How Interior Designers and the City of Vancouver are using outdoor space to help the food and beverage industry survive COVID-19.
Since the effects of COVID-19 first struck Vancouver businesses, Janks Design Group has reached out to our existing food and beverage clients to offer our assistance as they navigate the new restrictions and guidelines.
Fortunately, on June 1st 2020, the City of Vancouver launched the Temporary Expedited Patio Program (TEPP). The TEPP allows businesses that serve food and liquor to temporarily expand their existing seating to the outdoors. This expansion gives Vancouver restaurants and other businesses the opportunity to somewhat maintain their seating capacity, while maintaining physical distancing requirements outlined by the Provincial Health Officer. Starting at the beginning of patio season – this program has proven successful. Within the first month of the launch, the City of Vancouver issued over 180 temporary patio permits – including Field & Social on East 5th Avenue, OEB Breakfast at Marinaside Crescent, and Vancouver Soup Company on East 1st Avenue.
Janks Design Group has been working with our clients to make use of the TEPP, with 3 patios already approved and set up, and many more on the way. By using our interior design knowledge of space planning, social arrangements, and clearances, we are able to make the most of the outdoor space available to each business. If you are looking to explore the city, and experience outdoor dining at one of the new temporary patio expansions, the City of Vancouver website outlines the recently approved temporary patios. Click here to learn more about the program, and which of your favourite local businesses is making use of the TEPP.
Who knows, perhaps Vancouver will follow in the famous footsteps of European restaurants and make outdoor dining a major aspect of the city.
Ah…. 2019! What a wonderful year for Janks Design Group and our incredible clients. We began innovative interior design projects, worked on the development of current projects, and celebrated as our completed projects came to life! We had the honour of providing design services for Hospitality, Restaurant, Retail, Medical, and Corporate projects. As we dive into 2020, we reflect on some of our commercial design highlights.
Field & Social
18 East 5th Avenue, Mount Pleasant, Vancouver
This commercial design project was Janks Design Group’s 3rd time working with the incredible Field & Social team on a new Vancouver location. After the successful outcome of the Dunsmuir Street and Royal Centre locations, the JDG team once again used their experienced knowledge to create an interior space that combined functionality and natural beauty. The new Mount Pleasant interior design provides a new twist on the existing concepts, and serves as the perfect neutral backdrop to the deliciousness offered. This retail design introduced more natural textures to increase the raw aesthetic within the space. We worked with Field & Social and our incredible friends at Harmony Pacific Inc. to bring this alluring space to life. This new Mount Pleasant location celebrated their opening on Monday, December 16th 2019.
Photos by Christine Pienaar
Dandy’s Artisan Ice-Cream
4570 Albert Street, Regina Saskatchewan
This artisan ice-cream shop wanted the interior design of their first location to reflect the passion behind their process, their dedication to local ingredients, and their overall sense of pride that stems from each batch of ice-cream. The Janks Design team was able to clearly communicate our interior design vision to the Saskatchewan client all the way from Vancouver, BC. With the Dandy’s process, product, and pride as our main source of inspiration, JDG designed a bright and inviting space that showcased the delicious ice-cream and overall brand of Dandy’s. Unique interior design elements were integrated through lighting, materials, and layout. To compliment the chilly ice-cream, warmth was introduced through wood seating and a feature fireplace amongst the retail and seating area. The black accents are an elegant contrast to the neutral colour palette, and create a sense of depth and visual interest throughout the retail space. Overall, the interior design of this new commercial space successfully portrayed the goals of the company, and provides a functional environment for both customers and employees.
Photos by Andrew Fyfe
CQ Express
9855 Austin Road, Lougheed Town Centre, Burnaby
This family-friendly space is located within Burnaby’s Lougheed Mall, in the developing hub of Lougheed Town Center. This new Dim Sum restaurant concept was inspired by the fun, fresh, fast, and healthy dishes that have been cultivated by the master chefs at CQ Express. With quick service being a priority for this commercial design project, the JDG team put our problem-solving skills to work, and created a layout that was extremely functional and productive for both staff and customers. The interior design followed in these footsteps, and provided a captivating and vibrant space for guests to enjoy the tastes, aromas, and sense of connection. By integrating branded colours, large custom graphics, and strategic lighting solutions into the restaurant design, the experience of this new quick-service restaurant exceeds expectations. This location is opening in January of 2020, so go check them out!
