We're starting a new series/category of posts called "Atmosphere Design." What I mean by atmosphere design is how a restaurant, shop, or office utilizes its space in a way that is aesthetically pleasing and suited to the place that it represents. The first place I'd like to discuss for this series is Panera Bread, a bakery/sandwich chain that I visit a few times per week. Panera Bread does a good job at appealing to the senses of its patrons. When you first walk into the place, you immediately notices two things. It smells really damn good in here - fresh breads, coffee and cinnamon smells stand out. The jazz music is very relaxin What I really like about Panera Bread (besides the cinnamon bagels and French Onion soup) is that it's a good place to get some work done. There's plenty of seating (at least at the location at North Hills Raleigh), and you can choose between a booth or a table. Or you can sit in more comfortable chairs in front of a gas fireplace. And there's outside seating. The only thing I'd change is for there to be more electrical outlets for people to plug their laptops into. Besides appealing to your sense of ...