Welcome to the future of restaurants! Many restaurants and cafes are looking to improve their experience with their new customers, but they might not realize that the way their space is set up might be the culprit! Discover how a new type of design can help you attract new customers, increase your profit margins, and improve your mood.
Did you know that the most pleasant places in our lives seem to be those with greenery? Plants can help with mental and physical health, calming emotions, and reducing stress. There is a growing movement that recognizes the importance of biophilic design – designing environments around nature that benefit people’s health and wellbeing.
In this article, we are explaining how restaurants and cafes can improve their experience with a wall garden because of the benefits of biophilic design. We discuss how plants attract people and help create a more relaxing and happier experience for customers, which is what most restaurants strive for.
Read on to find out more about how restaurants and cafes can improve their experience with this design style!
What is Biophilic Design?
Biophilic design is a way to create spaces that are both healthy and sustainable. The key elements of a biophilic space include natural materials, natural light, and daylighting. This could be anything from a green space, to large windows, or even just seeing nature every day in the form of plants. These factors lead to improved mood and productivity in spaces that are well-designed and help us reconnect with nature.
The idea that people are drawn to places that have positive effects on their health is commonsense and we’re thrilled it’s getting more attention. It’s becoming recognized as an important part of green building efforts and can lead to significant improvements in human happiness and well-being. As restaurant and cafe owners, you surely want to provide a relaxing and joyful experience for your patrons and a wall garden could be just the solution for you.
Benefits of Biophilic Design in Restaurants and Cafes
As the pace of life has quickened, people are craving all-day access to 24/7 food. With new restaurants opening on average every day, it is crucial that establishments establish a unique identity while also offering customers an exceptional experience. Biophilic design can help you create a unique space that will incorporate healthy habits into your existing business.
In order to improve the restaurant and cafe experience with a biophilic design, a few key actions need to be taken. First, restaurants must understand that biophilic design is not just about green space. It is also about the use of natural materials and textures as well as the incorporation of plants for color and decoration.
Next, restaurants must incorporate natural materials into their furniture such as wood, stone, tile, and fabric. And finally, they must consider all aspects of the physical layout of their business such as where the entrance is located and how it guides guests through their establishment.
How to Incorporate Biophilic Design in a Restaurant or Cafe
The best way to attract biophilic customers is by creating a space that not only feels good but also has a positive impact on the environment. The design of a restaurant or cafe should incorporate biophilic principles so it’s not just a place for people to eat, but a place where they want to be.
The great thing about biophilic design, this truly innovative yet obvious approach, is that it takes humans, nature, and their connection into account when designing places. This method can range from landscaping and site planning to the interior of buildings and products.
The growing trend of sustainability and reimmersion in nature is an excellent way to improve your restaurant or cafe experience, though it can really work for any type of business, office, and even homes. Here are some ideas that will help you get started with a biophilic design. It can be implemented in a restaurant or cafe, with the help of the following strategies: reducing noise levels, maximizing light exposure, creating tight connections to nature, adding more plants, etc.
Creating Tight Connections with Nature
There is a science that can help improve your restaurant and cafe experience with biophilic design. This science has been around for thousands of years, yet people are just beginning to understand how it can affect customer behavior. Biophilic design incorporates human interaction and the environment as well as natural stimulants like plants and other objects found in nature.
Most people eat out for a variety of reasons. Some like the convenience and familiarity of a restaurant or cafe, others enjoy the thrill of trying new foods and drinks. Whatever their reason, you should make sure that it always feels like an amazing experience. Research has shown that human beings have an innate need for nature and we can feel satisfied with just a few minutes of interaction with natural environments. Whether you’re designing a restaurant or a cafe, the biophilic design will ensure that your customers feel like they’re part of the place where they’re interacting.
Reducing Noise Levels with a Wall Garden
Noise is an unavoidable part of the typical restaurant experience but the sound levels in a kitchen can be loud and cumbersome. The good news is that there are many ways to reduce noise levels in your restaurant or cafe by using appropriate materials and other design elements such as acoustics, light, and music selections.
Another effective way to reduce noise levels is by using a wall garden. The idea behind the wall garden is to use plants and their noise-absorbing properties to reduce noise levels by filling up the sound-blocking space with greenery. Living or preserved wall gardens can help reduce noise levels by 20-30%. This makes it easier for employees to hear each other and also helps create an overall calm atmosphere.
A biophilic restaurant or cafe should create a tranquil retreat from a hectic day. The sound-absorbing wall garden is a common feature of many restaurants and cafes. These living walls are placed on the back wall of the restaurant or cafe, or as separators between booths and tables, which reduces noise levels. It also increases the overall ambiance of the space, making it feel more open and relaxing, giving off a feeling of nature.