Conceptual Renderings by JDG
123 Dentist – North Vancouver Dentistry & Implant Centre
144 East 13th Street, North Vancouver
Located in the heart of North Vancouver, this newly constructed dentistry and implant centre is one of JDG’s most recent dental design projects. As you enter the doors, you are greeted with a custom reception desk that effortlessly combines warm wood tones and bright, durable quartz. The impactful wall beyond the desk is finished with an organic porcelain tile. The concept continues into the waiting area, where a modern pendant enlightens the seating area, and provides an essence of street appeal through the large window storefront. Various creative interior design elements were implemented into the rest of the design, such as the variety of planters, a massive geometric wood slat wall, and unique art pieces throughout the dental space. The high ceilings combined with natural light and the custom design create a refreshing environment that makes this dental space feel comfortable instead of institutional. A big shoutout to Lions Head Construction for working with us to bring this space to life!
Vancouver Soup Company
292 East 1st Avenue, Vancouver
This local Vancouver company desired a retail space that showcased their food for comfort product, and provided their guests with a comfortable environment to enjoy their delicious soups, stews, chilis, and entrees. The JDG team worked with the Vancouver Soup Company to bring this vision to life. We developed an interior design concept that was carried throughout the entire project, and reflects the company brand and visual directive. The charming storefront was an expansion on the existing production and warehouse area. As a result of technical, detailed, and creative interior design, Janks Design Group was able to successfully create a space that allowed customers to experience a meaningful face-to-face interaction with the company itself. This commercial design project gave JDG a wonderful opportunity to support local companies led by outstanding people. If you get the chance to try one of their delicious fresh products, don’t pass it up! They are exceptional!
bio·phil·ia – “the inherent human inclination to affiliate with nature”(1)
Biophilic design is an innovative extension of biophilia that interior designers use to create healthier (both mentally and physically) built environment for the end users. By incorporating natural materials, vegetation, and natural light into both commercial and residential environments, designers have the ability to drastically improve the overall experience of an interior space. In fact, biophilic design has the ability to reduce stress, improve our cognitive function, and even expedite healing (2). We spend 90% of our time indoors (3), so the opportunity to improve the well-being of users through biophilic design is a no-brainer for both commercial design and residential design.
When looking to add biophelia into a space, we often turn to our friends at Life Space Gardens. They do an excellent job of providing us with quality products, and information throughout the design process.
Biophilic design is fantastic – but how do we implement this complex theory into our interior design process?
1 – Green walls
Over the recent years, green walls have become increasingly popular in the interior design world. Biophilic design has become a popular design practice, and green walls seem to be the first step in the process. A bonus feature of these lively design features is the abundance of natural light required to keep the plants healthy. The image below shows a snapshot of the large green wall featured in one of Janks Design Group’s (JDG) projects – Rocky Mountain Flatbread, located in the Kitsilano area of Vancouver, BC. In some cases, natural light is not available within a space, or the labour for plant-care is not available. This is when preserved plant walls are an excellent option.
Photo & Design by: JDG Natural Light + Views
Integrating access to natural light and exterior views can make an interior space feel more refreshing, in commercial, residential, and hospitality environments, all while improving the health of the users. Providing people with a visual connection to nature has shown to reduce stress, create positive emotional function, and improve concentration (2). If you are looking to design any sort of workspace or social space, these benefits can be extremely favourable for the business as a whole. This specific application of biophilic design can depend on the building, and the site that the interior design project is situated on, but if the circumstances allow for access to natural light, and visual access to the outdoors, definitely take advantage (unless the exterior view happens to be a stinky dumpster).
With the help of Janks Design Group (JDG), the design of Field & Social on Dunsmuir Street, in Vancouver, BC takes full advantage of their large windows, and exterior street views – the perfect place for people watching! Following in the footsteps of their fresh food, this refreshing and healthy environment relates back to the product, creating a perfect merge of the two into an inviting restaurant that caters to the local demographic.
Humans are naturally intrigued, and drawn to the varying forms within nature. Although our minds understand that organic forms are not actually living, we are positively affected by their characteristics as if they are (1). Another word used to describe organic shapes and patterns, is biomorphic forms. These biomorphic forms are symbols, patterns, and textures that are found in nature. By integrating these forms into the built environment, interior designers have the ability to create visually intriguing, yet comfortable spaces.
