When designing clubs and bars, coming up with a general theme is what normally sets the space apart from other clubs and bars in the area. This part however, should not be taken lightly as one can easily miss the mark altogether, and end up with a space that fails to attract the requisite crowd. In order to avoid this pitfall, I’ve gone ahead and highlighted the major points to consider when designing clubs and bars regardless of the location.
Point #1 Target Audience
Identifying the Target Audience or demographics of your ideal client is by far, the most important point of consideration, as all the other points piggyback off it. Who is the ideal client? What is their age group? What will be the major factor drawing them there, that is, what will attract them to your club or bar? And what is the main reason they are looking for or seeking out a club or bar? A retiree for instance, will be looking for a cosy almost moody relaxing space where they can have their drink, chat with their buddies and possibly entertain a significant other. The music will be pleasant but not too loud so as to allow for conversation, and definitely reminiscent of the good old days. A youngin or member of the youth, on the other hand, is looking for a vibrant space with a lot of high energy where together with their friends and colleagues, can catch up on the latest news, moves and trends all in an effort to wind down after a hard day at work. They would thus prefer somewhere loud and hip, complete with flashing psychedelic lights and numerous screens to watch their favourite teams battle it out.
Point #2 Lighting
The next point to consider is Lighting and as mentioned above, the lighting needs or expectations vary greatly depending on the target audience. A gentleman’s bar will have moodier more ambient light and soft hues that set the perfect tone for the space. A night club or disco on the other hand, will have significantly more vibrant lighting targeted towards or highlighting specific areas, thus drawing attention to some key features. The hues will be sharper, brighter, and with a wider array of tones and colours to choose from; in essence, no youth is left behind. In both cases, task lighting is limited or restricted to specific areas like the washrooms, back bars and grilling or kitchen areas where one needs sufficient light to see what’s going on and efficiently go about their business.
Point #3 Furniture
It goes without saying that the Furniture needs of these two target groups vary greatly. A retiree is more concerned with comfort so the sturdier, wider, more cushioned yet firm, lower set and standard the furniture pieces are, the better. The youngin on the other hand, is more drawn to style so beautifully unique yet functional pieces hit home for them. After all, these pieces only serve to enhance the general theme or look of the club or bar.
Point #4 Colour Scheme
Last but not least comes the Colour Scheme. As mentioned in a previous blog entry COLOUR SCHEMING YOUR HOME, each colour gives off energy, and the colour palette you go for will evoke some emotion immediately you set foot in the space. It is with this in mind that you will find most gentleman’s clubs or bars with darker muted neutral colours taking up entire sections from floor to ceiling, while night clubs normally have brighter and louder blocks of colour that feature on various surfaces. Muted colours tend to be more relaxing as opposed to brighter colours that keep the mind going; any mismatch and you’ll soon find yourself with an empty club or bar.
As you can see from the points above, when it comes to designing clubs and bars, just picking a location and going about the interior design without proper due diligence is a recipe for disaster. Take the time, do your research and put the right pieces in place right from the very beginning, and you’ll be off to a great start. Should you however require any assistance on the same, feel free to reach out and we’ll be sure to get you back on the right track. We are after all, but a call away.
Till next time…Baraka Tele
