Buying furniture for an office is a significant investment to make, And you don’t want to be second-guessing it after a few months. Choose the wrong material, and you’ll find yourself with scratches, stains and fading after a short space of time. Make a slight mistake with colour or pattern, and your entire office suffers.
It all comes down to the devil in the detail. Tiny little things can make all the difference. For example, if you were to choose 2 different types of sofa (but of the same colour), then you’ll be stylishly in line. But, if they have different styles of sofa feet, then it’s going to look a tad odd.
So, here’s a brief (but informative) guide to help you choose the right furniture for your office that you’ll be happy with for years to come.
Decide How Much You Want to Spend
Firstly, deciding how much you want to spend is the best place to start as it will determine what type of materials you can afford. There are loads of affordable options out there, and you can get some luxurious fabrics such as velvet for relatively cheap.
Be aware that if you have a small budget, you’re going to be limited. However, if you’ve got a sizable budget, then you’ll have hundreds of different options to choose from. Even better, you’ll be able to order swatch samples, so you check certain fabrics before you make a decision.
Consider Where Your Furniture Will Be Located
The durability of your furniture will ultimately depend on how much and how often it’s used. If you don’t think that your furniture will be used much, then you could buy some sensitive materials such as silk.
However, if the furniture is located in a reception area where lots of people pass through each day, then you’re going to want something that can withstand a high level of use. Combination fabrics are a lot more durable than natural and sensitive material. Also, they typically have tighter weaves with means they can last much longer.
Will It Be Exposed to Sunlight?
Fabric fades over time, so you need to factor that in when choosing your furniture. So, you’re going to want to move your furniture away from any windows, or you’ll need to choose a material that can withstand prolonged exposure to sunlight. You’ll need to also avoid positioning your furniture close to heat sources like radiators as this will also affect the quality of your furniture.
Consider How Your Furniture Is Cleaned
Before choosing your furniture, you need to have a good think about how the material is going to be cleaned. Many materials can be cleaned using dry-cleaning products or water-based cleaners. Both of which you could get from a local supermarket.
Additionally, when choosing your furniture, it’s a good idea to check for tags as they probably have cleaning instructions on them. Some may also have a cleaning code on them which will make it so much easier when looking for the right cleaning product(s).
What Pattern(s) Will Work With Your Decor?
Patterned materials can hide stains a lot more than plain ones. But, you also need to have a good think about whether your patterns match the style of your office decor. You also need to be confident that you’ll enjoy the patterns and colours because you’ll be seeing the furniture each day whilst you’re at work.
The size of your furniture can come into play as we cover off this point too. Some patterns and colours may work on smaller chairs, but they might not suit larger pieces of furniture, so it’s important to think about this before making a decision.
Always Take Fabric Grade Into Consideration
When choosing the furniture for your office, it’s important that you can tell the difference between specific fabric grades. Some manufacturers rate their fabrics alphabetically while others use a number rating system. If you see a piece of fabric that you like and not sure what the grade is, ask a member of the shop you’re in to help.
