Candela
Candela
that ultimately leave us with a good impression. With interior design having such a dramatic impact on what we feel and remember about a restaurant, it should come as no surprise to find that an increasing number of restaurant owners now see interior design as an essential component that cannot be overlooked. Calgary’s exploding restaurant industry is transforming everything we know Candela
about dining out, and with the bar being raised every time a new restaurant is opened, restaurant owners cannot afford to skimp when it comes to design. “As a native Calgarian (and food lover) being a part of this growing scene is very exciting.” says Cassidy who led the design on Market last year and is now putting the finishing touches on the Mercato Group’s new restaurant, Bocce Pizzeria and Bar in Mission. “I enjoy that this momentum and awareness brings with it an appreciation for restaurant design and our ability to create multifaceted spaces. Restaurants are exciting spaces, vibrant with social energy and sense of community, it’s my ideal project and clientele.” While a restaurant’s menu may be exceptional, the components of design are what help separate one Italian restaurant from another, and owners are quickly learning that while they are competing with quantity in the city, they are more importantly competing with quality. Translation? Your chicken cacciatore better be a heck of a lot better than cacciatore down the street, and did we mention that your restaurant better be pretty, different and cool too?
Every single detail in a space creates a message Ward, who knows all about pretty, different and cool, can hardly contain her excitement about new projects that she is working on throughout the city, more specifically Michael Noble’s new establishment, The Nash and Off-Cut Bar in Inglewood. Though many details of these projects are currently confidential, Ward explains that she is looking forward to a move away from the overwhelming industrial fad (barn wood, steel, Edison lights) and a move towards sleeker, modernlooking spaces. “We have seen so much of this rustic, industrial trend that’s it has lost its meaning,” Ward explains. “As a designer, we try to avoid being trendy. You never want to say ‘oh, that looks like it was designed in 2008.’ You want to be able to speak to a concept instead.” With this refreshing perspective in mind and a new understanding of the elements that make your dining experience so grand, try asking yourself what it is that you love about a restaurant next time you dine out. Whether you happen to notice the type of plate you are eating off of or the unconventional décor in the restaurant itself, there is no doubt that a heightened awareness of interior design will take your dining experience to a whole new level. Cassidy finishes off by saying, “To design for the public is an exciting and rewarding challenge. The best part is to then see a space come to life by the people who inhabit it, enjoying great food and beverage along the way.”
Recruiter by day, writer and foodie by night, Andrea finds nothing more exciting than baking with chocolate. If dessert could be eaten for every meal, she would be one happy camper.
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