The subtle repitition, diffused natural light, and organic textures throughout this Janks Design Group (JDG) project, Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria in Surrey, BC, are an excellent commercial design example of the comfort that can be communicated to the user through interior design.
Photo & Design by: JDGIf you are interested in learning more about the methodology and benefits behind biophilic design, we recommend you read this informative paper on the patterns of biophilic design: 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design
New year, new design trends. In 2019 we’ll see old styles return with a fresh twist of vibrant colours and more pattern in both commercial and residential interiors. The grey and white colour palettes of last year will be warmed, more expressive and show individuality.
Dark is the new light
Darker finishes and patterns are creating a dramatic impression in all interiors. Graphic decorative pillows, gunmetal and pewter finishes, shou sugi ban wood and oxidized oak furniture will install a necessary high contrast to minimal residential and commercial interiors.
Photos: CB2, Pinterest
All of the plants
With the current state of our environment, no wonder humankind is inclined to continually bring the outdoors in. Hanging pots, a variety of wall applications or custom planters as dividers are just a few ideas how to incorporate greenery into your design. Plants are an easy way to add colour, pattern and fresh CO2! For the non-green thumbs, preserved plants are the real deal without the maintenance.
Photos: Pinterest
Memphis Style
As mid-century slips away, Memphis style rolls in. This aesthetic was inspired by radical geometric shapes of Art Deco, bold pop art colours and 1950s kitsch. You’ll see this mostly in commercial spaces through wallcoverings, seating, tables, lighting and decor items. If you’re a little scared to go all the way with this trend, start with a ratio of 10% colour and 90% white.
Photos: Pinterest
Terrazzo
This durable composite material is formed by mixing cement or epoxy binder with either glass chips, granite, marble or quartz. It can be used in a magnitude of applications but mostly for cladding and flooring. This year you’ll see it used more artistically in small decor elements, printed pieces and lighting which evokes a raw playfulness to any interior space. Be careful with this trend, it may not stick around for long.
Photos: Mitzi Lighting, Interiorzine, Pinterest
Florals
We’ll see all types of patterns from traditional to chintz to abstract. Fabric, wallpaper or murals can be integrated into any style and any residential or commercial space.
Photos: CB2, unpreogetto
Seamless and Integration
Seamless finishes throughout a space incorporates the growing trend of integration. Customized kitchens with paneled appliances and pantries and hidden ventilation allow for a continual look that is elegant, clean and modern. In order to accommodate all hidden storage, built-in cabinetry with custom accessories is crucial to the layout.
Many colour trends from 2018 have crossed over into 2019 but with a little more refinement…
NEW NEUTRALS
Move on over greige! Make way for muted pastels such as lavender, mint, tea rose, lilac and the pale peach. Some would say these colours are old fashioned but they have been updated by adding grey in each, producing a soothing sophisticated group of colours used in commercial and residential design application alike.
TONAL REDS
Red excites our emotions and brings forth positivity to motivate us to take action. The use of more than one tonal red can revive an otherwise dull space or soften the look with a rich warmth. Contemporary neutrals and an eclectic mix of red creates a blend of modern simplicity with earthy traditions of the past giving retail, hospitality and commercial interiors a cozy energy.
TEAL
Layered teal tones add depth and work well with warmer wood tones such as walnut and camel. Together with accents of warm metal finishes like copper and gold create timeless environments. This continues the 2018 trend of green environmentally friendly commercial spaces that is loved by interior designers across the board.
Blush & Berry
Blush (millennial pink) is still going strong this year. The inclusion of berry helps to anchor blush, other neutrals and shades of pastel. Gold and brass tones assist this muted but saturated colour combination. JDG has incorporated blush into a variety of applications -food and beverage, residential and corporate rooms.
Online shopping has been dominating the retail world for the past 5 years leaving many stores and franchises to unfortunately crash and burn. Lately though many brick and mortar stores have been popping up and making a come back.
Browsing online has the obvious lure of providing convenience for people with time constraints and busy schedules. Orders are delivered right to your door step and no endless lines, cramped change rooms or sales clerks to deal with. Also, if you’re a bargain hunter, deals are much easier to find.
