Outdoor Vestibule Design – 4 Things To Keep In Mind
If you live in a big city that experiences significant seasonal weather changes (like New York City), then you are probably already familiar with the benefits of an outdoor vestibule. By adding a vestibule to the entrance of your business, you ensure that anyone coming in or out can stay comfortable and protected from the harsh climate outside. It also works well for restaurants or businesses that have outdoor seating, as a vestibule can offer permanent protection from wind, snow, rain, and even heat.
However, if you decide to create your own custom vestibule, there are a few important factors that you should keep in mind to secure the best outdoor vestibule design!
Business Curb Appeal
When coming up with different vestibule ideas, you should always focus on your top priority: making your business look good. Whether you run a small cafe or a clothing store, a large percentage of customers will decide whether or not to enter your business based on curb appeal alone. Having an ugly or poorly designed vestibule will only take away from the visual appeal of your storefront and, ultimately, reduce your capacity to make money over the short and long term.
Since an outdoor vestibule usually covers the entrance to your business, you must focus on making the quality, design, and materials of your vestibule reflect the image you want to project for your business. While sticking your logo on the front of the vestibule is certainly a good start, it’s not the only factor to consider. You should also make sure that the vestibule is created using only high-quality materials (we will discuss more about that later).
If your vestibule fails to make a positive visual impression on passersby, it will literally take revenue out of your pocket. For this reason, a vestibule is only worth the time and effort if you’re willing to invest in quality. Otherwise, you’re just adding a subpar addition to your storefront that can do more harm than good.
Vestibule Window and Door Placement
One factor that many people fail to consider is the ease of foot traffic. Vestibules should not be a hindrance to your business, but rather an additional layer of protection and comfort for your clientele. Consequently, you must ensure that any vestibule design ideas consider the flow of traffic. If a vestibule turns the front of your business into a traffic jam of people coming and going, it can make it unappealing for consumers to engage with your company. This is why it is best to consider a vestibule that looks good from the outside, leaves enough room for people to comfortably move in opposite directions, and generally enhances the value of your storefront.
This means that the placement of your vestibule door is essential. It should be easy for people to identify the vestibule entrance and exit. It should also provide ample room for people to move around the interior of the structure. However, this is only assuming that you plan to use a vestibule as a waiting area at the entrance of your establishment.
There are various kinds of outdoor vestibule designs that can serve different purposes. For example, if you have a restaurant with outdoor dining, you will likely want a vestibule that provides ample room for seating. This also means that the doors should be placed so that customers can easily get in and out without having to squeeze past a cluster of tables and chairs.
Alternatively, vestibules used as waiting areas will likely need windows that provide visibility to both the street and your business. This way, customers who are waiting on friends, a taxi, or service at your business can stay updated as needed. Thus, window placement is critical in most vestibules, as many customers who use them need to be aware of their surroundings while they wait.
Vestibule Marketing
While outdoor vestibule ideas should always focus on their more practical uses (i.e. keeping customers comfortable and away from the harsh elements), they should also include different marketing strategies. After all, if you’re going to install a structure at the front of your store or restaurant, even if it’s only on a temporary or seasonal basis, you should use the opportunity to market your business to the public. Fortunately, there are various ways to include marketing as part of your vestibule design. Generally, the most effective methods help passersby quickly learn the essentials about your company.
First and foremost, you should include your brand name and logo somewhere on the vestibule so that it can be easily seen from a distance. For people who are closer, you should also include contact information, like your business phone number, address, website, and social media accounts. This way, even if someone doesn’t intend to be a patron now, they can take a photo or follow you on social media to remember your location for a later date.
Finally, it’s a great idea to take advantage of QR code tech to help people quickly access the most important things you want to showcase about your business. A QR code allows anyone with a smartphone to immediately access important content, which can range from your website’s home page to specific product lines. If you run a restaurant or cafe, a QR code on an outdoor vestibule is a great way to let people get a quick look at your menu before ever entering the building.
Vestibule Materials
As previously mentioned, the materials used to make your vestibule can have a major impact on the visual appeal, efficacy, and mobility of the structure. Though you could theoretically use a wide range of materials to create your vestibule, the three most common and practical materials are canvas, acrylic, and glass. A canvas vestibule is extremely easy to assemble and disassemble, making it a great choice for businesses that only want to utilize a vestibule during certain times of the year. An acrylic or glass vestibule is more rigid, and therefore more stationary. However, the latter two materials benefit from their strength by offering better protection from high winds and heavy rain or snowfall.
You also have to consider the needs of your customers when coming up with outdoor vestibule ideas. If customers only need to wait in the vestibule for a few minutes, then you can probably go with canvas, as it is more cost-effective and mobile. Alternatively, if you need a vestibule that will stay in one place for an extended period of time (like a vestibule for outdoor seating at a restaurant), you may want to opt for acrylic or glass. These two materials will give a more permanent, professional look to the structure, while also providing maximum protection from the elements.
Fortunately, if you choose to create your custom vestibule through Sign It, you don’t have to worry about time-consuming shipping processes or complicated assembly. At Sign It, we handle all of the hard work for you. All you have to do is tell us what kind of vestibule you want, discuss your design with us, and we will handle the rest! In addition to creating and assembling your vestibule, we also offer you the option to store your vestibule in our facilities when you’re not using it!
If you’d like to learn more about outdoor vestibule design or finding a vestibule in New York, be sure to check out the custom vestibules at Sign It today!