Incorporating a Naturalist wall garden in your restaurant or cafe can not only reduce the noise levels but also introduce a unique and beautiful sight for your customers. Delight and reenergize your patrons by installing our signature, one-of-a-kind piece, and don’t worry! Our wall gardens don’t require any maintenance. They are good to go without soil, direct sunlight, or an irrigation system. All you have to do post-installation is enjoy them and watch how your restaurant/cafe becomes the next hip thing for the nature-conscious and Instagram-loving generation of patrons.
Maximizing Light Exposure
One of the most important factors in a restaurant or cafe is light. This is because a well-lit establishment will have a much positive effect on customers, as it makes for an overall more inviting atmosphere that can help increase sales and revenues.
Have you ever been to a restaurant or coffee shop that just seemed too dark? Maybe the lights were just turned down low, but they weren’t as bright as they could be. Generally, the effects of light on mood are significant. This is why it’s important to use caution when selecting lighting for your space.
In order to give people a more enjoyable experience, some restaurants and cafes have started using biophilic design as a way to enhance the “feel.” This is when designers create environments that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also keep people feeling more at home.
If you want to make your restaurant and cafe atmosphere better for customers and staff alike, consider implementing these principles and maximizing light exposure to create a “bio-friendly” environment. In order to optimize your lighting, make sure that your cafe or restaurant has a lot of natural light coming from windows, walls, ceilings, and appropriate lighting fixtures that will mimic natural light.
Add More Plants
We all know that plants increase the oxygen levels in a room. However, most people don’t realize that indoor plants can enhance their mood and reduce stress levels. When they’re used in restaurants and cafes, they can create an excellent atmosphere that is uniquely appealing to biophilic customers.
The biophilic effect makes it feel good to be surrounded by plants. In a study, people who were given plants in their office reported greater feelings of safety, belonging, and well-being. This is likely due to the increased levels of oxygen from plants being delivered into rooms. For this reason, you should consider adding more plants to your space as a design feature.
When people come into a space, they feel at home when they see plants. Plants give the feeling of being in nature and they keep people in touch with their environment. Adding more plants to your cafe or restaurant will make it more inviting to customers. But aside from providing a calming atmosphere to those dining or stopping in for drinks, plants also act as natural air filters, which eliminates any unpleasant odors that may be present in the room.
Offer Comfortable Indoor and Outdoor Seating Inspired by Nature
Customers often expect the food they order in restaurants to be delivered quickly. However, when you design your restaurant with a biophilic design, this expectation changes. The more time people spend outside in nature, the more likely they are to enjoy their meal and come back for more. This is because the biophilic design is about delivering an experience that our bodies crave. It’s about offering comfortable indoor and outdoor spaces inspired by nature where people can feel at one with their surroundings.
In order to take advantage of the healing power of nature, a restaurant should work with natural materials and colors. It is important for a restaurant to offer comfortable seating because people spend a lot of time in the establishment. Many restaurants are moving towards the concept of nature-inspired design for their outdoor and indoor seating. There is evidence that suggests that people feel more relaxed in an environment that has natural elements incorporated into it.
One way to improve your restaurant and cafe experience is by designing indoor and outdoor seating that feels like the outdoors. To accomplish this, think about what you want people to feel while they are dining at your place. What would nature provide?
Using materials such as leather, stone, and wood is an excellent way to invite nature indoors or to emphasize it outdoors. Furniture pieces like live edge tables and epoxy resin tables are a natural addition to a restaurant or cafe that wants to incorporate biophilic design elements in their space. Our rich furniture collections feature many pieces that go along with the principles of biophilic design and provide a splendid comfort and a unique look. You can check them out in our gallery and get inspired for your restaurant or cafe transformation.
Ideas for Using Biophilic Design in a Restaurant or Cafe
Following are some of our favorite restaurant and cafe project. We were thrilled to have had the opportunity to invite nature indoors and create magnificent pieces of art that now captivate the visitors of these incredible nature-loving establishments.
First up was our Halifax project. This charming restaurant combines elegance and sustainability in both its menus and design. Naturalist team of horticulturists, designers, and installers worked together with the owners to bring their vision to life. We created an incredible moss wall and planter that bring green energy and nature to this vibrant place. Using preserved bun moss, reindeer moss, and many other lush and green plants, we designed wall gardens that will last for up to 5 years and keep providing an unparalleled experience in this restaurant.
Another one of our cherished projects was a team effort with Beth Donner. Together we reinvented the interior of Umberto’s Pizza by adding a spectacular preserved wall garden. Using whimsical swirls made out of a variety of moss plants, we were hoping to add a lighter and more lively atmosphere into this incredible space. You can read more about this venture and enjoy more photos right here.
Introduce Biophilic Design Into Your Restaurant or Cafe Today with Naturalist
If you’re ready to transform your restaurant or cafe with elements of biophilic design like stunning wall gardens or one-of-a-kind live edge furniture, contact us today. Our team is ready and delighted to help you invite nature into your space!