Well Joann?!..based on all this 100 ideas and putting together my taste and your ideas and with also the name RAGUSA Bistro...How would you describe the interior decor and the exterior in a nutshell.?...It would be interesting to hear from you about this project...:)

First, congratulations. I am greek, my husband italian and we have been wanting to open a restaurant. I am just as excited as you are right now!

Definitely the brick wall. If you don't want to do the whole area with brick wall, you can always incorporate it at the entry where the hostess is, or behind a bar. Lighting is important too, italian restaurants invite eating and are romantic. Red is an appetite opener and if painted the right shade can look modern.

I don't like the exterior that LB Interiors created only because it actually looks very much like a chinese restaurant, not like an italian restaurant. Please no offense, just being honest. I would stick with the black exterior shown here with chicago bricks below the front window. It is clean and modern.

And what else screams italian, wine barrels, love the idea. You can use the wine barrels inside as well as outside as plant stands.

I like these posts alot.

Here are more

Brick is a definite!

Most of this budget is paint, interior and out, the exterior bricks which is not a lot of space under the window area, and the wine barrels you can purchase two at a time and within time you can have several.

Good luck, I would love to see the final remodel. Please keep us posted.

Love the simple charm that this conveys, and yes, wine bottles with candles in them:)

I don't think you would need the brick. I think the wine barrels are too rustic and the wine bottle candles are not innovative. My opinion.

I also feel that an all black facade is too solid and may get passed by. Might be a little foreboding. Not quite welcoming enough, even with sophisticated materials and fabrication.

No offense taken, Robulock. It just happens to be the way you felt. No offense really! :)) We all post what we feel. They are just opinions. :))

It is ... interesting how colors, names and designs all have different meanings and evoke different feelings from us. In life's journey, sometimes it's a first impression or an experience. Sometimes during new experiences, the old emotions revisit us and remind us of an old memory. Positive or negative. In design tastes, it's varied and ever changing. It's just the way it is. The theory of color is quite steady. Many of us definitely respond to colors similarly, even unknowingly.
Red and black combinations of color is not just limited to decor colors for the Chinese culture.

No offense taken. :o)

LOL.... just that the colors on this particular exterior make it look like a chinese restaurant.

BrickIn, great idea! Some music to set the mood, Frank Sinatra, Louis Prima, Dean martin, some slow italian jazz. You can try this mixed jazz CD for some variety. I also have a smooth jazz CD that is awesome! These all from amazon.com

My husband's family is from Port Lee & Long Island. But they have lived here since the 70s.

I still have cousins who live in Rochelle Park. NJ. They all have their own restaurants.

Now I am taking out all of my italian CD's....LOL...Jerry Vale is another!

How about some wall mounted wine storage?

Some people will probably feel the same about the colors. It was a quick drawing to give you, knowing your thoughts at the time. Since then, you said you like gold and silver. So the drawing could change by adding some gold or silver. Tons of possibilities.

I am familiar with the area of the restaurant. LB Interiors, can't wait to see what you come up with.

Congrat's LB Interiors- please post the photo's when you finish this job ;)

Just to let you all know, I do not have the job :(( It's okay. I tried, that's all I can do. My passion brought me to houzz. It's the way it is. I had a very nice conversation with you Joseph. Again thanks for calling. I'm interested in your decisions. $5,000 is not a lot to implement many of your wishes :( Even with DIY, creative approaches and thrifty purchases. I'm still excited for you. :)

Thanks Tennisanyone and Margo C :)

Thank you for your help and input about my "frugal" project...lol..specially thanks for LB...you are very professional and I admire business oriented people like you..Unfortunately I can't not afford to to come up with your modest fees but that doesn't mean that we could not be friends..My invitation to you and everybody still stands when I open my italian Bistro in Montclair NJ..As far as my decision for renovations I estimated close to $4,000 investing in paint: Tuscan colors,Lighting including plants,statues and columns...:)

Thanks Joseph. I would love to meet you and take you up on that! I've never been to New Jersey. Only upstate New York. I really hope that someday we could meet! That would be great!

Ah, nice to see the love is back in the room! Good luck, Joe!

I think you might want to keep the wainscotting idea. Use something that is easily cleaned if dining will be close to the walls. Especially if you've dressed up the walls. Just a thought.

Good luck, Joseph. I am sure it will be a success!

LOL...@brickln

ATTENTION!!!!....I am posting a NEW SURVEY FOR BEST ETHNIC CUISINE in USA !!!!..Do you like Italian - Spanish (Spain) - Mexican - Chinese - Japanese - Indian - Middle Eastern or Latin cuisine????...please pick one and comment...Thank you ...

Which is your favorite Food?

I love some of the things northern Italian cuisine does to beans! -and the soups - oh, my, the soups!

Joann..You like "Pasta Fagiole"?

Here is one of my Signature dishes..Boneless Breast of Chicken Rollatini stuffed with Belle Paese" mozzarella cheese ,Roasted Peppers and Caramelized Pears, Grilled and served with Brocoli Rabe dressed in balsamic and honey reduction...;)

Oh, yes, extravagantly love it! The dish you show here sounds lovely.

