Trends come and go and that is just as true with café fitouts in Sydney as it is with website designs and ladies fashion. Each year there is always something new that is said to be the next miracle solution and everyone scrabbles to be the first in line to show off their new designs.

Despite these waxing and waning yearly trends, café interior designs and refurbishments need to keep the customer in mind, whilst still remaining ahead of the game. There is no point in following trends if they don’t have a positive effect on your ROI and increase your bottom line.

So to help you attract new customers through your doors, here are 7 ideas rather than trends that you might consider including in your next café fitout:

1. Live music: Music makes the world go around and adding live music, rather than piped background music will set you apart from the herd. A small stage might be appropriate, but if you don’t have sufficient room for a designated stage area, then just set aside an area as needed.
2. Ovens: Depending on the type of food you serve, consider investing in a wood fired oven. These are a great draw card for customers and the smell of perfectly cooked roasts, grills, breads and pizzas will have your customers lined up down the street.
3. Exclusive parties: People love private parties, but they don’t like to be out in the main café area, they much prefer to have a small private area all to themselves. So if you want to expand your business this year, consider partitioning part of your dining area for private parties, which increases both your flexibility and your income.
4. Coffee Equipment: Make sure that your espresso equipment is up to date and high tech. The aroma of coffee wafting through your café will have your customers returning day after day for their fix of fabulous roasted coffee beans. So position your coffee machine facing the entrance of your café or at the very least, have it facing your customers for maximum effect.
5. Barista layout: If you want lots of sales then you want a perfect working area for your baristas and other staff. Don’t make them walk from one end of the bench to the other, instead have everything designed perfectly so they have whatever they need at their fingertips. It is worth your time to research hospitality fitouts, because the faster your staff work and the more organised they appear, the more cups of coffee you can sell.
6. Accessibility: Make sure that there is enough space in your café so that people with baby strollers or with mobility disabilities can easily move around. If customers see that you really care about them and that you have put some serious thought into making their lives easier, they will spread the word and keep coming back.
7. Branding: If you are ready for a new café fitout, then carefully consider how best to incorporate your brand into the new refurbished café. Simply having a sign above the café that announces your brand name is definitely not thinking outside the box. Start with colours, textures, feelings and ambiance – how does your brand express itself in your café?

For more information on interior design, refurbishments and café fitouts in Sydney, call Liteco Projects, interior design specialists on 02 8068 1755, email us: info@liteco.com.au or complete our online enquiry form.