How to Accomplish Rustic Psychedelic Design Posted: Dec 2015 Posted by: Mats Inc.

Walking through the doors, customers’ senses are sent into overload.  The smell of tomatoes, spices and oven baked pizza crusts fill the air.  Psychedelic design artwork plasters the wall in large murals reminiscent of the 1970s.  The cozy cabin-like atmosphere draws them in, luring customers to relax and stay a while.

Carrying on a tradition of cold beers and Southern pizza that began in the 1970s, Mellow Mushroom restaurants can be found in many areas throughout the United States.  In the fall 2014, a Mellow Mushroom in New Albany, Ohio was scheduled to open its doors as the third franchise location in the Columbus, Ohio area.

Development of this new location started in late 2013 and required location planning, restaurant design and product refinement.  Heading the project design were the Ohio-based investment group and franchise owners and local General Manager Craig Brown.  The team worked with architects at Davis Wince, Ltd. Architecture to create a design plan that would incorporate franchise-specific details and elements from the restaurant’s hippie culture with cozy, rustic cabin charm.

Critical aspects of the rustic design included a ledgestone fireplace, country-style café tables and the choice of flooring.  After considering a variety of flooring options proposed by the architect, the Mellow Mushroom ownership team chose Mats Inc.’s Floorworks® plank vinyl flooring for the realistic wood look and economic advantage and hardwearing durability it offered over real hardwood planks.

To add a greater depth and vintage appearance to the floor, Floorworks® planks in two tones, Arcadian Oak and Antique Pine, were installed in the bar and dining areas. The rustic look created from the combination of two Floorworks® planks complemented the barn and reclaimed wood used throughout Mellow Mushroom.

“It has been a year since the floor was installed. It has held up well, cleans easily and still looks brand new.  We couldn’t be any happier with it,” raved Craig Brown.

The Floorworks® floor has endured constant foot traffic and chair movement and has proven easy to maintain despite spills and messes common in any restaurant and bar setting.

Categories: Architect & Designer News, Case Studies, Retail Flooring