This surge has pushed retailers to create a bigger emphasis on the experience from start to finish. To lure consumers back in, products and environments are showcased with unique visuals and excellent customer service is provided to be a more personal encounter.
With people’s habits and lifestyles ever changing, which direction do you think the industry is headed? Will the in-store experience continue to grow or just a luxury for most?
Read how a few BC retailers weigh in on the subject and featuring one of our recent projects Dish & Duer!
Did you ride your bike to work today and wish your pants weren’t so hot and constricting? Gary Lennet thought the same thing so he created the ultimate brand, DUER. With multiple years of experience in the fashion industry he designed a performance pant that is geared toward active lifestyles. He first introduced his new brand through a kickstarter fund and pop up stores, shortly after opening a retail location in Gastown. Along with DUER he rebooted Dish women’s jeans, a brand that was popular several years ago.
Dish and DUER’s performance pants are designed for function but don’t dismiss fashion and comfort. The innovative fabrics combine polyester, cotton, spandex and Tencel with integrated Coolmax fibers and moisture wicking technology. When designing the retail store Gary wanted to bring the adventure in and create a unique shopping experience for customers. He incorporated a playground to test out their products in a playful way were staff encourages customers to jump, climb and stretch in their pants. A year after opening it was time for expansion as sales, product lines and the team are growing at a rapid rate. Together Janks Design Group and Dish & DUER came up with some ideas on how to add more retail and test areas while keeping room for an office area for 20 plus employees.
To maximize space, we utilized the buildings high ceilings and built a treehouse! Continuing the existing wooden structure and pipe details helped to seamlessly blend the 2 sides together. The wooden treehouse has a pull-down door that leads up to a suspended net 8 feet off the ground for you to walk, crawl or chill out in. Underneath ample room was free for custom built retail racks and tables for display. To divide the retail and office areas the net was brought all the way to the floor. This creates a partition but keeps the view open to see the team creating away. Extra changerooms and mirrors were added with soft synthetic grass underfoot.
If you are looking for a different shopping experience…. this store is for you! Have a little adventure playing and climbing around and walk out with an amazing transitional pant that will take you from your bike, to work to dinner!
Janks Design Group works with some amazing local artists and industrial designers that help us to create our commercial designs. We are excited to share them with you and why we continually work with these skilled professionals that custom design amazing products.
PROPELLOR
Located in East Vancouver is a multi-disciplinary design studio called Propellor. Four talented and creative designers have collaborated on many custom lighting, furniture, sculptures and exhibitions. All products are designed with high functionality and built to last using a variety of sustainable natural materials and forms. JDG has used a bamboo pendant light at SMAK Healthy Fast Food on Granville Street and a LED Light Sculpture will soon be on showcase Earnest Ice Cream in North Vancouver.
Romney of Shipway Living Design creates designer furniture and home décor from locally sourced sustainable materials. Most pieces are made of Douglas Fir from a managed forest on Cortes Island and all glues and finishes used are eco-friendly. His strong environmental commitment, well-being for the client and support to local small economies makes for one great product! This summer you’ll be able to test out his furniture at Earnest Ice Cream in North Vancouver.
The best way to bring the outdoors in is By Nature Design. The company was started by two Frenchman with a passion for horticulture and innovative design. Their range of living and preserved plants and moss will work in any environment. Whether your space has light or not there is a green application for you. Their products lend to be low maintenance, creative applications and designs that could integrate company branding and are beneficial for your environmental well-being. You can see a variety of products we have installed at Rocky Mountain Flatbread, SMAK Healthy Fast Food, Earnest Ice Cream in North Vancouver and Blenz at Central City.
Emma has many creative talents but since moving to Port Moody in 2005 she started her own mural business. She has hand painted many large and small scaled residential and commercial interiors throughout Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Her vast techniques and easy going attitude provide a smooth process to create that unique design to enhance your space. JDG has been working with Emma for several years on projects such as Nando’s, Nosh and Earnest Ice Cream.
