Whether running a standalone restaurant or a hotel-restaurant, it’s important to adapt to the changing customer needs and a restaurant redesign is often called for. Few hotel operators look to interiour designers to either update the look of the existing restaurant or undertake a total renovation. Here are 11 criteria to help a hotel operator in hiring an interior designer
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1. Define the purpose of hiring an Interior Designer (ID): Is the hotel updating or re-freshing the restaurant or is the hotel looking for a total renovation with un updated, new concept?
2. Have a budget in mind prior to approaching the ID. Interior designers are very resourceful and have the ability to control costs very well
3. Define and communicate your style and vision for the new restaurant. Think of your customer’s base, demographic, lifestyle and ideas that can serve them better
4. Have a specific theme in mind or a food and beverage concept with a strong identity. This will help the ID to focus in the right direction, which will subsequently save time and money
5. Define the scope of work for an ID
6. Begin the selection by developing a short list of potential candidates
7. If it’s a theme restaurant, basically a restaurant with a strong culinary identity, a Restaurant Designer may be better suited for the project
8. Make sure that the designer is familiar with current trends and styles and that their style is a good fit for what you are trying to do before committing to them
9. Review work history and projects completed, visit sites, look for unique features, level of creativity, obtain references especially on how well it served their overall goal
10. Time required by an ID to re-design the space is approximately 45 days. The scope of work will determine the correct time estimate
11. Remember that the best time to renovate is when the restaurant in on a high. It helps to maintain current customers and attract new ones
