Modern Commercial Furniture

Padded Furniture for Your Hotel: The Valencia I Chaise Lounge

November 30, 2007

Sometimes in my research, I come across a chair that looks so comfortable, it just makes me wish I could beam it into my living room ala Star Trek. But that wouldn’t do much for my productivity, since I tend to drift off when I’m too comfortable. So, I guess I’ll stick with my creaky desk chair for now.

You, however, should definitely check out the Valencia I Leather Chaise Lounge. It’s dark, it’s leathery, and it’s curved in a seductively ergonomic way. It reminds me of upscale hotel furniture, something you’d find in a reception area filled with fine art and exotic plants. Or perhaps on an outdoor deck overlooking a splendid swimming pool or ocean.

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Padded Contract Seating: The Giovanni Baccolini ‘Penny’

November 28, 2007

Furniture has come a long way. Modern furniture is more than just a style – it’s a way of life. No longer do we have to choose between a pretty chair and a comfortable chair. Now we can have both. If your bistro chairs are a little lacking in the comfort department, it’s time for an upgrade. Believe me, there’s no excuse for hard, unyielding chairs when we have so many colorful, padded ones to choose from.

Like the many pieces of Giovanni Baccolini’s Penny line. These are some good looking seats, but their appeal goes much deeper than pretty upholstery; they’re also strong enough to take whatever comes their way, and soft enough to seat any guest in comfort. The vibrant colors and varied styles make these chairs great for many settings, from reception seating to bar chairs. In fact, this might make for some of the most cushiony contract bar furniture I’ve ever seen.

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Furniture Donation: Put Your Used Furniture to Good Use

November 26, 2007

Hurricane Katrina was a horrific disaster, and it has taken two years to get some of the homes inhabitable again, especially in the devastated Ninth Ward. Some families have been able to return to their homes, but without the comforts of chairs, sofas, or beds. Many families still sleep on the floor.

Rev. Marilee Baccich of Kensington has formed a furniture bank for families who lost their own furniture to Katrina and have been unable to replace it. She has her work cut out for her; according to the red Cross, as many as 300,000 homes were destroyed by the hurricane.

The holiday season is traditionally a time of year to be thankful for all that we have, and to help those who don’t have enough. It’s also a time when we start thinking about shopping for new things. If you’ve got the shopping bug, whether you are an individual or a business, you can send your old, gently used furniture to help these families in Louisiana. What if you’ve only got commercial grade furniture? It will be gratefully accepted and put to good use. If you decide to buy new contemporary hotel furniture, you can find your old pieces a good home here, and you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you brought a measure of comfort to a family that has lost too much.

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The Mykonos Grace Wins Hotel Design of the Year, 2007

November 24, 2007

The Mykonos Grace hotel has won the coveted Hotel Design of the Year award at the European Hotel Design Awards 2007. Many of the world’s top hotel brands competed for this prize, but the Mykonos Grace won for its breathtaking beauty, comfortable appointments, and attention to detail. Just looking at this hotel’s web site, I can tell that this place is something special. The Mykonos Grace is also considered to be innovative, praised as it is for bringing a new luxury boutique type of hotel to the Mediterranean.

In addition to the top honor it secures, the Mykonos Grace was nominated for design awards in three other categories: Best Architecture at a Restored Hotel Building; Best Bedroom & Bathroom Interior Design; and Best Bar, Nightclub or Lounge.

The hotel is situated on the white sands and sparkling aquamarine waters of Agios Stefanos beach in Greece. The proprietors actually reduced the number of guest rooms to make sure that the rooms they had were wide and accommodating. This speaks well of their attention to customer comfort.

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Commercial Grade Bistro Sets for Your Restaurant or Home

November 22, 2007

Bistro tables and chairs have an undeniable style and appeal. They bring to mind beaches, baguettes, and easy conversation with friends over a nice glass of wine.

But style isn’t the only concern for the modern bistro owner. A successful business can expect thousand of patrons every year. All of those customers will undoubtedly leave their mark, albeit unintentionally, on the furniture. The last thing a restaurateur wants to do is replace the table and chairs time and again. Therefore, if you have a busy bistro (or even a busy home), it’s important to get the right grade of furniture to suit your needs.

Commercial bistro sets are built to last. They’re made with rigorous use in mind, and are typically built to higher standards than residential grade bistro sets. Since some bistros offer outdoor seating in every season, commercial bistro sets are made from weather-resistant materials that won’t easily rust, chip, or flake.

