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A restaurant’s audiovisual system’s ability to influence the dining atmosphere is undoubtedly a powerful factor. “AV systems are no longer thought of as vanity now but as a necessity,” says Casey Johnston, founder and lead designer of Serious Audio Video Inc. Proactive and upfront planning and coordination of the AV system is critical.

New Orleans’ La Thai restaurant’s redesign was led by Chef-Partner Diana Chauvin Gallé and interior designer Curtis Herring. Gallé took over the space in 2008 but made only modest changes. The redesign freshened the aesthetic and gave Gallé the opportunity to reconsider elements of the space.

Terzo Piano, a restaurant at the Art Institute of Chicago, called on its original interior architect, Dirk Denison, to lead its recent renovation.

Picking a color for your restaurant or branding materials? The one thing that should not drive your decision is your own opinion, be it your love for lavender or your partner’s longtime loathing for orange — so says color expert Leatrice Eiseman, author of nine books on color and consultant to a diverse array of designers and corporations on applying science and psychology to color selection. As executive director of the world-renowned Pantone Color Institute, Eiseman also helps lead the team that selects the Pantone Color of the Year, which for 2017 is Greenery 15-0343, a “refreshing and revitalizing shade that is symbolic of new beginnings.”

Putting in the time up front makes for a cost-efficient project in the long run.

Three handcrafted drumheads, evoking the spirit of traditional Native American tribal drums, line the back bar wall and help to convey the concept’s theme. 

Scouting Trip: We get up close and person with four great restaurant designs. 

Just a few years ago, no one had heard of pop-up restaurants, and now they’re seemingly everywhere you turn. And there’s good reason for that. Pop-up restaurants can be test runs, creative exercises and financially rewarding endeavors. More brick-and-mortar locations are dipping into the trend. One of the many challenges in hosting a pop-up restaurant is coming up with a design that looks permanent but is anything but — while doing so in a cost-effective and authentic way. Here, we spotlight three very different kinds of pop-ups with very different goals.