Advantages of Laminate Table Tops

Laminate table tops have long had a poor reputation that originates from its association with cheap imitations of wood and natural stone. In fact, laminate materials are so versatile that they can do much more than simply imitate. Laminates are available in a nearly limitless selection of colors and patterns to match any decor. Because they are made from synthetic materials, any color, pattern, design, or image can be displayed on your table top

Technological advances in synthetic materials and manufacturing processes have greatly increased the appeal of laminate tables to consumers. Tables today are a far cry from the peeling, cracking laminates in your grandparent's house. The advances in laminates have also allowed them to become a plausible alternative to natural wood and stone. Even the texture of natural materials can be expressed through laminates.

Synthetic materials are not only beneficial for color choices, they also lend themselves to practicality and usability. Laminate table tops are famous for being easy to clean and care for. They do not require any special seals or finishes in order to be adequate for commercial use and they can withstand the normal wear and tear of the day to day operations of a restaurant.

Visit Hazelwoods Restaurant Furniture for more information on laminate table tops and other quality products at budget friendly prices!

Quality vs. Price: Is it Worth the Money to Splurge?

When selecting a fabric for booth benches and seat covers, there are thousands of options available. From vinyls and leathers to smooth velvets and suedes, there is an option available to enhance any decor theme. Even the quality of the fabric is an option for furniture buyers. Many furniture companies will offer custom seat upholstery in the fabric of your choice. Obviously, sales people will try to push the most expensive fabrics and vinyls, as their job is to increase the sale amount. However, sales people are also trying to look out for your best interest.

A good sales person will inform you about the different grades of fabric that are available for upholstery. They should let you know exactly what you are getting for your money. If you decide to go with a budget friendly grade, you should know that it will most likely not last as long as a higher grade. This may mean that you'll end up spending more in the long run if you need to replace your seat cushions more frequently. A higher grade of fabric may also enhance the atmosphere of your restaurant or bar. It can make the dining area more comfortable and inviting to your guests.

Overall there are many factors other than color and pattern to consider when choosing upholstery fabric. The most important thing is to be aware of your budget and what you are getting for your money. The experts at Hazelwoods are here to help you find the best fit for your budget and your restaurant.

The Versatility of Booths

When you open your restaurant, chances are that you will have a combination of different seating arrangements for your guests. Booths and banquettes are an extremely versatile seating option that is sure to meet the various needs of your patrons.

Some people in your restaurant may be looking for a family friendly place. They will want a table where children who may be noisy will not bother other guests. Also be sure that when considering families, you have high chairs and booster seats available that will safely accommodate younger children. Perhaps a larger table on one side of the restaurant, or a booth at the end of a wall would be best for this situation. An important thing to keep in mind, however, is that you do not want your guests to feel as though they are dining in a dark corner, away from all the attention from the waitstaff. One way to avoid this is to have an open seating area, free from high walls and booth backs. Also, keeping tables well lit will help.

Though a bright, open dining room is ideal for some guests, others may prefer a more intimate setting. Say a couple is visiting your restaurant to celebrate an anniversary, they most likely would like to be seated in a secluded area that provides more privacy. A good way to accommodate a couple that desires privacy is to build small booths that are dimly lit and have high backs to them. This provides the most privacy while still keeping your patrons from feeling as though they are being purposely ignored.

Booths are a good option for many different dining groups as they are extremely versatile. Visit www.hazelwoods.com for more information about styles and types of booths.

The Importance of Patio Furniture

Patio furniture is often an afterthought for many restaurant owners. It can be put on the back burner when owners are busy planning out their dining rooms and bar furniture. In reality, patio furniture can really be an important aspect of restaurant furniture.

The patio is generally the first thing a customer sees when they pull up to a restaurant. Their first impressions are based on what they initially see when they arrive at your restaurant. If they see a patio with warped tables and broken umbrellas, they will not have very high expectations for the restaurant as a whole. You may think that people will not notice small details like that, but the truth is that even though some people may not consciously notice defects of patio furniture, but they still internalize the fact that it is in disrepair and this affects their general attitude toward your restaurant. Investing in nice patio furniture is definitely worth the effort.

