Restaurant Development & Design

JAN-FEB 2018

restaurant development + design is a user-driven resource for restaurant professionals charged with building new locations and remodeling existing units.

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6 2 • 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 • J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 8 Form + Function Flooring Choosing the right one makes all the difference. BY AMANDA BALTAZAR F looring may or may not be the flashiest aspect of a restaurant's design, but it is critical to get it right regardless. The right floors not only set the tone but provide func- tionality and safety. When specifying restaurant flooring, project teams can choose from a variety of materials from natural products like hardwood or stone to manufactured products like tile (anything from porce- lain and ceramic to vinyl) and carpeting to industrial materials like concrete. Tile Tile comes in a variety of materials including porcelain, ceramic and vinyl. Depending on material and application, tile can often mimic other, less durable or harder-to-install materials while providing the desired aesthetic. Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) is growing in popularity. It mimics other materials and can be less expensive and often easier to install. It also provides a shock absor- bency that harder materials do not. Porcelain tile is widely used in res- taurants. It is installed on a regular con- crete slab and is impervious to water. And while grout absorbs liquids, water evaporates easily from the surface. When weighing whether to use porcelain or ceramic tile, consider that porcelain is harder than ceramic and typically has a through body, so any pattern goes as deep as the tile. If chipped, ceramic tiles often show a red or brown body beneath the pattern. Porcelain tile works well for res- taurants with an indoor-outdoor layout, according to Kelly Ardoin, senior project manager at New York-based Meyer Davis Studio. Its density means res- taurants can use porcelain tile in some outdoor applications. Ashley McCaul, senior designer and an associate with The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry in Atlanta, recently installed porcelain tile in Light Keepers restaurant at The Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne near Miami, which has a significant outdoor component. The property, she says, uses real wood throughout the interior. However, for the floor, which required the same authentic aesthetic, she used a faux wood ceramic tile "so it allowed them to open the doors and not have to worry about it." Fast-casual chain Slim Chickens, based in Fayetteville, Ark., moved to a large-format porcelain tile in the front of the house for new stores and remod- els. It was selected for its cleanability and durability, according to Director of Design and Project Management Kendra Payne. In its somewhat sterile, white- tiled bathrooms, the chain is testing a deep brown porcelain tile that mimics For the dining area at Proxi in Chicago, the New York-based Meyer Davis Studio opted to use 10-inch engineered oak wood flooring with a wax finish in the dining area. Images courtesy of David Burke

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