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4 0 • 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 • M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 1 5 the space have no scheme. However, they are all similarly composed of refec- tive materials and light, each in a unique form. It's obvious to say that lighting cre- ates the atmosphere, but we look beyond purpose and function, to its beauty and form. Each fxture is an art installation, both aesthetic and interactive." While Hunt & Fish Club represents an extreme example of lighting meets art, design experts, architects and restaurant operators all agree that lighting is essential for creating the kind of dining environment people want to be a part of. That's true for fne-dining establishments as well as more casual settings. "It's really about the atmosphere you're trying to create. There are lots of reasons why people go to a restaurant for the frst time, whether its buzz, its newness or press. But getting people to go back is the key," notes Paul Gregory, president of Focus Lighting Inc., a New York-based lighting design frm. "You never get a second chance to make a frst impression." Flexible Functionality When it comes to lighting, restaurants in the United States appear to lead the way in terms of technology and trends, with the exception of Europe, according to Nick Albert, director of Illuminate, the lighting and consultancy division of international hospitality and design frm HBA. "Regions such as the Middle East or Asia seem to be following U.S. trends in a couple of ways," he says. One of the biggest, he says, is the rustic and retro approach, which he calls "lumberjack chic," adding, "It's interesting from a design standpoint because lighting is technology ... It's an interesting juxtaposition." When Crushed Red owner Chris LaRocca was looking to build his Boulder, Colo.-inspired restaurant in Missouri, the goal was to design some- thing that was smart, edgy and comfort- able. The fast-casual artisan pizza and salad restaurant's interior features wood foors and an exposed wood ceiling while Mason jar pendant lights hang as chan- deliers throughout the dining room. The decor ties in to LaRocca's vision and the latest trend of rustic elegance. "The lighting is key to creating that experience," LaRocca says. "In talk- ing about having a restaurant with this Boulder feel, we wanted the lighting to provide a certain glow. Everything has to look good." LaRocca also is making the switch to LED lights, which he's now able to fnd in colors and sizes that ft his needs. They'll ultimately provide his restaurants with 35,000 hours of unin- terrupted illumination. "We're at a moment in lighting where the sea change is due to LED technology, but it's such a large shift and so pervasive that developing new itera- tions of that technology is moving fast," says Albert. "It's similar to the processor revolution in personal computing in the 1990s. LED is at that point." While LED lights launched with only one or two utilitarian color hues — harsh and not well suited to illuminating food SPOTLIGHT ON LIGHTING Left: Named for its living green wall, the Green Room at Hunt & Fish Club features an oval-shaped light fxture that hangs from the ceiling. Below: Hunt & Fish Club's White Room features a 40-by-20-foot installation, fashioned from chrome rods and 2,500 bulbs, that refects against a charcoal mirrored ceiling. Photos courtesy of Studio Iyor