5 Commercial Millwork Design Ideas for Upscale Restaurants and Bars

For the owner of an upscale hospitality space, every detail is an opportunity to tell a story. When customers enter an upscale restaurant or bar, they take in these details, from the doorways and windows to the flooring and furniture. Strategically using millwork to tell a story can improve the overall experience, which is why customizing their commercial millwork designs gives owners the best chance of elevating their ideal customer experience.

Whether the location is new or reimagined, investing in custom commercial millwork can turn upscale spaces into engaging consumer narratives. Here are five custom millwork design ideas to help the owners of upscale restaurants and bars get started on attracting, impressing, and inspiring their customers.

Statement Bar

Bars are often the focal points of upscale restaurants and lounges. Custom millwork can capitalize on this by turning drab bar fronts into sculptural centerpieces that transform a functional restaurant feature into a work of art.

Signature design elements can be personalized for the brand, capturing the tone the owner wants to achieve by using assorted patterns and materials. Fluting, ribbing, and other styles can be carved into the front to make a more effective statement.

Materials can be mixed for the perfect balance of luxury and approachability. Metal, stone, or leather inlays can add dynamic, high-end charm to a once-ordinary statement piece. Additionally, lighting can be integrated behind millwork patterns to add even more drama to the custom piece.

Architectural Ceilings

Ceilings may not always be the customer’s first impression, but they can leave a lasting impact when done well. When crafted with the texture and sophistication that the bar or restaurant desires, architectural ceilings can complete the space with newfound elegance and charm.

Examples of custom millwork in architectural ceilings can include:

• Wood-coffered ceilings
• Slatted statement panels
• Curved bulkheads
• Suspended ceilings
• Vaulted ceilings
• Green ceilings

The type of ceiling best suited to the restaurant depends on the owner’s preferences and the tone they hope to achieve. Coffered ceilings, for instance, use grids of sunken panels to add extra dimension, ideal for restaurants that want to feel grander and more expansive. Green ceilings, which have built-in spaces for living plants, can create a more relaxing atmosphere connected to a shared desire for sustainability.

Banquette Seating

Banquette seating, whether freestanding or integrated, allows restaurant owners to tie the style of their architecture into their restaurant’s seating scheme. Custom millwork can also be used to save space.

For example, storage space can be integrated into banquettes to save space in other areas or provide customers with under-seat storage. Vertical wood panels can be used to soften the room’s acoustics, creating a more intimate experience without changing the layout. Integrated paneling can refine the visual rhythm of the space by tying architectural elements into the seating designs.

The possibilities are endless for custom millwork artisans to use banquette seats to accentuate the form and function of upscale restaurants. Arched wall niches can be constructed behind the seating to turn formerly secluded tables into the most stylish seats in the house.

Branded Features

Luxury hospitality spaces are highly competitive, making every detail count when trying to impress customers with an upscale space. Custom commercial millwork provides tactile architectural details that can be instantly identified with the business. With well-placed accents, customers can be given more specific and memorable experiences to keep them coming back.

Examples of branded custom millwork features include:

• Framed hardwood wine displays
• Etched wooden signage or custom logos
• Custom wall-panelling
• Arches or shelving units
• Feature walls or wooden veneers

Beyond looking impressive and stylish, these features can be used to tell a brand’s story strategically. The connection between distinct branding and the physical space creates a multi-sensory environment that customers will remember. Adding value to the space through this type of branding begins with clearly communicating stylistic intent to a dedicated millwork team.

Check-In Features

The dining room may be king in upscale hospitality, but the host and check-in areas are every customer’s first point of contact with the business. Custom millwork can refine this area by setting an immediate and distinct tone for hosts to build from and engage their patrons.

Upscale restaurants opt for bespoke check-in counters and desks to create a feeling of warmth and service. Millwork can make desk areas warmer in tone, with complex or simple accent features that match the business’s interior language. Stone accents or tops can be used to create even more natural interest.

Custom features can be enhanced even further with details such as carved branding or logos, built-in lighting accents, or metal trim. By incorporating storage compartments, hosts can hide POS systems and other electronics to maintain the illusion of natural warmth that has become so valued by many upscale restaurants and bars.

Partner With Commercial Millwork Artisans to Transform Upscale Restaurants

The tone and atmosphere set by a business’s decor may be an elaborate illusion, but with bespoke commercial millwork, it can become a real customer experience. When creating the feel of an upscale experience, a detailed atmosphere is a primary goal, something that feels rich, tactile, and consistent with the rest of the architecture.

Millwork is functional and decorative, provided the artisans are experienced enough to use it wisely. At Sixth Avenue Custom, our team helps upscale restaurants and hospitality businesses maximize their floor space, storage potential, and acoustics while refining the tone and identity of their atmosphere for their ideal customer experience.

Contact our team today to learn how custom millwork designs can transform commonplace style into unforgettable luxury.