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In 2020 we saw a major shift in how the restaurant industry operated to make the customers experience a safe and comfortable environment without losing the customer experience. With the guidance from the government’s ruling, the restaurant industry brought in curbside drinks, expansions in outdoor dining, contactless ordering, and payment, as well as no-go areas to guarantee proper social distancing compliance.

Some of these rules have stayed and some have not but one thing is for certain with Autumn about to hit, and with that will come a shift in the weather, how will the restaurant industry adapt with the seasonal change, still make it a safe and comfortable experience while not losing its ambience.

The Outdoor dining revolution!

When the smoking ban hit, we were forced to go outside. For many, it provided the impetus to give up, but if not, you would begrudgingly go outside, stand there shivering, contemplating, was this worth it? With this being said the food and drink sector really stepped it up and we saw a strong outdoor heating game.

So, when the pandemic hit the restaurant industry knew they had to step it up some more. Outdoor dining is a safer option after all. Restaurants were able to expand their outdoor spaces and in built-up cities like London where space is tight restaurants took to rooftop dining.

The restaurant industry will be looking at ways to keep their customers cosy and warm this winter with blankets, fireplaces, and heaters for their outdoor areas, but what about lighting?

In the day of course we have natural daylight but at night it’s essential that your lighting is fit for purpose to entice footfall and create the perfect ambience, especially in the luxury restaurant industry. With darker shorter days to come, lighting is a must in the outdoor dining trend.

Lighting is a major influence on a customer’s experience and a favourable option when choosing where to go. We can all say we have walked past and seen lights cascading down onto tables in an outdoor area and like a moth to a flame, drawn straight to it.

Mixing it up

Another trend we are seeing taking effect for Autumn and Winter 2021/22 is bringing the outside in and we don’t just mean putting a tree in the middle of the restaurant’s floor, although bringing plants inside was a trend adopted this year by the restaurant industry and will be continuing.

We are talking about using rich woods and mixed textures. Combining beautiful brass lighting with wooden panelling is a perfect partnership for the coming winter months. This could also mean mix and match interiors, which can give a cosy feel, perfect for the colder weather, while still offering a bespoke luxury feeling, by using handcrafted pieces that have been thoughtfully chosen to go with your restaurant’s décor.

Combining metalwork like bar stools, tables and railings with brick walls can too, give an industrial look, a style we have all come to favour for a while now and a trend set to continue especially when the restaurant industry is favouring open spaces and kitchens, and works very well with the industrial look.

mixing material restaurant industry trend

Safe cosy and comfortable sophistication

A major trend this year was safety. With covid expecting to ramp up a gear in the colder months safety is important and with safety, you also want to feel comfortable and with a luxury establishment, you want it refined. So how would one go about doing this? Well, contactless payment methods are here to stay along with. menu access using QR codes and online checkouts. An idea that came into effect after the first lockdown and was praised by many.

Opening up spaces and having open kitchens doesn’t just look edgy and gives the customer a focal point it also is a safer option too. By opening up the space you are giving the customer more space to breathe, as well as being able to view the kitchen helps to maintain a high standard, giving the customer more confidence in cleanliness.

How do you make open spaces feel more inviting and comfortable though? Lighting. The right lighting scheme you choose for open space can help to shape it and create a cosy, intimate mood. In the kitchen, you want to make sure that the lighting is bright but make sure to focus the lighting, don’t upset the overall atmosphere of the dining room! Using zoning lighting in the dining area is also a useful tool. By doing this you can create intimate areas. Bespoke table lamps are perfect for this as they suggest luxury whilst keeping it cosy.

restaurant industry industrial trend

A fine example of bespoke luxury lighting striking a balance between intrigue and ambience can be found at the Le Comptoir Robuchon and Le Deli Robuchon Restaurants in Mayfair.

 The Lamp Factory London created six bespoke brass wall lights fixed directly upon mirrors, three elegant bespoke alabaster table lamps paying homage to the bar lamps, and three Avaline picture lights from the Lamp Factory’s core range of lighting all for Le Comptoir Robuchon and Le Deli Robuchon Restaurant in Mayfair, London. Le Comptoir is an elegant and intimate restaurant in line with Joël Robuchon’s much-lauded philosophy of contemporary, convivial dining. It features a stunning marble bar and beautiful grey tones offset by graceful lighting. The interiors of both luxury restaurants were designed by Thurstan, an innovative interior design studio, See https://thelampfactorylondon.co.uk/case-studies/bespoke-lighting-in-mayfair-restaurants/

Chelsea Nelson, Creative Director, Thurstan,

“They (The Lamp Factory) have a range of beautiful products, which we regularly use in all of our projects across high end residential and large commercial projects as the quality is extremely high and are built to last and their timeless designs fit in most settings!”

Get in touch

If you are considering bespoke lighting for your restaurant interior or looking for bespoke lighting inspiration, please telephone us on 0208 683 0721 or email us