Shea Homes Design Studio

What will restaurants look and feel like when they re-open | Eater Twin Cities

"A local design firm known for creating dining rooms like Bellecour, Centro, and P.S. Steak, Shea Design has been rethinking how restaurants can reopen safely. I note principal Tanya Spaulding saying owners are going back to basics — redesigning circulation to create clear paths instead of the old “scatter patterns,” spacing seating (for example sliding two-top tables up to the bar so couples can sit across from each other), marking host-stand queues, converting doorways to one-way entrance/exit flows, and turning windows or back doors into takeout windows. She recommends using summer months to increase fresh air (open windows, prop doors), expand outdoor seating into sidewalks and parking lots (even reclaiming valet stands), add small tents over tables for rain, and generally strip away touch-prone items like art, throw pillows, tapestries, candles, and garnishes. Shea also urges deep cleaning and attention to ventilation — clean vents, change filters, and retrofit filtration where needed — and brighter lighting to make tidiness obvious, all while acknowledging reopenings will be slow and financially challenging for many small restaurants." - Joy Summers