At Blank Creatives we follow an ethos that every food business should appear to have its own personality.

What does that mean?

Well we believe that when customers enter your space, they should be enveloped in your food offering but also ensure that the space and its branding tell the same story as your food.

Today we’ll share 5 designs and what personality we get from them!

1. BAM karaoke box in paris, designed by Michael Malapert Designs

Flamboyant, fun & classy

2. Bibo Ergo Sum designed by Home studios

Flamboyant, fun & classy

3. Bibo designed by Substance

A retro man, with fine tastes and oh soo much class

4. Lotus Dessert By Atelier TAO+C

Clean, fresh, reliable & healthy.

5. Hotel W, designed by Atelier MKD

Sophisticated, Elegant & social.

Sometimes all a space needs is greenery. So why not go BIG, go BOLD and try some of these quirky plants for your space.

Feeling the plant frenzy and want to see more?

Follow the link below to our personalised pinterest page:

Today we will talk you through the 4 common short-falls we often see with clients who are choosing their first hospitality site.

Photo by Marion Michele on Unsplash

Engaging a designer once your site is locked in

Clients often get in touch with us once they have secured their site, and not having the experience from owning or running a food business before, clients often run into problems when things get underway.

At Blank Creatives we are always happy to get involved during the concept stages, when you’re still nutting out the idea. Sometimes it pays to have a concepts semi-formed before you find a site, as it gives you clear guidelines and parameters for what you are looking for physically in a space. For examples, you may decide that a site with a large shopfront is key to your business, or a laneway hid-away might be just right.

2. A site that doesn’t have the right services

When looking for the perfect site, you have to ask yourself - what food will I be serving? What equipment do I need to make these meals? and hence what services do I need to make this a smooth ride?

Often these questions aren’t asked till after a lease is signed. This can mean that clients pick sites that don’t have the correct services - like an existing exhaust system or a grease trap.

How do I know if I need a grease-trap?

Grease traps capture all the runoff oils from your cooking. It is a requirement by law to have a grease-trap if you will be undertaking any frying or cooking that uses a lot of oils and other such grease during cooking.

A grease-trap can be recessed into the floor, with an easy to access point to empty or fixed above ground.

In NSW clients who feel that they will be using minimal grease, can apply for an exemption from Sydney Water. They will provide you with a written exemption that you can present to council when your final inspection is required.

But if you do need a grease-trap, often finding a site with a pre-existing grease trap or a clear easy to access area above ground that it can be installed in, will save you a lot of money.

Learn more here:

Do I need an exhaust system?

If you are using items such as grills, fryers and hot plates, you will most likely need some sort of exhaust system - Dishwashers and combi-ovens over 5000 Watts (energy usage) also require a an exhaust hood by law.

Installing an exhaust system from scratch can be costly and time-consuming, as if there is not an existing exhaust run in the building, then a development application (DA) will be need to be submitted to council.

So we always recommend that clients try to find sites that have an existing exhaust system or check to see if any other tenancies in the building have one, that you may be able to tap into or share.

3. A tenancy that wasn’t a class 6 use previously

Class 6 refers to the class of use of the tenancy, as per the BCA (building code of Australia).

Food business’ fall into a class 6 category. So if the previous use was a food business or a retail business - you can usually get away with not having to submit a development application (DA) to council. This means a quicker turnaround for your approvals and more money in your pocket, as DA’s can add extra cost to your project that you weren’t anticipating.

4. A site that doesn't have easy disables access

We often encounter sites that have issues with disabled access. Sure the tenancy may have been a restaurant before and seems to be okay but new laws dictate that if you are making changes to a site for a new restaurant or cafe, you need to comply to the current disabled access laws. So what could that mean?

If there is a step into the tenancy, you will be required to create a ramp. This can add unforeseen costs to the build so just be aware and factory that Into your budget.

You may also want to consider toilet facilities. If your space will have more than 19 seats you will need toilets and they must be disabled friendly.

We hope that this information has helped to get you one step closer to a successful food business.

Still want to know more?

Why not get in touch with us today and talk to us about our one-off consulting service. Where we can review your top 3 sites, give you a list of pros and cons and get you one step closer to picking the perfect site.

Stay tuned! Our new online store will be launching on Thursday 18th January, where you can purchase custom checklists that will make deciding on the right tenancy even easier. Sign up to our newsletter so you never miss a beat!

Never used a designer before? Or interested to learn more about how Blank Creatives works?

Well today is your lucky day! We’ll be letting you in on all our little secrets and quirks that help us deliver the best designs for our clients.

Our first step in the design process is always to understand our clients, what their ideas for their business are and what they want from us.

Once this is established the fun begins, with our first stage of design!

This 1st step is where we feel out the design, what we believe will work well and blending this with the client’s vision. Floor plan options and mood-boards are used to do this.

A mood-board is a collection of images that show ideas of what could be done. It’s often an overall indication of the design ideas, not 100% what we are thinking just ideas to gage the client's feelings on the proposals.

Once this is approved we often suggest that a 3D is done of the space. It’s okay to admit that you’re not an expert plan reader!

3D’s are a great way to see the design come alive in the space - in a way that anyone can understand. It’s also the easiest way for a client to make changes, maybe the red leather chairs weren’t how you had imaged them, or the brass lights aren’t quite right.

After that the design process at an end and the drawing stages begin. That’s when we draw all the floor plans, elevations, sections and details so that you can get the job priced and built.

Want to learn more?

Why not get in touch with us today hello@blankcreatives.com.au

La Cantina is a well known hospitality business, with more than 5 venues (new ones opening all the time!) operational across Sydney. Their latest venture in St Leonards was a natural move for the business, as it was an opportunity to create a warm and welcoming space, that would complement their well established food and beverage offerings.

THE BRIEF

La Cantina wanted a space with a fundamentally simple design, using a neutral colour palette and a range of materials.

THE PROCESS

To achieve this, Blank Creatives provided a full service interior design, working through the design in detail, processing ideas from planning and inspiration imagery into 3D visuals and material selections for the client. By taking this detailed approach, the design was able to evolve into a strong and well-thought-out space. This process also allowed the client to fully understand the end result, as deciphering document drawings are not everyone's forte.

THE OUTCOME

The result is a beautiful and modern space. The design is a blend between modern contemporary and art deco accents. It takes cues from the art deco era, borrowing design features such as penny round tiles, frosted globe lighting and brass accents.

Warm honey oak chevron timbers line the dining area walls with a hand painted graphic illustration on the wall, designed by Chris Nixon. The illustration adds a modern edge to the otherwise subtle design palette and brings character and life to the space.

The dining area features custom-designed communal tables, timber and vinyl custom bench seating and bespoke white wire lighting features with lush plants cascading down over them, adding a warm atmosphere.

Small details such as the inset Bolon rugs below the communal tables help to break up the space. By keeping the tones of the Bolon and mottled floor tiles in harmony, this division of space is subtle, simple and allows the space to maintain a unified design vision.

La Cantina is a perfect example of how Blank Creatives can help create a space that is not only pleasing to the eye, but also allows a business to take on its own personality.

Contact us if you would like us to help you bring your business to life!

hello@blankcreatives.com.au