Thank you Joann..;)

I just got on line today and I see your question, above, Joseph. I don't want to add confusion, if you're close to making your decisions, but here is my answer.

I went straight to pictures of restaurants in Ragusa, Italy, to see what feeling is evoked. I see a common thread of warmth and natural colors with some vivid accents. If you intend to go with the blue, inside, then I would counter that with a rich mahogany brown and some cream tones. You might pick up some wrought iron accent pieces at a salvage yard (If there's a Habitat for Humanity store near you, check that.) Second hand stores generally have picture frames that can be given a coat of gold paint and used on the walls. (If you want an antiqued look, paint them with a flat, rusty red, first. Let dry, then cover with gold paint, and while the gold is wet, wipe some of it off.)
Outside could be less stark than the black, white, red combination. I can't quite tell what the front wall material is, in the picture - is it brick? if it's brick, just remove that blue paint, otherwise, a stucco finish in a natural tone would look more welcoming than black. The canopy would look elegant in very dark blue with the logo in an oval of golden cream with blue and gold letters. The wood portions. (window frames, etc.) dark mahogany, or dark blue.

I think a single 2-top in the bay window would mean that it is usually seated, and that's a sight that would draw in diners. Are you thinking to put something like half-curtains or shutters in the front window? Don't cover it up too much.

What do you think of wrought iron window box/wall-hung planters outside, under the window, instead of free-standing plants. They might be less likely to disappear one night.

I don't know how I can get myself to New Jersey, but I'm going to have to see your restaurant one day.

Wow !!!...You are amazing!!!..I will follow this recommendations...and when you come to NJ to see the Restaurant you will be amazed not only on your design recommendations but also about my food...:)

I'm not far so let us know when you open.

Brickln made an important point - don't neglect the bathrooms. I don't know if men are the same, but women definitely remember and comment on the ladies room. It's pretty easy to give everything a fresh coat of light paint and maybe a cheerful stencil around the mirror, but be sure everything is CLEAN, everything works, the stall doors (if there are stalls) close easily and lock as they should. A small shelf, to rest a handbag, in the stall, is a very nice touch.

Oh, one other suggestion, the wall color, in the ladies room should be a light, soft, rosy shade - like a cream with a pink undertone - because everyone's complexion looks better with a pinkish glow and they will be looking at themselves in the mirror. If you have to have fluorescent lighting, make sure you use the pink-tone bulbs.

Yes Joann I agree and thank god the bathrooms are brand new and very clean..I will keep in mind the color of the walls...:)

Yes tennisanyone I will and thank you..:)

Today's Special at my Restaurant in Wayne ,NJ ..."Pappardele and Meat Balls top with Dry Ricotta Cheese and fresh Tomato Sauce"...

For the Exterior I will use this accents decors

Just make sure you have the smell of garlic coming from the restaurant. That always draws me in :)

LOL...@ tennisanyone...

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Before, I made any permanent decisions I would go on the websites of Italian Restaurants in other cities. A lot of them may have exterior and interior shots of their restaurants. You can just put exterior and interior in the google browser. Of course quality of food is going to be your biggest draw. We have a restaurant near here with the best food (local) What I would not give for them to have is a drive through window for take out. Sometimes if one is in a hurry it would be so nice just to pick it up at a window. I am sure if you researched it a drive through window could add a lot of money.

I have attached a photograph of a restaurant (outside) from a trip to Venice.I have many more photographs from Etsy in my files from our trip to Florence, Naples, Rome and Venice. I also have in my Etsy shop the picture of the outside of a restaurant in Sicily with tables outside, potted plants and a nice canvas covering a pergola type structure. Photography is a nice way to add ambience and can be printed on regular photography paper or on canvas. My Etsy shop is nancyhehmann and I have more photography from Italy there. Just input nancyhehmann in the search engine and my shop should come up.

a link to another photo

http://www.houzz.com/projects/68809/Paris--France--Italy--PEI--Carousel-Balloons--other-Art-photography

I'm not sure that the distressed shutters work with the other choices.:)

Also, some upbeat dance style music. It's happy and fun. I start moving to the beat wherever I am. I've even caught myself dance stepping through the grocery market. LOL I love to dance.

This is an awesome little restaurant. The decor will go well with all of the italian food products.

Hi Joseph, how are you doing today? How's the progress? :))

Just wondering Joseph. I love stuffed artichokes. Do you think that could be something for a seasonal option? Don't know if it is beneficial for restaurant reasons? Or that it could even work for restaurants? Just a thought. I would love to find a restaurant that had that on the menu once in awhile. ???? Are there enough people that would eat them? Maybe once you promoted them, they could be an edge on other restaurants and become a specialty? They could be an appetizer or a whole meal (the way that I tend to make them). There are a lot ways to stuff them. I may be just wishing :)

Hi Joseph. I ran across your post from a long time ago. How are you? How is the restaurant? .... all of us would like to see what you did! Would you post some photos?

I have popped in a time or 2 to see how the grand opening must have gone, hope you are off and running and being very successful.