Lauren is originally from Cape Town, South Africa. There she first studied graphic design, then moved to study the fine arts in Washington D.C. and Vancouver at Emily Carr University of Art and Design. Now she paints in mediums of pencil, charcoal and acrylic paint which she teaches as well. Her paintings have been showcased in many shows and exhibits around the city including the popular East Side Culture Crawl. To see here painting style, visit Lauren’s website to see her completed works or work with her to commission a piece to your specific space. JDG was very happy with her work for Nando’s Flame Grilled Chicken and Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria locations.
www.lmdesignsstudio.com
DISTINCT INTERIORS
Concrete has been a very popular material for residential or commercial interiors in the past few years. Randy Orr who is a certified master craftsman in the application of plastering techniques, handcrafts ultra-thin concrete overlays. These can be applied to most interior and exterior substrates and are lightweight, non-combustible, water proof, mold resistant. With his finishing and detail skills, he can produce a variety of authentic textures and match to any paint colour. Some of his projects include walls and columns, fireplaces, counter tops and signage but the possibilities are endless.
Powdery pink, terracotta, sand, cinnamon, and rust are earth colours that are becoming increasingly popular. They are warming, calming and very versatile. Introduce them into a muted colour scheme in a minimalist, Scandinavian-inspired interior spaces.
The second trend is confident jewel tones like vibrant greens, dusky blues and plum. These colours add a mixture of romance and bohemian feel to any space and work well with the pastels that were big in 2016. Influencing this rich moody trend is Benjamin Moore’s colour of the year Shadow. These tones can be used in commercial and residential interiors but most popular in the hospitality and food and beverage projects.
In supporting the well-being movement, people are leading towards fun fresh atmospheres. Interiors clad in white with inflections of colour and lighter wood lends to a laid-back California Baha vibe. This popular trend is moving away from the rustic furnishings and heavy finishes we’ve seen for years.
We all know that BC has been in love with grey but this year it’s moving away from the cold shades of concrete to a warmer tone. The new popular neutral is now “Greige” (yes grey and beige or some would call it taupe), especially in residential interiors. Rooms from top to bottom with wood flooring, tiles, furnishings, paint……a Greige affair!
Materials
This year will continue to display raw unprocessed materials, up-cycled resources and artisan goods. Cement, wood and exposed brick are more commonly used as main interior features and growing in popularity are cork, plaster and clay. These natural textures are counterbalanced by the smooth luster of metal and marble. 2016 was dominated by copper but this year brass and gold will triumph bringing back the retro bling. Eclectic combinations dominate commercial interiors but more and more designers are integrating this approach into residential spaces as well.
Fabric and Pattern
In fall of 2016 the fashion world brought velvet back from the 90’s and is now inundating the interior design industry in 2017. It’s showing up mostly in residential seating, cushions, curtains, or wallpaper in a variety of different colours. This lush fabric matches perfectly with the other trending raw materials, burnished metals and large-scaled greenery.
The subway pattern is slowly fazing out but geometric shapes are still going h4. Minimalist structures and furniture are complemented by these random arrangements and conduct vintage colours and feel. These patterns can be displayed with tile, wallpaper, paint etc. and add the right amount of interest and complexity to any space.
Nature
Pantone’s colour of the year coincides with our yearning to reconnect with the outdoors and studies prove that our health benefits from exposure to mother nature. Expect to see a diversity of green through paint, living plants and botanic wallpapers.
Sustainability
Consumers are pressing for sustainability and Eco-friendly interiors. A more conscientious approach and quality solutions are encouraged and celebrated. Blending organic design with natural materials creates modern, original and personal spaces. This brings a profound drive for supporting smaller independent designers with a bespoke story behind each of their products.
LED (light-emitting diode)
By most municipalities, LED lighting is now required when designing a space. It is energy-efficient, has a long-life span and easily adaptable to any environment. The technology allows lighting designers to create minimal pieces that require less space and produce less heat. The LED lamps vary in colour rendering making them suitable for almost any commercial interior or residential application. Definitive lighting placement can give an architectural space a new identity or energize interior environments without impending sight lines.
The Golden Plates Readers’ Choice Awards is a poll the The Georgia Straight conducts every year with their readers on the best restaurants and cafes this city has to offer. Many of our friends whom we’ve had the privilege to work with on their commercial interior designs, made the cut. We are elated for them and not surprised one bit that Vancouver agrees they are the best at what they do!
JDG would like to congratulate them on the award and continued success!
