Page 32 - Foodservice Magazine October 2018

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ON TREND
DESIGN INGREDIENTS
DAVID VEKSLER, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF SPECIALIST HOSPITALITY DESIGN FIRM, GURU PROJECTS,
REVEALS THE LATEST IDEAS AND AESTHETICS IN CAFE, RESTAURANT AND BAR FITOUTS.
What venues has Guru Projects designed and built?
Some of Guru’s recent projects include designing and building nel. Restaurant, Harry’s in Bondi, Chubby Cheeks, Centennial Homestead, as well as venues for Campos and Toby’s Estate. I’ve loved working on just about all the venues we’ve done. We try to align ourselves with people who share our values.
What are your top tips for creating a timeless and or on-brand space?
Honestly, being on-trend and timeless are overrated in 2018. What’s more important is that the venue tells your story. Be bold, be creative, don’t do what everyone else is doing. Successful venues have points of difference, but you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Trends often go against what came before, so it’s not always possible to create a space that is simultaneously trendy and timeless. It’s up to the individual to decide what’s more significant.
What is currently trending in cafe, restaurant and bar design and fitouts?
Polished concrete and an exposed industrial feel with brass trims, Edison bulbs and a relatively subdued feature colour throughout.
What is your top trend in design for 2018?
I’m a big fan of the '90s aesthetic, the colour palette. I also like clean lines and minimalistic approaches to design. I don’t like too many contrasting elements in the design itself – the venue should have a coherent identity of its own, and contrast should be created using things like uniforms and food – the extrinsic elements. Having fun and playing with the building itself is a must.
What are your design predictions for 2019?
That’s the million-dollar question! I think people are starting to get a bit more adventurous with their builds, which is a good thing. I love the '90s revival stuff, I think earthy tones are coming back but underpinned with modern material advances – terrazzo. Caesar stone, and concrete with coloured aggregate.
What under-utilised design elements do you wish more Australian venues would use?
Technology, but I think this is changing.
What advice would you give an operator launching a cafe, restaurant or bar wanting a polished but budget-conscious fitout?
The unfortunate truth is that a lot of the time, things cost what they cost. If there was a cheaper alternative to marble that was just as nice but half the price, marble would never be used. It’s simply not possible to get a million-dollar fitout for $200K. So, I guess my advice is – be realistic. Another thing – be obsessed. An obsession with perfection is the key component. You need to wake up thinking about your countertops and go to bed thinking about your menu boards. Just like design, just like fitout, just like anything really – you get out what you put in.