Tag: furniture

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How to Incorporate Vintage Furniture into Your Office Décor

When you’re thinking about incorporating vintage furniture into your office décor, it takes balance and harmony. With balance and harmony, you can create an office which is both welcoming and comfortable.

But, this doesn’t mean that you have to split the furniture 50/50 down the middle with fifty percent of contemporary furniture and fifty percent vintage furniture. If you do this, then your office will look like a mishmash of poorly designed furniture. You need to pick a style which is dominant and then mix the second style into it with decorative accessories; or smaller pieces.

Another point is not to clutter up your office with senseless accessories. If you want your vintage pieces to show up, don’t cover them then with picture frames or other needless cluttering items. Most of the time when decorating, accessories are grouped in threes too. So, you a chair, an end table and desk that match. But with incorporating mixed pieces, you count each piece as one and then find decorative accessories to tie the three pieces together with the whole office.

Incorporating vintage pieces into your office

Knoll Exeter by Davis Allen Used Vintage Wood Side Chair, Stained OakOne way to incorporate a vintage piece is to have it updated. You could change the upholstery, give it a new coat of paint or change the color of the stain. If you have vintage accessories, you can update the look with a unique modern pattern then and unconventional bright colors.  Or, you could let a professional designer combine the two styles in the office and fuse them into one the new look.

Below are some vintage chair suggestions for your office then to start you along:

Knoll Exeter by Davis Allen Used Vintage Wood Side Chair, Stained Oak

This chair is known as the birdcage design and was designed by Davis Allen for Knoll in 1983. It’s a mid-century style modern chair with a padded upholstered seat. It has ample proportions and a gently curved back which is as appealing to the eye as it is comfortable to sit in. The color is a tan design fabric with a brown stained oak frame. The dimensions are 21.75″ wide x 24″ deep x 32 tall, and the seat is 18.5″ wide x 18.5″ deep. This Knoll Exeter chair is a piece of art!

Arcadia Used Leather Side Chair, Black

This is an Arcadia Used Leather Side Chair with a cherry wood frame and upholstered leather with a back-stitching detail. It’s an excellent addition to your office.

Bernhardt Eaton Square Used Wooden Arm Chair

This Bernhardt Eaton Square wooden armchair will bring a touch of vintage to your office. The chair is mahogany with a wood frame, and wood cutout patterned back in the traditional style. It has an upholstered seat that is multi-colored.

Fairfield Chairs Reupholstered Used Caster Wheel Accent Lounge

Fairfield Chairs Reupholstered Used Caster Wheel Accent LoungeThis lovely piece is a black recycled leather lounge chair with seated mobility. It is not only comfortable, as well as stylish, but this upholstered chair will create a furniture focal point in your reception area. The accent chair is of a traditional flowing design with comfortable wrap-around arms. The smooth wood legs have caster wheels on the bottom to move easily from one room to another. This exploratory piece has both style and convenience and will be a wonderful accent to your reception or office areas.

Traditional Maple Side Chair

The Traditional Maple Side Chair has a cut out patterned top and an upholstered seat and back. The wood frame is maple as well as the arms too. The seat has a royal blue pattern. This chair will look lovely in your reception room or office as an accent piece. The Dimensions are a seat depth of 20″ with a width 22″, the seat height 19″ and the back height is 32″.

No matter which lovely chair you choose for your office, it will be sure to give it that vintage look when designed into the office and when set in the right place to bring about a classy look.

References:

https://nationalofficeinteriors.com/product-category/chairs/vintage-chairs/

https://nationalofficeinteriors.com/product/knoll-exeter-by-davis-allen-used-vintage-wood-side-chair-stained-oak/

https://nationalofficeinteriors.com/product/arcadia-used-leather-side-chair-black/

https://nationalofficeinteriors.com/product/bernhardt-eaton-square-used-wooden-arm-chair-mahogany/

https://nationalofficeinteriors.com/product/fairfield-chairs-reupholstered-used-caster-wheel-accent-lounge-black/

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How to Buy New Healthcare Furniture

When you’re buying healthcare furniture for your medical office, there are some considerations to think about. This is because healthcare furniture has special features because patients may need these. Also, your receptionist may need a certain kind of desk that is different from regular office furniture. So, for patients some furniture pieces that you buy may have wheels and others may have leg rests though they look much like regular office furniture. So below are some of the mistakes that you could make when buying new healthcare furniture to avoid.

