Restaurant Design: Layout, Lighting, and Acoustics

Restaurant design is the process of organizing the dining room, kitchen, bar, lighting, sound, and materials so that the dining concept is evident from the moment guests enter and service runs smoothly. Good restaurant interior design influences how long diners stay, how they remember their visit, and how the staff performs during peak hours.

UJO+Partners, an architecture and interior design firm founded in Barcelona in 1999, has developed restaurant projects such as Boquería Sunset and Fletcher L.A., both on Sunset Boulevard (Los Angeles). This guide outlines the criteria applied to such projects: how a concept is translated into space, how the floor plan is laid out, what type of kitchen is best suited, the role of the bar and terrace, and which comfort factors make a difference in the diner’s experience.

What's the difference between designing and decorating a restaurant?

Designing a restaurant involves planning the floor plan, facilities, lighting, acoustics, and furnishings based on the business’s concept and operations. Decorating a restaurant is the final layer of finishes and objects applied to a space that has already been designed. Restaurant decoration only works when the initial design has addressed the essentials.

Restaurant interior design begins before choosing a color. An interior design project for a restaurant defines where the kitchen is located and where dishes are served, how many tables can fit without hindering service, what kind of lighting each area needs, and how noise is controlled. These decisions affect the construction and the facilities, and correcting them once the restaurant is open is much more complicated than addressing them during the design phase.

Restaurant decor builds on this foundation using textiles, artwork, plants, on-display tableware, and signage. It can be changed with the seasons or a new menu without altering the layout of the space. When a restaurant tries to use decor to solve a layout or acoustics problem, the result is often a space that looks attractive in photos but feels uncomfortable during a full dining experience.

At UJO+Partners’ interior design practice, the vision and concept phase and the design and execution phase integrate floor plans, materials, lighting, furniture, and art direction into a single project. This integration distinguishes a designed restaurant from a decorated one: every visible element reflects a decision made earlier regarding the use of the space.

What to Consider When Designing a Restaurant

When designing a restaurant, seven factors must be taken into account: the culinary concept, the kitchen, the dining room layout, the bar, the lighting, the acoustics, and the materials and furnishings. These seven factors influence one another, so restaurant design is approached as a system rather than as a series of isolated decisions.

1. Dining concept. Type of cuisine, average check, pace of service, and the restaurant's target audience.
2. Kitchen. Size, location, relationship to the living room, and the choice between an open or closed kitchen.
3. Distribution. Customer and staff flow, seating capacity, and distance between tables.
4. Bar. A serving dish, a side dish, and, in many forms, a dish meant to be eaten.
5. Lighting. Layers of light and color temperature adjusted for each time of day.
6. Acoustics. Reverberation control to ensure comfortable conversation at the table.
7. Materials and furniture. Durability under heavy use, easy maintenance, and comfort.

The order of the list reflects the order in which decisions are made in a restaurant design project. The concept determines what the kitchen needs; the kitchen dictates the floor plan; and the floor plan determines where and how lighting, sound, and furniture are incorporated. Altering that order—for example, by choosing materials before finalizing the layout—forces parts of the project to be redone and often increases the cost of construction.

Designing Based on a Gastronomic Concept

Designing a restaurant based on its culinary concept means that the culinary offering, the chef’s profile, and the type of service determine the atmosphere, layout, and materials of the space. The concept serves as a criterion for choosing among equally valid design options and for maintaining the space’s coherence over the years.

Translating the Kitchen and the Chef into Space

A restaurant specializing in fresh, locally sourced ingredients with a grill-based menu and one offering a fifteen-course tasting menu require different spaces, even though they share the same neighborhood and clientele. The former calls for materials with a strong visual presence, a view of the fire, and a brisk pace in the dining room. The latter calls for more widely spaced tables, lighting suited to a meal lasting several hours, and discreet service.

The UJO+Partners studio encapsulates this idea in its approach to restaurant design: the space and the kitchen engage in a dialogue, and the design translates the culinary philosophy into atmosphere through the texture of the materials, the temperature of the light, and the rhythm of the space. In practice, this requires understanding the menu, the expected number of covers, and the kitchen team’s workflow before drawing up the floor plan.

The facade and the entrance as a first impression

The façade is the first element of a restaurant’s design that diners notice, even before they enter. How open it is depends on the concept. A sit-down restaurant that offers privacy should screen views from the street, while in a casual dining setting, transparency invites people to come in and turns the activity inside into a draw.

Boquería Sunset, the 1,000 m² food market designed by UJO+Partners on Sunset Boulevard (Los Angeles), employs the second strategy. The long facade allows for a spacious and open entrance that connects the interior to the flow of traffic on the avenue—a design choice consistent with a layout of stalls, kitchens, and terraces intended for both locals and visitors. The project can be viewed on the Boquería Sunset page, alongside the studio’s other restaurant projects.

