Why Can’t I Use Home Furniture In My Business Space?
Furniture is furniture, right?
WRONG!
There are a lot of differences between residential and commercial furniture! When you need to outfit your business with new furniture, it’s important to use products designed specifically for commercial use – not your average home furniture. But, why?
Business Furniture Durability
Purchasing furniture for a business is not like purchasing for your own home. When you buy something for your home, you tend to take pretty good care of it. After all, you spent your own money on this investment! But there’s no guarantee you’ll get the same respect for furnishings at the office by your employees. That’s why commercial furniture products are built to last. The truth is, commercial furniture is made to withstand years of abuse! Think about it- it gets used 8-10 hours a day, 5 days a week, year after year. It survives multiple users, moves, and countless food and drink spills.
What might seem like a simple desk chair is actually made up of individual components that have been specially selected to ensure the chair stands up to the test of time (and users). Durable frames, fabric choices, and finishes are all hallmarks of commercial furniture. Low maintenance finishes that are scratch resistant will make your pieces last. While a standard chair from a home furniture store might look appealing in price or style, you’ll get much more ‘bang for your buck’ if you invest in proper ergonomic chairs from a reputable commercial furniture company. Plus, now the style options are nearly as endless as a home furniture line. You’ll be able to find everything from traditional to modern.
Business Furniture Regulations
When you buy furniture for your home, it only needs to meet the needs of your family and maybe some guests. But furniture for an office needs to fit each employee comfortably – some of whom you might not even know yet! It’s good practice to provide accommodation for people of varying heights and weights or disabilities, but in some cases, it’s also the law. Commercial furniture is designed specifically to be flexible in these ways. For example, ergonomic chairs have multiple adjustments and desks have different height options. That means you only purchase the minimum amount of furniture to suit a wide range of people. In addition, some building codes might require the fabric on the chairs or lounge furniture to be fire retardant.
Business furniture also has an important advocate called BIFMA (Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer’s Association) which is a not-for-profit organization that creates industry standards and guidelines that make office furniture in Houston so reliable and safe.
The next time you’re looking to update or upgrade your office furniture in Houston, it’s best to use commercial products only. Residential desks or chairs just won’t cut it. Plus, you’ll save money in the long run by getting durable, flexible furniture that will last you years. That doesn’t mean you can’t get the look of comfortable home furnishings with the durability of commercial furniture for your office space. If you’re unfamiliar with commercial furniture or just need a little direction, ROSI can help. We can work with you to choose the furnishings to meet your needs, budget, and style. Contact us today for a free consultation, and let’s discuss your project!