  • Healthcare chairBuying the wrong fabric: Just because you fall in love with a type of fabric for a chair doesn’t mean that it’s the right kind of fabric. For example, a pretty cotton fabric may be lovely, but it probably won’t hold up to the constant wear and tear if used often. A healthcare grade vinyl is a much better choice. It can hold up to repeated cleanings. It can also be treated with a protective antimicrobial coating to inhibit harmful bacteria growth. It will additionally stand up to the heavier use that you can expect from patients who may have trouble getting out of chairs.
  • What you didn’t like about the old furniture isn’t thought about:  When you’re contemplating replacing old furniture, then think about what didn’t work with it. This way when you buy your new pieces you’ll know what not to look for as well as what not to look for. For example, maybe your receptionist needs a desk with a barrier between her and the clients for more privacy to consider because the old desk didn’t have this feature.
  • Choosing price over value: Yes, bargains are great, but not when it affects the life of the furniture. A chair which is made to be used occasionally then won’t withstand the heavy use of day to day traffic. So, if it needs to be replaced sooner than expected, then you really didn’t save any money.
  • Buying a product not fit for what you want it for: If everyone was built the same, then buying chairs, desks and furniture for the waiting room would be a lot easier. So, you need furniture pieces that are comfortable for the people intended for them having the right pieces in the waiting room. If you’re buying a desk chair for an employee too, for example, a chair designed for up to a certain weight; but the person using it weighs more than that, that could be an accident waiting to happen. But by purchasing a plus size chair if needed, that problem is easily solved.
  • Bariatric Side ChairBuying for appearance and not function: Everyone wants to project a professional appearance and have a wide range of furniture options. When choosing your furniture, choose not only for the appearance though, but how well the furniture pieces will function in your office. Now Ergonomic design may be crucial for some members of your staff. These chairs have lumbar backrest supports, foot rings, contoured seats and adjustable armrests and seats. With these chairs, it can cut down on work related injuries and days called off work due to back and neck problems associated with people who work long hours at desks.
  • Making purchases that don’t match your accounting department’s depreciation: This means that if you purchase a piece of furniture which your accounting office is expecting to last 8 years and it lasts 5, you’ll then be buying a new chair without the tax benefits involved being completely used for the old furniture. This means that you’ll have to replace furniture sooner than you were expecting to, and your accounting department won’t be happy.
  • Not figuring in the total cost: When you buy your furniture, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. You need to ask about the taxes on the furniture, any special handling charges, freight charges and even if there are assembly and installation charges. Now, the place where you buy it may mention “Delivered Price” but this can have other meanings too. Does it mean that it will cover inside delivery to your business for example? Or will it need to be brought in by you up a flight of stairs?
  • Not finding out if the vendor will be there after the sale: You need to ask how the vendor handles warranties if there is a problem; for example, if something arrives broken. Ask for references so that you can check to see how satisfied other customers were with the service provided also.

Buying healthcare furniture for your office isn’t difficult think about what you want to purchase.

Reference:

https://nationalofficeinteriors.com/healthcare/

http://www.textileschool.com/articles/330/type-of-fabrics

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Reception Seating for a Broad Audience

Steelcase Criterion Mid-Back Series Used Task Chair, Purple

Your reception area is the first impression visitors have of your office. Most offices use standard reception seating with a few comfortable chairs and tables. If your company has a broad audience, including people of many different ages, capabilities and needs, you’ll need to adjust your ideas about appropriate reception seating. The old comfortable chair model won’t fit for a broad audience and you should consider some creative ideas. These include changes to seating and providing amenities for visitors.

Everyday Series and Bay ChairsYour chairs should be a primary concern. You’ve probably made an effort to provide comfortable chairs for visitors or at least you think you have. What’s comfortable for one person may be very uncomfortable for someone else. Many people suffer from arthritis and other joint conditions that make it challenging for them to get up and down from low chairs. Typically, most reception chairs are low and aren’t adjustable.

Fortunately, you can offer a variety of types of chairs. There are tall chairs, almost like stools, with backs that can be covered in the same upholstery as your other reception chairs. Some reception areas place these chairs by counters so that the people sitting in them can use their computers or write like other people use tables. Higher chairs make it easier for people with joint problems to sit and stand with as little discomfort as possible.

You should also keep in mind the needs of people in wheelchairs. There should be areas in the reception area for people in wheelchairs to fit. They shouldn’t have to squeeze into odd-shaped or uncomfortable areas because there isn’t a designated space for them.

There’s always a chance that your visitors will have to wait. You should avoid delays as much as possible, but due to the nature of some businesses, emergencies may be inevitable. Sometimes, you are planning a group meeting and you have to wait on another person which causes a delay. In other cases, vendors arrive with vague appointments, hoping to speak to you if you have some time. Other people arrive significantly early. This is especially true for people who are interviewing for jobs. You should make your reception room welcoming so that if people have to wait, they won’t be uncomfortable.

It’s a great perk to have bathrooms in the reception areas so that you don’t have to let visitors into the secure areas of the building to use the restroom. There should be separate restrooms for men and women. It’s fine if the bathrooms only fit one person unless you have a large number of visitors on a regular basis. It’s imperative that the bathrooms are handicap accessible. In fact, it’s a legal requirement.

A reception room with small conveniences is pleasant for visitors. What kinds of small conveniences can you include? Charging stations are always appreciated for laptops, mobile devices and cellular phones. A phone with an outside line is helpful in case the person doesn’t have a phone or the phone doesn’t have good access in the building. If people are waiting, they’ll appreciate the opportunity to get some work done or catch up on their emails. Make sure that you have wireless access for visitors in the office. The access should be separate from your company’s wireless accounts. Create a guest wireless account that visitors can log into.

Beverages are another amenity that you can provide. They are a small gesture that signifies the importance of providing hospitality to guests. Make bottled water, coffee, hot water and a variety of teas available in the waiting room. Ask receptions to encourage visitors to take advantage of these amenities. Some companies go the extra mile and provide soft drinks as well. Encourage guests to bring the beverages along to meetings if they don’t have the chance to finish them in the waiting room.

You can put out small treats for visitors like mints, candy, nuts, small bags of chips and other types of snacks. Even if guests don’t eat them, it sends a message of hospitality. Another tactic is to put reading materials on tables. Include a variety of magazines and trade publications. You can also include some promotional materials for your company. Don’t exclusively put out your own company’s materials, although it’s fine to put out related trade publications and business magazines.