It’s true that furniture can make or break a space so if you’re planning a makeover for your café this year then it’s important to choose the right pieces. Since we’re well into the new year, we thought we’d look at the trends you can expect to find in cafes and restaurants in 2019. From patterns, textures, and colours, we’ll be giving you a few hints and tips on the materials to choose for your café chairs and the designs that will be the most fitting for your walls.

Soft blush tones

Blush has come into its own as the new neutral and pairs well with grey and white to create a calming ambience. It also looks great with bold colours such as green and navy to create an art deco feel which is also bang on trend this year

It’s all in the detail

There’s nothing nicer than a café chair which showcases detail. The smallest of details can have a huge impact on the overall look of your interior space. Consider chairs with intricate backs or colour dipped legs.

Sumptuous materials

Velvet is the most highly searched fabric and is sumptuous and seductive. You could take the most boring booth seating and upholster it with velvet and buttons or studs and suddenly it appears decadent and appealing.

Sustainable and natural materials are also big this year so keep an eye out for these materials when choosing your café furniture. While metal furniture is still “in” and fits well into an industrial theme, it will also be used in more innovative ways such as a laced design to add detail to furniture and even as art work on walls.

Embrace curves

Soft curvy lines are also expected to replace some of the more rigid lines which have held centre stage for several years. For example, café chairs with rounded backs and comfortable padded seats. Look out for curves on café tables too.

Liven it up with geometrics

Geometric patterns are back in fashion (did they ever go away?). Warm and bold, geometric patterns are great for minimal rooms and can bring them to life.

Make a statement on your ceiling

Everyone is familiar with statement walls, but statement ceilings?  Now that’s a new one on us. Actually, it’s quite an interesting concept and we can see how a wallpapered ceiling or one adorned with ornate mouldings is something to get excited about. It can make a room appear larger, brighter and more memorable that’s for sure.

Mid-century modern

This trend is one that never goes away and provides inspiration for many hospitality settings. Natural woods and low-slung lines, reminiscent of 1950’s chic, never go out of fashion and still influence modern day designs.

It’s great to be inspired by trends and it’s good to use them as a guide when you’re considering giving your café a makeover. But the most important thing to remember about your café’s interior design is that it should be about you. Put your stamp on it to make it your own. Love your interior café space and enjoy spending time there. If you’re comfortable and happy there, then so too will your customers be. Don’t just include trends for the sake of it.

Whether or not you’re ready for it, Christmas is almost upon us. It’s the time for present wrapping, singing carols, and all the stress and excitement that comes at this wonderful time of the year.

However, for cafe, bar, and restaurant owners, the Christmas period includes more than decorating the tree. It’s the busiest time of the year! We’ve come up with a few tips to ensure you’re prepared for the upcoming festivities.

Keep your furniture looking its best

This first tip is pretty obvious, but making sure your furniture and your establishment is pristinely clean goes a long way to impressing customers, especially where food is concerned. Caring for your furniture, whether it is wooden, metal, plastic, or rattan also helps it last longer. Oiling wood tables slows down the absorption of any liquids which, in turn, helps to keep your tables cleaner for longer. Plastic furniture, on the other hand, can be cleaned with a damp cloth and an anti-bacterial spray.

Keep it tidy

It’s all well and good keeping your furniture clean, but you need to make sure that the surroundings are clean and tidy too. Not only does a good first impression keep customers happy but it’s more likely that they will return a second time.

Mopping or vacuuming your floors as well as keeping everywhere clean is expected throughout the year but with Christmas being your busiest period, it’s important not to let standards slip.

Be sure to remove any broken or unused furniture, too, to give a more presentable appearance and help save on some floor space.

Prepare for groups

With larger groups of people more likely to grace your venue at this time be prepared so that you have enough chairs to seat everyone. Stacking chairs are a great idea as these can be tucked away out of sight and brought into use at your busiest times.

Keep your decorations tasteful

Remember, less is more and changing things up slightly is better than full blown in your face decorations hung everywhere. Candles are great for creating a welcoming ambience and can be placed on tables in small lanterns and in sconces on the walls.

Save space

Ensure your floor plan is the best it can be to accommodate as many tables as possible without people feeling hemmed in, as well as there being room for any waiting staff to move between tables.

Your outdoor space

Make your outdoor space look as colourful and inviting as possible, again making sure your furniture is clean and the floor is swept and free from rubbish. You might want to string up some outdoor lights to twinkle when the sun goes down and give a more festive appearance.

Have fun

Christmas is all about bringing people together so just make sure your cafe is clean and sparkling, you’ve laid on some Christmas specials, and a warm welcome is awaiting everyone.

From all of us at Cafe Furniture Melbourne, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Summer’s almost here and it’s time to spruce up that outdoor space to make the most of passing trade. It’s the time of year when everyone wants to be sitting outside soaking up the sunshine and relaxing with a long drink of something cool. With so many Melbourne cafe’s vying for attention it’s more important than ever to make your outdoor space more inviting and consider putting some summer specials on your menu too.