How is the space in a restaurant laid out?

In restaurant design, the space is organized around two traffic patterns that should intersect as little as possible: the customer’s path, from the entrance to the table and restrooms, and the staff’s path, between the kitchen, bar, and dining room. The seating capacity, the distance between tables, and the flexible-use areas are then determined based on these two routes.

Customer and Staff Flow

In a well-designed layout, the server can reach any table without having to walk through waiting areas or cross paths with customers heading to the restroom. Transporting dishes from the kitchen, clearing tableware, and accessing the bar are all handled with short, direct routes. Every unnecessary crossing adds seconds to the service and creates tension in the dining room during peak hours.

The restaurant entrance also needs its own space. A reception or waiting area—even a small one—prevents arriving customers from blocking the path of staff or standing next to occupied tables. In establishments with a bar, this waiting area can be integrated into the bar itself, allowing customers to have a drink before being seated at a table.

Capacity, table turnover, and distance between tables

The number of tables in a restaurant is a business model decision, not just a matter of floor space. A high-turnover concept allows for greater density and smaller tables, while a restaurant where meals last longer requires more space between tables so that each table retains its acoustic and visual privacy.

Pushing capacity beyond what the concept calls for tends to compromise diners’ comfort and, as a result, their length of stay and likelihood of returning. A mix of seating arrangements—such as two tables that can be joined together, long benches, or high tables next to the bar—provides the flexibility to adapt the dining area to different groups throughout the week without changing the furniture.

Flexible spaces for events and tastings

More and more restaurants are setting aside areas that serve different purposes depending on the day: a private room that functions as a dining room when there are no events, a communal table for tastings, or a space for workshops. Their design requires movable furniture, adjustable lighting, and effective soundproofing from the main dining room.

At Boquería Sunset, the interior is organized into a series of scalable modules capable of accommodating both fresh produce and specialty kitchens. This system allows for the incorporation of diverse cuisines without sacrificing visual coherence and is complemented by outdoor terraces and flexible spaces for workshops, tastings, and events, enabling the market to schedule activities without having to reconfigure its layout.

Restaurant Kitchen Design: Open or Closed Kitchen?

A restaurant’s kitchen design depends, first and foremost, on whether the kitchen will be open or closed. An open kitchen makes the cooking process part of the diner’s experience, while a closed kitchen shields the dining room from noise, heat, and odors. The choice is determined by the restaurant’s concept and influences ventilation, acoustics, and layout.

Open kitchens have become widespread in restaurants that highlight fresh ingredients, gourmet bars, and tasting menus, where watching the team at work builds confidence in the food served. Ryan W. Buell, a professor at Harvard Business School, describes this effect as operational transparency: showing the process to the customer improves their assessment of the service, and making the customer visible increases the engagement of the staff, according to his 2019 article in the Harvard Business Review.

Between these two extremes, there are intermediate solutions, such as a closed kitchen with a glass-enclosed serving window or an open area dedicated solely to plating. These options allow customers to see part of the process without bringing the noise of the entire kitchen into the dining room. In any case, the design of open or enclosed kitchens is determined in conjunction with the engineering of building systems starting from the preliminary design phase, because exhaust ventilation and climate control dictate where the kitchen can be located within the premises.

Bar, terrace, and hybrid spaces

The bar, the terrace, and hybrid spaces allow a restaurant to operate for longer hours and cater to different types of customers. A well-designed bar streamlines service and encourages customers to order while they wait; the terrace or rooftop expands seating capacity and enhances the experience; and hybrid formats combine dining with work, events, or leisure.

The bar as a functional element

The bar combines more functions than any other element in the establishment: a workspace, a nearby storage area, a checkout station, a waiting area, and, in many concepts, a dining area. That’s why a well-designed bar counter is first planned from the inside—taking into account the height, depth, and layout of the equipment needed by the staff—and then from the outside, with the front, countertop, and lighting that the customer sees.

At Fletcher L.A., the 1,200 m² hybrid space designed by UJO+Partners on Sunset Boulevard (Los Angeles), the ground floor serves as a sports bar. The bar was designed for efficient service and is equipped with large-format screens and modular furniture, allowing the venue to accommodate peak crowds without losing the casual atmosphere that defines the concept.

Terraces and Rooftops

Terraces and walkable rooftops add seating capacity and offer an experience that a restaurant’s interior cannot provide: views, fresh air, and a more relaxed atmosphere. Their design requires weather-resistant furniture, sun protection, and dedicated lighting that allows them to be used at night.

At Fletcher L.A., the rooftop is designed to be the social heart of the project. It combines outdoor bars, lounge areas, and adaptable furniture to host after-work gatherings, private events, screenings, or informal get-togethers, and makes the most of the city views as part of the customer experience.

