We’ve rounded up five of the best interior design trends of 2016 and added some simple tips so you can apply them to your venue.

Touches of nature

This year sees a shift towards spaces that are light-filled and embrace touches of nature. Think big windows that overlook gardens, courtyards recreated as green havens, and greenery integrated into the cafe or restaurant’s overall design through potted plants and vertical gardens. Design elements such as bi-fold doors, glass louvre windows and timber screens help soften the divide between inside and outside.

In on the action

The rise of television cooking shows has seen diners gain a new appreciation for chefs and how their food is prepared. It’s forged a trend where cafes and restaurants can offer patrons a glimpse of their staff in action, with diners eating at the bar and open kitchens where they can watch food being made before them.

Rose Quartz and Serenity

Pantone is the global authority on colour, dictating the colours that will shape design palettes around the world. This year, for the first time the PANTONE Colour of the Year is not one choice, but a blend of two shades – Rose Quartz (13-1520) and Serenity (15-3919).

Pantone says of the colours, “Joined together, Rose Quartz and Serenity demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace.”

Design-wise, these colours have led a trend towards palettes that are soft and muted. Used in cafes and restaurants, these shades evoke a sense of calm and soothing, a place where diners can relax and enjoy themselves without feeling rushed or harried.

Bathroom bliss

This year, all eyes are on the bathroom with a trend that takes its cue from the days of pretty powder rooms. Bathrooms are no longer an afterthought for cafes and restaurants and the days of those that are dank and dark should be well and truly past. This new generation of bathrooms is beautifully designed, softly lit, and decorated with stylish wallpaper or elegant tiles, designer sinks and luxurious finishes. Sweet-smelling hand soap and little vases of flowers or potted plants are among the details that elevate the experience.

Mix-and-match retro

2016 is about embracing the beauty of unique retro objects. Choose objects – from artworks, vases, crockery, knick-knacks and finishes from any decade – that work as part of a loose theme and complement the overall style of your cafe or restaurant. It’s a trend that moves away from spaces that feel contrived towards ones that are original and personable.