Bar & Restaurant Interior Design
Restaurant, bar and hotel interior design in Dublin, shaped around how your guests experience the space and how your team runs it.
A hospitality interior has to do two jobs at once. It has to create an atmosphere guests remember and return for, and it has to work hard behind the scenes: service routes that flow, seating that earns its floor space, lighting that carries from lunch into late evening, and finishes that stand up to daily trade. Think Contemporary designs restaurants, bars, cafés and hotel spaces across Dublin and Ireland, from the first layout to the final fit-out. We work alongside operators, architects and contractors so the venue opens on time, on budget, and looks as good in its fifth year as on opening night.
This works in phrases people search for, where you already show up in Google but are rarely clicked: "restaurant design Dublin" (4,500 appearances, average position 14), bar design, and hospitality interior design. Leave "on time, on budget" out if the studio doesn't run the fit-out itself, since that's a promise you'd have to stand behind.
Creating Strikig Interiors
We will work with you to create a venue that is a destination for your clientele. Developing something that is fresh and exciting in the market.
Our Interior Designers are problem solvers. Our first role is to gain a clear understanding of your brand and target market and what is important to them. This will allow us to develop a design concept for your venue that is unique to you. Offering a full range of services and with expertise in this field, we will take your project to the next level.
You will work with a dynamic team of designers, dedicated to making your project a success. Working together we will provide detailed technical drawings, plans and build your design in a 3D model to visualise the outcome. Through our trusted network of suppliers and experience, we will design and deliver a successful project from start to finish, that will make your business stand out from the crowd.
"Great design isn’t about having good taste — it’s about knowing how to bring it all together.” - Joanne Kelly, Creative Director
Our Process
1. Discovery Call
It starts with the concept, the numbers and the site.
We talk through your concept, target customer, covers, budget and opening date, then walk the site together. By the end you'll have a clear view of what's achievable and how the project would run.
2. Concept Design
The atmosphere is defined before anything is drawn in detail.
We develop the look, mood and materials around your brand and the experience you want guests to have. Mood boards, layouts and 3D studies let you see the venue before committing to it.
3. Design Development
The layout is made to work as hard as the look.
Seating plans, the bar, service routes and back-of-house are resolved alongside lighting, electrical and technical drawings. We co-ordinate with your kitchen designer, engineers and fire consultant so the design and the compliance work move together.
4. Specification & Sourcing
Commercial-grade, chosen for daily trade.
Every finish, fixture, furniture piece and fabric is specified for durability and ease of maintenance as well as appearance. Lead times are planned against your opening date from the start.
5. Construction Coordination
Built as designed, on programme.
We work alongside your fit-out contractor on site, answering questions quickly and keeping decisions moving so the project stays on track for opening.
6. Fit Out
Ready for the first guest.
Furniture, lighting and final details are installed and checked, and the space is styled ahead of opening. What your guests see on day one is what was designed.
"Think Contemporary did a fantastic job on our home renovation project. Our experience from first contact right through to completion was first class. Joanne, our lead architect and designer, is a natural and clearly loves and excels at her work. She brought superb ideas and listened very carefully to our thoughts and input and incorporated every detail into the design. Joanne and the team transformed our idea firstly into amazingly detailed 3D renders and then into reality working very closely with our construction team right throughout the project ensuring things were progressing and maintaining a quality finish throughout. She also brought lots of great furnishing and finish ideas and suppliers, keenly priced thanks to deep connections in the wider industry. I would have no hesitation recommending Joanne and the Think Contemporary team to family and friends and will certainly be our first call on any future projects. 10/10"
Skerries Project
"Joanne & Think Contemporary were a pleasure to work with & my husband & I are delighted to highly recommend their services. From the very initial interior design stages of our project to the fine detail at the end, Joanne was there with excellent guidance & support at all times. Always very pragmatic in her approach with great ideas & suggestions tailored specifically to our needs & tastes so we ended up with a home that suits us perfectly. We really found her help invaluable. Cannot recommend highly enough. Worth every penny & hope to work with Think Contemporary again in the future."
Bri McGovern
Skerries, Co Dublin
"Think Contemporary isn’t just a design firm, they really stand out for their commitment to handling every detail and problem that comes up during the implementation phase. I’m so glad we chose them from the many options available. From the initial design to the final touches, Joanne and her team have been amazing at managing every aspect. She replies to every email quickly and tackles every issue with care and persistence. I’m truly impressed by her patience and professionalism, and you can really feel her charisma as a dedicated career woman. I just want to thank her and her team. As our renovation wraps up, I hope others considering interior design will discover Think Contemporary, it’s definitely a smart choice. "
Foxrock Project
Have You Considered?
Covers, Flow & Service
How many covers the room holds is only part of the answer. Service routes, bar positions, waiting areas and the path to the bathrooms decide how smoothly a busy night runs, and how many tables your team can turn. Getting this right on paper costs far less than rearranging a trading floor.
Lighting and Electrical Strategy
A hospitality space has to work from morning coffee to late evening. Layered, dimmable lighting on separate circuits lets the mood shift through the day. It needs to be planned before first fix, not added afterwards.
Acoustics
Hard surfaces photograph well but can make a full room exhausting. Planning acoustic treatment into ceilings, upholstery and finishes keeps the atmosphere lively without guests having to raise their voices, and that affects how long they stay.
Compliance & Programme
Fire safety, accessibility, capacity and licensing requirements all shape the layout. In Ireland, most commercial fit-outs need a Fire Safety Certificate and a Disability Access Certificate, and both are best built into the design from the start rather than retrofitted. Working to them early protects your opening date.
We're ready to talk to you about your residential or commerical project. Get in touch to see if we're a good fit .