Still, there are some things to consider. If you do intend to use the set outside during cold or rainy months, you should choose a heavy-duty laminate or metal tabletop. Mosaic is a beautiful and popular choice because of its bright colors and designs, but it will not hold up to moisture or extreme temperatures. Luckily, many contemporary bistro chairs and tables come in materials that are designed to endure heavy wear and tear.

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Nail Salon Furniture Should Be Comfortable

November 20, 2007

Sometimes, a nice trip to the nail salon is just what stressed-out workers need. A nice hot oil massage for those aching wrists and fingers can really brighten your outlook. Women, in particular, tend to spend a long amount of time at salons, especially if they’re getting elaborate manicures, hair trimming, pedicures, and other services.

I know from personal experience that nail bar furniture can make or break a patron’s salon experience. Think about it: when you’re sitting still for an hour or more, you want something comfortable to sit on, especially if you’re being poked and prodded by a manicurist. Nail salons are supposed to be relaxing experiences, after all.

That’s why I’m not so sure about the GM Bombo Special from Stefano Giovannoni. Now, don’t get me wrong; these are beautiful stools. They remind me of giant lilies in bright, pretty colors. I imagine they’d look stunning in most salons.

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Historic Bar Tables: The World’s Longest Bar Table

November 19, 2007

Seven years ago this past September, the merry folk of Bad Staffelstein sat down at the world’s longest bar table. How long are we talking? 2.2km, with 4.4km of seating space! Now that’s the kind of table I wish we had at our family reunions. Only, passing the salt would be a serious undertaking.

At 7:15pm that evening, Mayor Georg Müller announced at the town square, “We’ve made it!” Amazingly, by the time the results were made official, nearly 7,500 people were seated at the table. (7,484, to be exact.) That’s a lot of good cheer to go around!

Maybe (hopefully!) you don’t need quite so epic a table for your business. Still, there are plenty of commercial bar tables to choose from, if you need to expand a bit. And don’t assume that commercial bar tables are just for businesses; homes with lots of traffic could benefit from these sturdy, resilient tables, too. Commercial grade tables can withstand things that residential grade tables can’t.

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Metal Chairs: The FTI Papeete Has Charmed Me

November 17, 2007

Maybe it’s the unseasonably warm weather that’s making me think of springtime and flowers. Maybe it’s the fact that I have a very girly little girl at home who loves anything feminine, especially if it’s pink. Maybe I’ve finally lost my mind. Or maybe these chairs are just incredibly cute. (I’ll go with the last one, no matter what my friends say!)

I can totally see these chairs in a family restaurant, outside at a cozy bistro, at an outdoor concert venue, or anywhere that children and whimsical adults would gather. All it would take is a seat cushion to really dress these chairs up, but they’re just fine on their own, too.

There’s been a trend in interior and exterior design, a movement back to nature. Leaves, flowers, and natural textures are big right now. That’s another thing I like about these chairs. If you placed them at a little garden table, they’d look right at home. And with so many color selections, they could be matched to the prevailing shades of the surrounding flowers and foliage.Each chair is made of powder-coated metal. The leafy designs are laser-cut and attractive. The color selection is extraordinary. I could see the white chairs at a classic outdoor lawn party or wedding, and the black ones at a concert or outdoor theater. The green would be a good choice for blending in with natural surroundings. The other colors would be great for play areas; yes, my inner child really wants to have a tea party with the pink and lavender ones. Sad, isn’t it?

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Furniture as Decorative Art: Choosing the Right Modern Design

November 14, 2007

Does finding the right piece of contemporary furniture seem like a looming chore? It doesn’t have to be that hard. In fact, with all the color schemes, designs, and rich materials to choose from, shopping for great modern furniture can be quite fun.

But you want your room to look interesting, not odd. (Or maybe you do want your room to look odd. In that case, go with whichever piece catches your fancy!) The goal is to make patrons stop, look, and perhaps start up conversations. Even ugly furniture can be a real conversation-starter. If customers linger to criticize the hideous decor, well, at least you got them talking. Remember, they say there’s no such thing as bad publicity.

How does one choose the right piece of modern furniture? You want the furniture to contrast with the rest of the room. If the room is dark, try all white or brightly-colored furniture. If the room is mostly white, try dark furniture, or tables and chairs with funky designs. You want something that will catch the eye and hold onto it. Choose something unusual. Remember Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup paintings? They were special because of the bold colors and the use of such a mundane subject (soup) to create fanciful artwork.

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