Our advice on hotel furniture
Establish a regular dialogue with the hotel teams to understand their day-to-day activities. This close interaction will allow you to accurately identify their needs, creating a solid foundation for bespoke furniture design. By understanding the inner workings of their tasks, you’ll be able to maximise the operational efficiency of staff by simplifying their responsibilities.
However, bear in mind that furniture optimisation should not only meet the needs of staff, but also the high expectations of customers.
So incorporate both perspectives into the design, to ensure a harmonious hotel environment where operational efficiency and customer satisfaction coexist in a balanced way.
Talk to the hotel staff
Practicality first
Choosing the right material
Creating the illusion that the hotel is moving upmarket
The idea of giving the illusion that the hotel is moving upmarket is based on a meticulous selection of furniture and decoration. By choosing high-quality, modern elements, you offer a twofold advantage. On the one hand, it optimises your teams’ time, because quality furniture requires less maintenance and retains its aesthetic appearance over time. This translates into more efficient management of day-to-day operations, freeing up time to concentrate on other aspects of hospitality.
On the other hand, this thoughtful selection creates an atmosphere that transcends the simple functionality of the furniture. Guests, immersed in an environment where every detail exudes quality and modernity, will have the impression of occupying prestigious premises. In this way, the high-end aesthetic contributes to enhancing the overall perception of the establishment, offering a visual and sensory experience that stands out and leaves a memorable impression on customers.
Based on Making-Of Studio’s projects in the field of restaurant furniture, we’d like to share a few tips to guide hotel and restaurant professionals.
First of all, the layout of the furniture plays a crucial role in creating a welcoming and functional atmosphere. Based on our experience, we recommend adopting layouts that encourage conviviality while optimising space. Well positioned tables, ergonomic chairs and carefully placed decorative elements can transform a simple space into a memorable dining experience.
Another important tip stems from our expertise in designing furniture for restaurants: use durable and aesthetically pleasing materials. Choosing high-quality, easy-to-maintain and hard-wearing materials will extend the life of the furniture while ensuring a contemporary aesthetic. Drawing on our previous projects, we encourage restaurateurs to opt for materials that match their visual identity while providing a sustainable experience for their customers. This advice aims to guide professionals towards judicious and functional furniture choices, while offering an exceptional culinary experience to their customers.
Our advice for restaurant furniture
Taking account of employee feedback
Taking employee feedback into account means establishing open and ongoing communication with restaurant staff, with particular emphasis on their day-to-day feedback. It is essential to carefully observe the tasks they carry out on a regular basis, from cleaning rooms before and after service, to setting up tables, clearing away, and maintaining the premises during service. This requires a thorough understanding of the operational requirements of the staff, their needs in terms of tools and furniture, and how these aspects affect their productivity.
By factoring customer demand into this equation, particularly in terms of service quality, aesthetics and comfort, it becomes possible to design furniture that not only facilitates employees’ tasks, but also meets customer expectations. By listening carefully to employees’ experiences, we can identify where improvements are needed and design an optimal working environment, where employee satisfaction and service quality converge in harmony.
Selecting the right fabric or material
The carpet at the Burgundy Paris 5* restaurant
Restaurant chairs at the Burgundy Paris 5*
Renovation of the Baudelaire restaurant in 2015
Optimising the use of furniture
Saint-Trop folding chairs
The chairs in the Burgundy Paris 5* restaurant have been designed to optimise their use. The height of the armrests has been carefully defined to discourage guests from placing their hands on the armrests, thereby reducing the amount of maintenance required by staff. In addition, the inclusion of removable cushions means that waiters can quickly replace the cover of a stained cushion during service, minimising interruptions and facilitating the day-to-day management of the furniture.
The renovation of Le Baudelaire restaurant in 2015 focused on the functionality of the furniture to facilitate organisation and improve service. Choosing furniture elements with built-in functionality maximises operational efficiency, offering a practical solution for staff and contributing to a seamless customer experience. Thinking about the functionality of the furniture was therefore at the heart of the design, promoting a pleasant and well-organised atmosphere in the restaurant.
