Restaurant Development & Design

FALL 2014

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1 4 • R E S T A U R A N T D E V E L O P M E N T + D E S I G N • F A L L 2 0 1 4 TREND W ine displays are "a visual destination that let the story of the dining experience un- fold." So says Tom Davis, restaurant design expert who heads up the Denver offce of Davis Wince, a Columbus, Ohio-based architecture frm. Wine displays have become a sig- nature design element for restaurants, he says. They have become part of the interior architecture, adding a quality component to the culinary experience. Americans' interest in wine has grown consistently over the past de- cade, and it can be the hottest aspect of a trendy or traditional restaurant. In either case, if wine displays are to illus- trate the story of the dining experience, they need to be front and center in the operation where, as Davis says, they serve as eye candy for all diners. Charles Malek spent more than a decade in the wine industry, both in the U.S. and Tokyo. He says that restaura- teurs now use such displays instead of art or plants. Wine used to be kept in the back in a wine cellar, he notes, but now it is up front and part of the dining experience. Wine displays can take the form of a wall, a glass-fronted or glass-enclosed room or a divider, depending on the objective and the space available in the restaurant. A wine wall provides an eye-catching backdrop for a dining area, like three-dimensional wallpaper, Davis says. A wine room, generally with enclosed cases to permit temperature control and security, can be used near a dining room's entrance to showcase featured labels and capture diners' attention from the moment of entry. A wine divider, or screen wall, can be functional as well as visual, transpar- ently separating a bar/lounge area from a dining room. The form of each display is a function of the goals of the restau- rateur, for example, suggestive selling, decoration or storage. As with other interior decor features, materials used for wine dis- plays help to create and complement the ambience of an operation. Wood and glass can express a more traditional look, while stainless steel and iron can add a more modern feel. Some displays store wine, usually reds, in the open Wine Displays Are Eye Candy for Diners BY CAROLINE PERKINS, Contributing Editor

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