What Is Commercial Lounge Furniture?
In the hospitality industry, lounge seating can be lucrative, appealing, and attractive. Lounge furniture, characterized by soft lines and comfortable seating, is the first choice for many restaurant customers. Commercial lounge furniture radiates casual vibes and a carefree attitude where your guests can sit and relax. Many upscale restaurants use lounge furniture in bars, cafes, waiting areas, or lobbies.
Types of Businesses That Can Benefit from Lounge Furniture
When it comes to commercial lounge seating, irrespective of your business type, lounge furniture has endless potential to entice new customers and encourage them to spend more time. Commercial lounge furniture has plenty of scope and finds application in many hospitality sectors such as:
- Cafes and coffee shops
- Waiting areas of office receptions
- Meeting areas, Suites and hotel lobbies
- Book stores and libraries
- Night clubs
- Resorts
- Restaurants
- Bars and Pubs
Commercial Lounge Furniture Types
A. Couches and Sofas
Couches and sofas are ideal for commercial spaces frequented by couples or large groups like a resort, theater, restaurant, etc.
- Although sofas are generally available in 2, 2.5, and 3 seater options as an industry standard, you can get them cross-railed to fit in any space.
- While foam-filled cushions are the most popular choice, feather cushions offer a luxurious seating experience.
- Sofa seats can either be fixed or left loose, with the former being the less expensive variant.
B. Arm Chairs
Armchairs as commercial lounge chairs are perfect for spaces where customers do not visit in large groups.
- They are a great addition to office receptions, hotel lobbies, salons, etc.
- Armchairs can be a valuable addition to any restaurant patio space for a relaxed ambiance.
C. Booths
Many restaurant customers prefer booths over regular table and chair seating. Booths have several advantages for your guests – they are comfortable, and create a cozy, intimate setup. For a restaurant owner, they maximize seating capacity.
- You can arrange booths in several configurations, horse-shoe, U-shape, face-to-face, and many more.
- Booths are the ideal lounge furniture choice for nightclubs, family diners, restaurants, cafes, etc.
D. Loveseats
• Love seats, typically a two-seater couch, are cross between a sofa and an armchair. While the two connected seats usually face the same direction, some designs have seats facing opposite ways.
• Loveseats are perfect for couples seating at any commercial setup where customers visit in groups of twos, like cafes, movie halls, nightclubs, restaurants, hotel lobbies, etc.
How to Find the Best Material for Lounge Furniture?
As an owner, you want your lounge furniture to be affordable, durable, and space-efficient. On the other hand, your guests expect nothing but comfort and functionality.
- Durability: Since most commercial lounge furniture has a life cycle of around five to ten years, make sure the material you select can withstand such wear and tear. While durability considerations are crucial in the longer run, they should not compromise the overall style and space efficiency.
- Comfort: Remember, the appeal and purpose of the lounge furniture is to offer comfort. Select a material that makes your guests feel relaxed.
- Functionality: An ideal material for lounge furniture offers comfort without compromising functionality. For example, while a soft armchair would definitely be comfortable for your guests in a café or bar, ensure it is not too low to the ground to avoid spills or be hard to get up from.
How to Choose the Best Commercial Lounge Furniture?
In the hospitality industry, first impression matters. Once your customer has made up their mind about your service, it’s hard to convince them otherwise. Therefore, you must put your best foot forward while selecting your restaurant’s décor. Since the lobby or reception is often the first place your guest experiences, you must design it flawlessly. Here are a few lounge seating ideas for choosing the best furniture for commercial space:
1. Check the available space
Restaurant owners often buy furniture only to realize that it hardly fits into their space. Check the available space in your restaurant for dimensions and usability. Accordingly, select the most space-efficient furniture that fits into your restaurant.
2. Prioritize client comfort
When people visit restaurants, they might have different mindsets. Some might be unwinding after a long day at work; some might be looking forward to quality time with their loved ones. Your commercial lounge furniture should offer a relaxing space to calm your guests’ nerves.
3. Pay attention to your budget
Although you want your lounge furniture to reflect luxury and comfort, do so without burning a hole in your pockets.
- Once you finalize a budget, do stick to it.
- Go online to shop for budget-friendly furniture.
- Alternately, contact a wholesale commercial furniture manufacturer directly to cut commission charges and get bulk discounts.
4. Design space for casual activities
Restaurants, especially cafes, have several guests that visit for casual tasks like reading newspapers, checking emails, a quick break for coffee, etc.
- Bar stools are light in weight and easy to shift around.
- Avoid sofas as they are not comfortable to work with laptops due to lower seating height.
- Upholstered wooden chairs are another sensible choice.
5. Choose the furniture that compliments the overall vibe of the place
Seating is a crucial design element of any restaurant. Use it to tell your story and carry out the same vibe as other design elements of your dining room. Rather than just assembling different pieces of furniture, go for coordinated furniture set of restaurant tables and chairs that reflects your brand image.
6. Find out the lifespan of materials
Lounge furniture in a busy restaurant undergoes a lot of wear and tear. Commercial lounge furniture requires a considerable investment, and, as an owner, you must invest wisely.
While buying lounge furniture, don’t get tempted into buying residential furniture or inferior materials due to lower up-front charges. Consider the lifespan of materials, their initial cost, and maintenance or repairing charges as well.
7. Try to be minimalistic
Just because you have space does not mean you crowd it with extravagant pieces. After all, the more may not always be the merrier. Rather than making the space look occupied, emphasize comfort and functionality with modern commercial lounge furniture.
- Leave ample space for your guests and staff to move around and relax.
- The minimalistic approach focuses on other design elements like interior color, decor, lighting, etc., to find simple, yet elegant furniture.
8. Make it feel secure, clean, and safe
- The Covid-19 pandemic has emphasized hygiene and safety like never before. Choose lounge furniture that is easy to clean, sanitize, and maintain.
- For example, laminate restaurant tables are effortless to clean and disinfect. All you need is a wipe down with a damp cloth and mild soap solution, which makes it perfect for busy commercial spaces.
- Wooden hospitality lounge chairs and tables require periodic upkeep and regular sealing.
Wrapping it up:
Lounge furniture reflects class, comfort, and charm in any commercial space. However, finding the perfect lounge furniture for your restaurant or hotel is seldom straightforward. It depends on your personal taste, guests’ comfort, space available, and several other things.
This article discusses different types of commercial lounge furniture and its materials and guides you in choosing the perfect lounge furniture for your restaurant. Hopefully, by taking notes from these points, you will be able to create a relaxing space with utmost comfort and an eye-catchy appearance.
