comfort. Anyone can sit anywhere – so choose your food, pick a seat and start chatting!

Plants and green spaces

The urban jungle concept has been growing for a while now, and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. From extravagant living walls to individual hanging plants, more and more restaurants are choosing to add a touch of nature to their space.

If you don’t have much natural light, you could consider some faux plants, or even a patterned palm-print wallpaper to get the look.

To complement your new statement walls and accents, opt for some plain back banquette seating. A bold colour or a simple neutral will look stunning, and you won’t be taking any attention away from your new greenery.

This style of seating also lends itself to easy maintenance, so you can focus on keeping your plants alive.

Mix and matched furniture

Another key, upcoming trend for restaurant interiors is the mix and matched style of furniture. Gone are the days of uniform tables and chairs – customers are looking for a little more variety in their favourite restaurants now.

Using a combination of banquette, booth, bench and poseur seating, you can ensure your restaurant has the flexibility your guests are looking for.

Wooden elements

Whether it’s reclaimed pallet board furniture, beautiful parquet flooring, or mid-century teak accents – it’s clear that wooden elements is an interiors trend that’s taking over the restaurant world.

An interesting way to incorporate this trend into your restaurant seating is with beautifully designed plinths.

Plinths are used to enclose fixed seating to the floor as a design feature, and they are an ideal way to keep the area between the seat base and the floor clean and tidy.

With a range of wooden finishes available, this could be the unique take on the trend you’ve been looking for.

At Craftwood, we produce bespoke seating that is tailored to your needs and requirements. Take a look at our restaurant seating page.