Hybrid Formats: Dining, Work, and Events

Hybrid formats reflect a use of the space that is no longer limited to lunch and dinner. Fletcher L.A. features a coworking area that visually connects with the outdoor setting and facilitates the transition between professional and social settings. Boquería Sunset, meanwhile, combines produce stands, international cuisines, and tasting areas all within a single culinary hub.

In these projects, the coherence between such distinct areas depends on architecture, interior design, and furnishings being designed as a single concept. At Fletcher L.A., UJO+Partners handled the architecture, interior design, comprehensive project management, and furnishings—a model in which a single team coordinates all phases.

Lighting, acoustics, and comfort: what diners perceive without seeing it

Lighting, acoustics, and thermal comfort are aspects of a restaurant’s design that diners notice without even realizing it. Poorly adjusted lighting, a room with echoes, or a cold draft are enough to ruin the experience, even if the food and service are excellent.

Layered Lighting and Color Temperature

Restaurant lighting is designed in layers: soft general lighting, task lighting over each table so that dishes and faces are clearly visible, and accent lighting that highlights materials, the bar, or specific features. Dimming allows the space to transition from a midday setting with natural light to a more intimate dinner atmosphere without changing the light fixtures.

Color temperature also conveys the concept. Warm light is associated with leisurely meals and cozy atmospheres, while cooler light is reserved for work areas or fast-paced settings. At Fletcher L.A., textured materials and ambient lighting create a warm atmosphere that keeps the sports bar lively during the day and bustling at night. The relationship between light, proportion, and material is explored in the article on space design.

Acoustics and Reverberation

Noise is the second most common complaint among diners, behind service, according to Zagat’s 2015 Dining Trends survey in the United States. In Portland, 31% of respondents cited it as their main complaint. A review by Charles Spence of the University of Oxford, published in the journal *Flavour* in 2014, reports noise levels ranging from 94 to 102 decibels in New York City restaurants.

Noise also alters taste. In the study by Woods et al. (2011) cited by Spence, sweet and salty foods were perceived as less intense in the presence of loud noise (75 to 85 decibels) than in the presence of quiet noise (45 to 55 decibels), although the author notes that these are laboratory experiments. The acoustic design of a restaurant combines sound-absorbing surfaces on ceilings and walls, textiles, table placement, and separation between noisy areas—such as the bar or open kitchen—and the dining room.

Air Conditioning, Ventilation, and Odors

A well-climate-controlled dining room maintains a stable temperature at all tables, with no drafts near the door or hot spots near the kitchen. Ventilation prevents odors from lingering in the dining room or on diners’ clothing—a problem that is exacerbated by an open kitchen. Diffusers, vents, and ventilation units are integrated into the interior design from the planning stage so they do not appear as visible additions.

Restaurant Supplies and Furniture

In restaurant design, materials and furnishings must convey the concept while also withstanding heavy use, daily cleaning, and the constant flow of diners. The selection strikes a balance between aesthetic appeal, durability, ease of maintenance, and acoustic performance, and typically works best with a limited palette of finishes rather than many different materials.

Materials that withstand heavy use

Every material used in a restaurant is chosen based on what it brings to the concept and how well it withstands wear and tear. The table summarizes the most common materials used in restaurant interior design and the conditions they require.

A limited color palette ages better than a variety of finishes, reduces the number of maintenance points, and makes it easier to replace damaged pieces without disrupting the overall cohesion of the design. The criteria for durability and the origin of materials are discussed in greater detail in the article on sustainable interior design.

Furniture: Comfort vs. Turnover

The chair is the piece of restaurant furniture that spends the most time in contact with the diner and one of the factors that most influences how long they stay. A plush seat encourages diners to linger, while a firmer one is better suited to fast-turnover concepts. The height of the table and chair, the width of the seat, and the legroom are tailored to the type of food served.

Custom furniture fills the gaps that catalog items don't cover: benches that make the most of a corner, counters with the exact depth, or modules that adapt to an irregular floor plan. UJO+Partners’ furniture service coordinates design, manufacturing, logistics, and installation so that each piece fits in terms of proportion and finish with the rest of the project.

Frequently Asked Questions About Restaurant Design

1. Spence, C. (2014). Noise and its impact on the perception of food and drink. Flavour, 3, 9: a review of studies on noise levels in restaurants and their effect on taste perception.
2. Zagat Blog: America's Dining Trends Revealed (January 2015): Results of the Dining Trends survey, with noise ranking as the second most common complaint among diners in the United States.
3. Buell, R. W. (2019). Operational Transparency. Harvard Business Review: article summary on the impact of revealing processes to customers and customers to employees.
4. UJO+Partners: Boquería Sunset, Los Angeles: Project overview of the gourmet market on Sunset Boulevard.
5. UJO+Partners: Fletcher L.A., Los Angeles: Project overview of the hybrid sports bar, rooftop, and coworking space.
6. UJO+Partners: Sectors: The firm focuses on restaurant, hospitality, retail, residential, and corporate projects.