Banquette seating is a vital element of any eatery or bar. Fitted seating in the form of diner booths, circular nooks, edge seating and more are super-effective installations when it comes to integrating personality and permanence to a venue. But what is it that makes one installation better than any other?
This article will touch on some tips for picking out or commissioning bespoke banquette seating, focusing on form and function as comprehensively as possible. Hopefully, the advice here will make it easier for you to properly plan your design scheme.
Consider functionality & space
First and foremost, the seating you choose needs to fit seamlessly into your setting. One of the primary benefits of banquette styles is that they can help to maximise seating capacity, with:
- Corner banquette seating
- L-shaped installations
- Straight to-the-wall installations
- U/curved booths
It’s not just about shape or saving space either. You also need to consider how your placement and design choices will impact traffic flow and smoothness – fixed seating will help to define how people move through the setting. In the same vein, consider whether you’ll need outdoor installations or just for the dining room.
Bonus: Consider banquette seating with storage to truly maximise space efficiency
Think about style & visual identity
Many experts and food publications argue that interior design is almost as important as the food in a restaurant, with the same rule applying to drinks in a bar or pastries in a cafe. Things like colour matching/contrasting and general aesthetic branding should be kept in mind when choosing an installation. A modern interior will benefit from modern banquette seating and vice versa. Visual elements to consider include:
- Button detail
- Surface plainness (or otherwise)
- Fluted backs
- Pulled quilting
- Contrasting materials
- Buttoning deepness
- And so much more
A good bespoke seating supplier will be able to create something that suits your requirements seamlessly.
Comfort is paramount
You need to consider your guests’ comfort throughout their visit. Studies show that comfort has a huge impact on customer psychology in various settings. Also, what’s the point in installing these stunning, opulent seating setups if they’re no good for actually sitting on! Quality is always going to result in a more comfortable sitdown with bar or dining room banquette seating, so keep an eye out for details about the foam or options for sprung seating. Other comfort-focused elements to keep in mind might be:
- Height and angle of the backrest
- The degree of detailing/decoration on the seats
- Seat depth (with allowance for dining or lounging)
Consider the kind of atmosphere you want to achieve and account for that with comfort levels – some venues suit more comfort than others.
Durability & maintenance are vital
In line with quality aesthetics and comfort come the general quality of the product in terms of durability and maintenance requirements. Sure, your interior design scheme might have taken you months to perfect, with pieces of decor carefully selected from marketplaces the world over. At the end of the day, you’re still trying to get a certain number of bums on the banquette seating in your venue, so you need to choose durable, commercial-grade materials that will last a lot of traffic. Make sure to consider:
- The ease of cleaning various upholstery materials
- Sturdy base materials with quality capping
- The quality of the construction across the installation
Remember, this is a business, not an art project.
What now?
What comes next is finding a supplier that can offer all of these vital elements. It’s always best to lean toward bespoke installations, as long as they fit within your budget. Something made and installed specifically for your business will generally be more effective than something pre-fabricated and transplanted into the space. However, the best supplier will also be able to tell you if they have anything suitable in stock!
