AESTHETICS & DESIGN
environment continues to reinforce that feeling. He calls it“ a coherent integrity to the whole … a compelling enough‘ total experience’ that people simply want to experience more of, like any good thing.”
This is where detail matters. A space in which the joinery, lighting, layout and materials all speak the same language encourages people to settle in, relax and keep ordering. As Makin puts it:“ The longer we stay, the more we enjoy and desire being holistically sustained and satisfied by the‘ total experience’, including what is available to order.”
Sensory design: the invisible influencer
Sound, scent and texture all play a part in shaping behaviour, but Makin widens the definition of sensory design to include intuitive and emotional responses. These, alongside the familiar five senses, form the real interface between people and their environment. He describes sound, scent and taste as“ a movie”( transient and ever-changing) while materiality and light are the static backdrops we move through. The contrast between the two shapes mood on both a conscious and subconscious level.
Why the“ Instagrammable” trend is wearing thin
As the industry continues to chase high-impact visuals, Makin urges restraint. For him, emotional resonance is the only real measure.“ Produce genuine emotional resonance and leave the rest to the rest,” he says. Designing for the camera rather than the human eventually exhausts both the designer and the guest.
“ Making notes that even if the first intuitive response is positive, guests only stay longer when the environment continues to reinforce that feeling.”
He is equally sceptical of technology-led ambience, from dynamic lighting to augmented reality. These features may shape mood in the short term, but their novelty fades.“ We’ ll feel best in the real material world for which we have been programmed for 4.5 billion years,” he reflects.
Guiding movement without signs
Flow is one of the most subtle ways décor shapes behaviour. Makin doesn’ t differentiate between architecture and decoration; he sees everything from walls to teaspoons as one continuous system.“ How these are positioned relative to each other … defines flow and the experience of it,” he explains. When done well, guests intuitively know where to go without a single arrow or signboard.
Social versus intimate: designing for both
Décor influences whether guests lean into social energy or private conversation. Makin breaks it down simply: public spaces feel larger, harder and brighter; intimate areas feel smaller, softer and lower lit. Vistas open up socialising, while framed views encourage quiet focus. Subtle shifts in scale and material allow a single restaurant to support both lively groups and low-key dinners for two.
Blackbrick Gardens
The risk of themed fatigue
As dining becomes more immersive and theatrical, overstimulation is a very real risk. Makin’ s solution is to avoid theme altogether:“ No theme, no fatigue,” he says. If a space feels natural, grounded and honest, it needs no gimmick to entertain. TT
90 TRADE & TASTE / 2026