Way of Normal Is Driven by Design
Range Rover & SHARP
Creating exceptional experiences, not just attractive designs, is the priority.
With over 15 years in hospitality spaces, Way of Normal is a boutique interior design firm that focuses on food and beverage venues, reshaping how Calgary’s restaurants look and feel. They challenge industry norms with unique, client-centred projects that reflect each business. From construction to final details, they ensure every space invites new experiences and conversations.
At Buon Giorno, they preserved the restaurant’s history by reimagining its awkward entrances and nostalgic decor. Primary Colours uses light wood and neutral tones to create a calm, multi-purpose space oriented around an open kitchen. Class Clown merges 1970s rec room vibes with a modern twist for a unique retro atmosphere. South Block combines a BBQ joint, brewery and music venue with communal tables and a whisky bar, evoking a Southern backyard feel.
Led by Landon Anholt, who previously worked with Fort Architecture and McKinley Burkart, the team includes key members Joel Riep and Adrienne Cunningham. Anholt’s passion for restaurant culture ensures close collaboration with restaurateurs to create spaces that align with each business’s identity and operations.
So, how does it all work? “At the beginning of our process, we meet and go out for drinks,” explains Anholt. “If they do have an existing space, we’ll kind of hang around and observe and watch people every single day, learn about their cues, talk to their staff and then really listen. This is what designers don’t do: listen to their client. They always hear what they want to hear and then walk away and give them a product.
“[It’s about] becoming their friend and letting them let you in, so then you can understand them. There’s nothing special about it. It’s just time.”
Driven by Design
Pat & Betty. Photo by Chris Amat.
Driven by Design
Pat & Betty. Photo by Chris Amat.
Driven by Design
Pat & Betty. Photo by Chris Amat.
The Way of Normal approach is all about giving ideas the time they need to mature. “We know there’s designers that can pump things out,” he says. “We let it season. Our name is Way of Normal. There’s no normal process. You understand your client. If they’re anxious, you figure out how to work with them. You approach the project completely differently. Paint-by-numbers is absolutely the last thing we try to do or do.”
In the end, Anholt says it’s not just about creating cool spaces (though, to be fair… they do that, too). It’s about really trying to understand the meaning of the space, embodying who the client is and what they want to achieve – because, at the end of the day, a design is only successful if it functions for the client’s clientele.
“Hospitality is at the core,” he asserts. “We don’t deviate from those rules of hospitality. It’s about forgetting about trends and styles, even though our spaces can be trendy, sure. We try to build their confidence. If they have that confidence to stand behind a space, they’re going to be successful.”
He says the Way of Normal team finds inspiration in travel, fashion, music and so many other influences. But they aren’t looking for trends or tied to tired talk on Pinterest or other social channels.
“We’re happy designing a Brooklyn-style coffee shop that’s 15 years old,” he says. “We’re not scared to put Edison bulbs in the space. If someone wants it and it’s appropriate for that concept, let’s do it. We think it’s just being confident to break a trend or to create new trends. One restaurant that we’re going to open is very trendy, but Calgary doesn’t even know it’s a trend yet.”
But Anholt is keenly aware that spaces also have to feel natural to their environment. A Calgary space has to work for Calgary, he explains, in the same way a Vancouver space has to fit there.
“We love Copenhagen [and] everything they’re doing out there, but we can’t just transplant it in Calgary. So we take into consideration what is around us and what’s normal in our world here, but we don’t want to be static. We want to make our city better, but just by pushing gradually, so it’s still accepted, so people understand it. We’re always introducing something new and we’re always making people a little uncomfortable, but still comfortable.”
That drive has seen Way of Normal expand into more categories in order to create something comprehensive. Way of Normal built on its offerings with Good Spoils, providing art, furniture, digital assets, brand and strategy services. Think playlists and furniture, custom bar stools and art – bespoke pieces that complete the picture and add depth and meaning.
It should all add up to an experience that’s so natural and welcoming, you don’t even know what hit you. “Our belief in restaurants and hospitality is that you shouldn’t notice one thing,” he sums. “That’s bad design by us. It should be that everything is not noticed. You leave not knowing what the menu looks like, not knowing what the music is, not knowing what the design is. You leave just being, like, “Holy shit, that was amazing. Don’t know why.” And you keep on going back. That’s design to us.”
Featured Image: Central Taps by Colin Way.
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