How to give your outdoor terrace a quick makeover

There’s no use investing in new cafe furniture or painting walls if you haven’t got a clean and tidy space to work with; So first things first, give your terrace a good sweep and, if necessary, use a power washer to clean up your tiles or paving slabs.

If you’ve got an enclosed area then a coat of fresh paint on the walls will work wonders. To soften some of the hard edges, why not put up some trellis and plant some colourful climbers to spread across your walls. Choose some scented varieties if you can to add to the ambience of summer. If you’re not green fingered then you could always attach some colourful wall plaques or pots o your walls instead.

With your terrace now looking fresh and clean, it’s time to think about upgrading your cafe furniture if it’s looking a little tired and jaded. Attractive cafe furniture is one sure-fire way of attracting passers-by, especially if it’s colourful.

Investing in outdoor furniture

Outdoor furniture comes in a vast range of styles, materials, and colours but the most important thing is to ensure that you buy commercial grade furniture. Any other type of furniture simply isn’t designed for frequent daily use.

Another tip when deciding which type of furniture to buy is to choose something that complements your indoor cafe furniture. If you’ve got traditional furniture inside then keep it the same outdoors and naturally, if you have modern tastes, then carry this through so as not to confuse customers. If you’re choosing new cafe furniture throughout then it could be a good idea to choose furniture which is designed for indoor and outdoor use.

How to create flow from one area to another

One of the easiest ways to make your indoor and outdoor space flow is by using a colour which complements the furniture you have inside. For instance, if you have black cafe tables inside then use these outdoors too but consider using coloured chairs to create a more vibrant space that smacks of summer. Polypropylene chairs are a great choice in this respect because they come in a wide range of vibrant bold colours. Our Specta chairs are simplistic in style but boy do they pack a punch if you’re looking to inject colour! From purple to red and orange to yellow it’s easy to create a kaleidoscope of colour on your terrace. Other colourful options include our designer inspired Stephanie chairs which feature a pretty cutout backrest and our Belle chairs which come in a choice of styles too.

Another popular range of chairs for the summer is our Parisian chairs. Oozing with French charm they look delightful when paired with timber topped tables for more of a rustic look or with stainless steel tables for modernity. Add in some planters filled with foliage and colourful blooms, throw up some parasols for shade, and your terrace will soon be filled with happy smiling customers.

At Cafe Furniture Melbourne we’ve got a wide range of outdoor cafe furniture styles to choose from so why not take a look and get inspired?

With so much competition in the cafe industry, cafes are having to fight harder than ever to maintain or increase their share of customer spending. One way to do this is to make your cafe more attractive, more comfortable, and more efficient. This means taking a careful look at your design in general and in particular your furniture.

Pull up a seat

Let’s start with cafe furniture. A relatively easy way of giving your cafe a facelift is to invest in some new cafe chairs and tables. It’s surprising how much brighter and smarter an interior becomes with the addition of new furniture. Don’t forget, while it may seem tempting to go for cheaper furniture, only commercial grade furniture is designed to stand up to the rigours of a bustling environment.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that if your cafe is to survive you may need to think about broadening your customer base. Furniture can help by sending out the message that your cafe isn’t a boring old place stuck in a time warp but instead, a bright, welcoming, inclusive place. A large comfy sofa or some tub chairs and low tables can transform a corner or wall and turn it into a cosy retreat. Modern, tall stools can be placed up against a counter for solo customers. There’s no need to adhere to a single style either. Cross back metal Bentwood chairs in light timber could be matched with Isotop table tops in Alcantara black and our tall Tolix stools are available with a solid wood seat or an upholstered version for greater comfort.

Home comforts

Design trends come and go so it would cost you a packet to follow the changes from one year to the next. However, there are some long term trends which are worth considering. For many years a common trend has been for cafe interiors to become more homely with an emphasis on tradition and comfort. With this in mind, wooden furniture, tub chairs, and even some cushions could be the way to go.

You also want to think about disabled access. Is there enough space between your tables for a person in a wheelchair to be able to move freely? Bolt-down table bases are a good choice if you’re investing in new tables since their streamlined style gives more room for chairs to be pushed right in beneath the tables. Don’t forget also that wheelchair users are often accompanied by one or more friends or family members, so by catering to their needs, you’re also welcoming a larger group of customers. Everyone’s a winner!

Keep the noise down

Another consideration is noise. You might want to consider investing in some booth seating. Surprisingly these take up less space than a table and four chairs and customers enjoy the privacy and relative quietness that a booth gives.

Finally, one long term trend worth keeping in mind is mixing up colours, styles, and finishes to make your cafe stand out from others, injecting your personality into it.

At Cafe Furniture Melbourne we’ve got an extensive range of cafe furniture to choose from. What’s more we’re currently running a promotion on all table tops, so there’s never been a better time to upgrade your cafe furniture.

