When you're looking to create a successful restaurant, food and service aren't the only important factors. Appealing interior design is also key, but it can be difficult to find a balance between standing out and making customers feel comfortable. Here are five restaurant interior design tips and secrets for crafting a unique and memorable style.

1. Preconstruction is key

The old adage about building a house on sand is true, even in the case of restaurant interior design. Even the most talented designer can only do so much if the basics of your building are lacking. If you're going to invest in the interior, don't forget about the foundation. Even little details can make a big difference, not only in the look but also in the safety of your building. Before you start outfitting the interior, have a contractor examine the soundness of your structure and take care of anything that could become an issue, whether it's a rotting roof, loose railings, or old insulation.

2. Work with what you've got

Your building makes you unique. If you're in an older structure, use that to your advantage rather than trying to hide it. Work with your designer and your restaurant builder to explore all possibilities and how it can work for your type of cuisine. You may find a hidden layer of historic brick behind newer wall coverings that brings a whole new dimension to the environment.

3. Remember your location

The cuisine may be similar, but a Thai restaurant in Annapolis, Maryland has a completely different clientele than one in Los Angeles. Consider your potential customers and what makes the city you're in unique, and incorporate that into your design in a way that makes sense for your restaurant. For example, using subtle nautical colors or images in a sailing town.

4. Consider all the senses

Your patrons come to you mainly for one thing: taste. But, that doesn't mean the other five senses should be ignored. Create a multi-sensory, many-textured experience. For example, appeal to touch with lush fabrics for booths and chair backs that are contrasted by smooth hardwood tables. For hearing, balance outside noise like background music and chatter with the customer's ability to hold a conversation at their own table.

5. Stick with your vision, but don't be trapped by it

Perhaps the most important interior restaurant design tip is simply to choose a scheme and stay true to it. If you're going for a laid back, relaxed vibe, then don't upset it with overly bright colors or lights. But, having a vision doesn't mean you have to fit a certain mold, and mixing styles can have a great effect. For example, using classic dark wood with clean contemporary lines, contrasting modern furniture with traditional Japanese artwork, or installing antique furnishings in an up-to-date, all-white color scheme.

Whether you're doing a tenant fit out or creating a purpose-built restaurant structure, restaurant interior design tips like these can help you not only create a more concrete vision, but also make sure that it's effectively made into reality. Contact an interior designer or restaurant builder near you for more information or to get started planning your design.