Going out for a meal or to a new hospitality destination is an exciting opportunity to experience someone else’s story and the resulting emotions that well up within. The mystery of those sensory stimulations is what I think Compton alludes to in her quote. Our once effortlessly enjoyed stories now face extreme challenges. Can we overcome them? I believe so, but more importantly, can we re-imagine what our hospitality stories look like? What scenes need re-written, morphing to fill our current needs? What beloved scenes remain? Do we discover in the adaptation new moments we love and long to keep?

Remember those intricate forts you built indoors as a child with your siblings or friends? What emotion did that “home” within a home make you feel? For me, fond memories of playfulness, laughter, and coziness come to mind; the idea that I was safe and comforted. Could these structures within a structure provide similar feelings for hospitality spaces in a time when we need them? Do we create modular “tents” that can be repositioned inside or outside depending on capacity allowances? Are some structures visually open yet physically separate so we can feel “together” apart? Or do we embrace the intimacy with structures that visually obstruct, letting only one or two sensory stimulants through its embrace? Can we create the sense of camping in nature around a warm fire, or the illusion of being surrounding by the soft light of sunset?

What do we have now that we want to keep in our storylines? Maybe it’s the warmth you feel upon entering a space, the immediate sense you’re safe, or maybe someone simply listens to your needs for the span of one meal. How do we celebrate and highlight the cozy nooks found in your local cafe, the intimate candle lit dinners with your partner, or the rich sensory stimulation of experiencing a new restaurant with close friends? These stories are all rich with meaning and though they may look different now, the feelings these experiences trigger can still be achieved.

As we re-write these stories - what new scenes and settings emerge that we love? Can we adopt them and improve our story moving forward? For me personally, I know the outdoor dining experience is one I want to linger. Breathing in the city air, surrounded by the myriad sounds of life, light from businesses and restaurants glowing near and far: a boon to my spirits. Can we as designers help expand these ideas, devising creative solutions that adapt and regenerate for each season as we grow and change?

How do we help our audience not merely “accept” the way things are, but learn to embrace these new scenes for their own unique beauty and meaning until we can once again celebrate life together in ALL the ways we know and love. What emotion does your venue evoke in you and your guests? Do you want to re-write that story either temporarily or permanently? We’re here to help and can work with you to develop and stage your new visual storyline through light.