Creating Outdoor Dining Indoors
Milwalky Taco restaurant in Libertyville, IL. The over-sized door and motorized screen merge indoor and outdoor dining spaces. Designed by Bleck & Bleck Architects, LLC.
Ah, the lazy days of summer! With awesome weather and the free time to enjoy it, everyone wants to be outdoors. The last thing we want is to be indoors when the weather is beautiful – especially here in the Midwest. Outdoor dining is part and parcel of the summer experience. Even in the spring and fall, we have many days and evenings when outdoor dining is possible. We seek out restaurants and bars with patios and decks – even wide sidewalks will suffice in busy downtown areas.
But what if your business does not have space or revenue to justify building a patio or deck? Then, you might consider opening your indoor dining area to the outdoors.
Open Doorways to Al Fresco Dining
Wide overhead, sliding or folding doors give you the advantage of al fresco dining – without the expense and maintenance of a patio or deck. When large doors are paired with motorized screens, patrons can enjoy an outdoor dining experience in your existing restaurant space – free from insects. You can achieve an “outdoor” effect and still keep the space usable year-round or in bad weather conditions.
Motorized screens roll up or down automatically and operate much like a window shade. Screens allow air flow and sound & light transmission while limiting the movement of people, animals, and insects. The screens can be interlocked with the door and raised or lowered in several ways: via a switch on the wall, by using a remote control, or wirelessly through a tablet or smartphone.
Merging Indoor and Outdoor Spaces
The trend toward merging indoor and outdoor spaces continues to gain in popularity. Business owners can tap into this trend with minimal investment or maintenance by installing large overhead, sliding or folding doors fitted with motorized screens.
You can increase revenue by making public spaces more versatile, attractive, and usable. We recommend motorized screens to our restaurant and bar clients to take advantage of good weather, open views, and light. Existing dining rooms and bars are easily converted into outdoor spaces and can take full advantage of pleasant breezes while keeping insects out.
