Restaurant Outdoor Furniture Guide
Outdoor dining has been a staple of commercial restaurants for as long as they’ve existed. Whether it’s the ambience of the outdoors, the smell of the air, the warmth of the sun or the drizzle of rain, every customer has at least one reason to love a meal or drink enjoyed out-of-doors. Many studies have shown that over 60% of customers will opt for outdoor or patio dining, even when outdoor conditions dip below what many consider optimal. As such, if your establishment makes use of a designated outdoor dining area or simply converts the surrounding available pavement space, it’s important to know the fundamentals of outdoor furnishing.
The Characteristics of Commercial Outdoor Furniture
The most important quality of commercial outdoor furniture is durability; this is important for all commercial furniture, of course, but it’s very unlikely an owner will need to worry about the effect UV light or strong wind will have on their interior dining chairs. Not so for outdoor furniture. Chairs, tables, benches, and stools should all be rated weatherproof, meaning they are heavily water-resistant and specifically designed to mitigate UV radiation from sunlight. This is often achieved by using specially engineered synthetic materials and coated metal, and thanks to modern materials science and keen-eyed designers, are nigh indistinguishable from the real thing.
As with indoor spaces, it is important to match style and establishment motifs in all spaces. Whether modern, rustic, utilitarian, industrial, tropical, traditional, or any one of a dozen other styles, it is important to keep the spaces cohesive and synchronous so that the idea of an establishment’s brand remains continually present to the customers. Style need not be completely and totally uniform, as small differences in outdoor versus indoor accents or detailing may reinforce the separation between areas, but overarching design language should always be consistent.
Restaurant Patio Furniture Materials
Patio furniture can be made of a large variety of materials, from wood to wrought iron and resin. The most popular for commercial use are the ones that are long lasting, easy to maintain and fit into a large variety of styles and designs.
Elegant, sturdy and comfortable, faux teak is as beautiful as real wood with added strength and durability and without worries of rotting, splitting or fading.
Also known as Parisian bistro, the style is both beautiful and comfortable and is available in a large selection of designs and colors.
Perfect for creating a tropical oasis or a beach vibe for your customers. Bring the look of rattan to your patio without having to worry about fraying and cracking.
Ideal for modern and urban style locations, aluminum and stainless steel can add a touch of sophistication and refinement to the right location.
Matching Styles and Motifs
Creating an outdoor dining space benefits both your business, customers and employees. From restaurants to hotels, it can be a tough task to find the right outdoor furniture at the right price that has the durability and staying power designers are looking for.
To give a few specific examples, weatherproof commercial-grade cast resin is excellent for simulated organic materials, such as teakwood or rattan. If the style is traditional, artificial wood can come in a variety of stains and is excellent for dining chairs and table tops. If the outdoor area is more of a casual or tropical tiki motif, rattan is homey, comfortable, and naturally robust given its woven construction, while bamboo is simultaneously rustic and refined. For modern and industrial styles, metal is an excellent choice. Both aluminum and chrome are corrosion-resistant, and while aluminum is lightweight and easy to clean, chrome plating is sleek and futuristic as well as resistant to the effects of high and low temperatures. Wrought iron is very durable and offers numerous stylings that suit classic and vintage looks.
Styling your Restaurant Patio
Restaurant patio designs are as diverse as their interiors and range from modern to tropical and all the way to industrial:
Traditional style outdoor furniture often incorporates natural materials like wood and rattan to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Artificial wood can come in a variety of stains and is excellent for dining chairs, bar stools and table tops. Rattan is homey, comfortable, and naturally robust given its woven construction. For added character, bamboo and bamboo looking aluminum are simultaneously rustic and refined. Metal is also an option in traditional style, with wrought iron offering numerous stylings that suit classic and vintage looks.
Modern outdoor furniture is often characterized by sleek and futuristic designs. While weatherproof commercial-grade cast resin is excellent for creating simulated organic materials such as teakwood or rattan it can also be made to simulate metal, stone or marble all of which fit in perfectly into a modern decor. Metal is an excellent choice for modern and industrial styles, with both aluminum and chrome being corrosion-resistant and looking the part being both sleek and resistant to the effects of high and low temperatures.
Tropical outdoor furniture is designed to create an inviting and relaxing atmosphere. Rattan is homey, comfortable, and naturally robust given its woven construction while wood adds warmth and a natural vibe. Bamboo looking aluminum can add top the tropical look while not compromising on strength.
Industrial outdoor furniture is designed to be both functional and stylish. Resin can be used to create stone or reclaimed look table tops while metal is an ideal choice for industrial styles, with both aluminum and chrome being corrosion-resistant and easy to stain including having a distressed look which is a staple of the industrial design.
Aside from common-use furniture, many patio dining areas come with the option for accessory or convenient addition. If the area isn’t shaded by awning or natural means such as foliage, surround buildings, or even tall mountains, then the addition of patio umbrellas may be a much-appreciated addition that has the added bonus of shielding the furniture from the harsh effects of weather and improving longevity, even if it is weatherproof. Many outdoor dining tables are designed with reinforced holes in the center that accept insertable umbrellas, while stand-alone patio umbrellas are relatively mobile and often adjustable to meet the needs of the user and counter the change in sunlight as the day progresses. Additionally, patio umbrellas are offered in a wide selection of styles and fabric choices to better match the motif of the restaurant and aid in beautifying the dining space. Furniture coverings for permanent emplacements also improve longevity and lower cleaning and maintenance time for those establishments that only offer outdoor dining seasonally or are prone to more intense weather patterns.