While you may think the success of a good cafe is down to the quality of coffee that it serves you’d be wrong in most cases. The key to running a successful cafe is to create the sort of ambience that tempts customers to stay for longer and indeed, to share their experience with their friends. Industrial design has seen a huge surge in popularity over recent years and has been a growing trend with cafes and bars.

What is industrial furniture?

The key strength of industrial furniture lies in its stripped back, raw, simplistic style. While styles can vary from simple minimalist to more complex aesthetics, the hallmark of industrial furniture relatively remains the same in that less is more.

Industrial furniture is largely recognised as having a distinctive mix of wood and metal. This has meant that many cafe owners have refurbished their venues to include an industrial décor in order to create an atmosphere and ambience which is loved by young professionals, in particular. The warmth of wood tones contrast with the coolness of metal to bring a relaxing and calm ambience to any space.

Why is industrial furniture so popular with commercial venues?

Industrial furniture uses robust materials which means that this quality furniture can last a lifetime, which in anyone’s books has to be a great return on investment. Another reason is that industrial furniture is incredibly simple, which in turn equate to less maintenance. Nuts, bolts, and rivets are typically left in full view and while this adds to its charm, it’s also a sign of a great build. In a venue such as a cafe where furniture is getting a lot of use, you just can’t go wrong with industrial furniture.

How to achieve an industrial style

Industrial style is all about making a feature of the rough side by getting rid of a tidy finish and replacing it with raw and less than perfect elements. Although you may not have the restored factory style complete with exposed brick work and pipes to help create the industrial feel, you can still achieve the look with industrial style furniture. Hardworking materials such as cement, wood and metal are essential to the look and can be easily paired with industrial style chairs, tables, and bar stools.

Although not typically industrial, try using key pieces of soft seating to complement the industrial look. Our tub chair upholstered in charcoal fabric is perfect for an industrial theme and adds those important elements of warmth and comfort.

While the Tolix brand springs to mind when putting together an industrial look there are plenty of other designs which can be used to good effect. Our Cargo stools stand out from the crowd with their timber seats and steel frame. Or for something totally different, why not consider our Drum stools which can be customised in the broad white bands to advertise your brand. The Detroit stool with its adjustable height is another stool that fits into an industrial theme really well. Don’t forget your tables either. You may not have raw concrete in evidence but how about incorporating our ‘cement’ Isotop table tops into your design. When paired with black metal bases, they really look the part. Finally, any industrial design needs a pendant light or two, as these are great for task lighting over your countertops.

If you fancy embracing the industrial style then we can help. At Cafe Furniture Melbourne we have a wide range of industrial style furniture so why not browse our online store or drop by our showroom to take a closer look for yourself?

Are you thinking of revamping your cafe’s interior in 2019? If transforming the interior of your cafe once you’ve seen the old year out and the new year in is likely to feature at the top of your New Year resolutions list, then we’ve put together some of the top interior design trends you might like to consider.

Earthy Tones

We challenge you to flick through a home décor magazine and not notice the prevalence of the earth tone colour palette. To be honest, it’s one of our favourites which works particularly well if you’re trying to create an ambience that feels warm and welcoming. Green is back (did it ever go away?) and this is reflected in interiors comprising green and earthy shades. As such grey and beige is back as are neutral shades contrasted with warmer colours such as deep rich blues, terracotta, and warm shades of green. To achieve this look for yourself why not create a statement wall by painting one of your walls a deep shade of terracotta and leaving the others a pale beige. Pale timber table tops surrounded by wood furniture such as our bentwood chairs or our ladder back chairs with caramel cushions would work really well to create warmth and depth.

Bold wallpaper

We’re suckers for bold wallpaper and if you’re looking to make a statement then papering just one wall of your cafe with a colourful print featuring birds, foliage, tropical flowers and the like, is an easy and inexpensive way to do so. Go on…. go mad!

Ice cream colours

Who doesn’t like ice cream? We certainly do! Pretty pastel shades like soft pink, vanilla, pale lemon, and chocolate can be mixed and matched to create a look that’s so yummy you could almost eat it. You can experiment with one of these tutti frutti colours on a single wall or several if you’re feeling especially brave. Alternatively try introducing one or more of these colours with accessories such as dining chairs, pendant lamps, or tableware.

Rugs on walls

Yes, we know that most people use rugs on their floor to create a feeling of warmth and cosiness but how about hanging a couple on your walls to create a textural piece of artwork? It’s not quite as crazy as it sounds.

Statement ceilings

Let’s face it, most of us are too preoccupied trying to decide on a colour for all 4 walls that by the time we get around to the ceiling it’s easier to reach for a pot of white paint. A statement ceiling can totally transform the look of your cafe and also makes a talking point. If your room is already decorated but you feel it lacks that certain something …… then try looking up!

At Cafe Furniture Melbourne, we don’t just offer design advice we also stock a wide range of cafe furniture in all sorts of designs, colours, materials, and sizes. Why not browse our online store for inspiration or take a visit to our showroom where you can see our products first hand. See you there!