How to Choose Restaurant Colors for Seating

For a restaurant business to succeed it is imperative that both the food and service are good. Reasonable pricing is another important factor and so are cleanliness and décor. More specifically, a good restaurant will have its own special ambiance that is created with color, lighting, furniture, and finishing touches that might include art, collectibles, or ornaments on display.

If you are furnishing and decorating a new restaurant you will need to decide whether you are going to follow a specific theme or style. For instance, a marine theme would suit a seafood restaurant while a 1950s style would benefit an authentic American-style diner.

Having decided on a look and feel, you will have to make color choices because these should follow through with everything else, including paint and seating. While shades of blue would be an obvious choice for a seafood restaurant, and pillar box red for a retro diner, color can be a powerful tool because it subconsciously affects our emotions. What this means is that your choice of color can affect the way customers in your restaurant feel, and ultimately may impact their decision to return.

The Psychology of Color

Color is very personal. We all respond to colors in different ways. For instance, some of us prefer bright colors while others prefer pastel shades. Some colors make us feel comfortable and relaxed while others make us feel uneasy. But when it comes to choosing restaurant colors it’s not a good idea to simply choose a color or colors just because you like them.

While there is no absolute theory on the psychological effects of different colors, there is a common thought that it has primitive associations. While the color spectrum is vast and varied, there are only three primary colors: red, yellow, and blue, and they represent color in its strongest form.

• Red is associated with fire and can be intensely exciting. But it can be unsettling, especially with food, and particularly when too much of it is used. So if you decide on bright red bar stools or diner chairs, you won’t want to paint walls red as well! Orange, which is a secondary color, has a similar psychological effect to bright red. Because both colors are warm, they tend to visually increase the temperature of a room. But pink, which is pastel hue made by mixing white with red, is soft and may be comforting.
• Blue is generally associated with ice and it is a cold, melancholic color. In the context of food, it is considered to be unappetizing because it tends to suppress appetite. While purple (another secondary color) has a similar psychological effect to pure primary blue, there are many different blues, and some, like turquoise, can be quite warm in effect. Even though some professionals warn against ever using blue in a restaurant, a marine theme won’t work without blue! However, you could choose a pastel shade of blue for the walls, opt for white upholstered diner chairs, and highlight the décor scheme with carefully chosen art or display items that are a darker or brighter shade of blue.
• Yellow is associated with the sun and it is bright, warm, and cheerful. But like orange, bright yellow can make diners feel anxious and unsettled.

Budget Bar Stools has a range of restaurant bar stools and diner chairs in six standard colors but offers custom colors as well. Contact us to see which colors will work for you.