Three Considerations When Placing Art In Your Restaurant
Article contributed by Newt Grover
The most important part of any great restaurant is the food, but food always tastes better when it is attached to a great ambiance.
One of the best ways to add some color and life to your restaurant is to install some art fixtures in your dining space. Doing so can help restaurant owners craft a unique space with a hand-crafted piece of art. However, installing custom art pieces is not a simple task and a lot of thought and planning should go into the process before commissioning an artist to complete the piece. As a glass artist with over 30 years of experience, I have created many unique art pieces for beautiful restaurant spaces so I know what restaurant owners need to do to ensure the art they commission works for the space. Here are a few things to consider when working with an artist on restaurant artwork.
Know your restaurant before you find your art
Art should never be a distraction and always add to the flow and function of your restaurant. A restaurant owner cannot possibly know how an art piece can add to that function without a clear understanding of what their restaurant is.
Make sure you understand the style and interior design of your restaurant before working with an artist on a custom art piece. This means knowing your menu, understanding the color scheme of your restaurant, and really knowing the type of restaurant you want to be. A large glass chandelier does not work for a fast-casual pizza shop but looks really great in a fancy steak house. An art piece of desert flora probably won’t make much sense in a seafood restaurant, but ocean-themed art obviously does. It also helps to understand the history of the building you work in and its architecture. These two things can provide a lot of ideas of what style of artwork you want in your restaurant.
Do not hire an artist before the interior of your restaurant is complete. Many artists work off the energy of a space and you can’t really craft an art piece that seamlessly integrates with the space if you have no concept of what the restaurant looks like. Finish the rest of your interior design work before commissioning an artist.
The artist and your interior design team should collaborate
Your interior design team is going to intimately understand the layout of your restaurant so naturally, it benefits you to have them work with the artist you hired. Allow both parties to occasionally sit down and collaborate on the art piece the artist is working on. Your interior design team can ensure the artist is making a piece that works well with the space. They understand the layout of your restaurant so they can help the artist figure out where the piece should go, how big it should be, and what statement you are trying to make. Interior designers understand the flow and function of your space so a good artist will consider their opinion when creating art for your restaurant.
The art should make a statement
The art in your restaurant should not distract your guest from the food, but the art you commission should still make a statement. I often recommend that restaurant owners should have some kind of statement piece at the entrance of their restaurant. You need something that lets the customer know how unique your restaurant is. The piece shouldn’t be an afterthought but it also should not overwhelm the space. The piece should draw the customers’ eye and make them comment on it. The statement piece is just another way to give diners a positive and memorable experience in addition to the food.
Installing custom art in your restaurant is a great way to improve the ambiance of your restaurant. However, it is important that you, the artist, and your interior design team are working together to ensure the art is perfectly meshing with the flow and function of your restaurant space.
Newt Grover is a glass artist and owner of Newt Glass in Scottsdale Arizona. Newt specializes in crafting hand-blown glass chandeliers and hand-blown glass art. Newt has commissioned many custom pieces for restaurants during his 30-year career as a glass artist.
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