Now that you have an attractive patio, you cannot neglect the interior furniture. Seeing a nice patio and then walking into a dingy restaurant can be just as off-putting. It is important to be consistent with the quality and style of furniture throughout your dining area. Make sure that the decorative theme flows smoothly between outdoors and indoors so that guests feel a sense of continuity in the restaurant.

To take a look at some patio furniture, visit www.hazelwoods.com. Patio furniture comes in many different styles to suit many different needs. Be sure to choose the patio furniture that best meets your requirements and specifications.

Fabric vs. Vinyl: Costs and Benefits of Each

Selecting fabrics and materials for the chairs in your restaurant involves more than just a color scheme. Obviously, the fabric on the chairs in your restaurant will complement your design theme, but the seat coverings you choose will do more than just look good.

Seat covers on upholstered chairs and bar stools must be practical as well as beautiful. Many options are available that cater to the special requirements of the restaurant industry. Many restaurants choose to go with something that is easy to clean and care for such as vinyl. Vinyl sometimes has a bad reputation as a cheap, unattractive material, but this is not the case any more. There are many companies who supply high-quality vinyl in new colors and patterns. Vinyl is easy to care for, which is one of it's major attributes. If food or liquid is spilled on the seat, a quick wipe down with a wet cloth is all that is necessary to clean it.

On the other end of the seating spectrum, high end tapestry-like fabrics are also commonly used in restaurants. Many fine dining restaurants opt to use a more comfortable fabric than vinyl. Thick fabrics with lots of texture are very common as they tend to hide stains better than smooth fabrics. If you are determined that a smooth, soft fabric is the right for your restaurant, there are a couple steps you can take to make sure they last for years. First, invest in a fabric coating that will repel liquid and not let it soak into the fabric and stain it. Something that is waterproof is your best bet. Also, make sure the seats of the chairs are removable. This will keep you from having to replace the whole chair if a seat gets too worn or stained. Replacing seat covers is easy. Simply remove the seat from the chair frame, buy a yard of the same fabric, staple it to the seat of the chair and re-attach the seat to the chair. Or for more complex chairs and a professional job, take your chairs to Hazelwoods Restaurant Furniture.

Ultimately, any seat covering choice can be the right choice as long as you know the pros and cons of the material you decide upon. Whether you choose vinyl or a fancy fabric, each has costs and benefits.

Pros & Cons of Table Finishes

We would all love to dine at the nicest marble and wood top tables, but that is not practical in the least. There are different table top materials and finishes for a reason: practicality.

First off, practicality of price. Solid wood table tops most likely do not make the best business sense for a start-up restaurant with a small budget. Though they may look nice, the richness of a solid wood table does not come cheap. Most small restaurants opt for more budget-friendly dining tables by choosing laminate tables, or simply getting inexpensive plastic tables and covering them with linens. It is smart to think about the long run cost of tables, as well. For example, if you choose to use linen table cloths, you will have laundry costs. Also some table materials may require special cleaning products or re-finishing on a regular basis. All these factors will impact your bottom line.

Practicality as it impacts your daily operations is another extremely important aspect of table top shopping. Some table top materials are better suited to certain environments. You most likely would not put a solid wood table on a patio because wood is likely to warp in the elements. A metal table top might hold up better. But metal also has the downside of becoming extremely hot in direct sunlight. After considering all the pros and cons of different table tops you might choose to go with a synthetic material such as faux stone or some sort of plastic.

The options are virtually limitless when it comes to table top materials and finishes. Make your decision based on what will work best for your environment and budget.

Following Trends in Restaurant Furniture

Just like any industry, the restaurant furniture business has trends that come and go. Knowing the current trend in any industry is an important part of being successful and while it is not necessary, or even business-savvy, to update your restaurant furniture every time a new product or idea comes out, it is good practice to be aware of new trends.

There are several different methods of learning about new trends in the restaurant furniture industry that are sure to keep you up to date.

1) You can go to industry trade shows. Trade shows bring many different companies to the same arena where they can showcase their newest and most interesting products. Even if you don't end up buying anything or making a deal at the show, it is a good place to gather ideas.

2) Visit new restaurants in your area. If a restaurant has just opened, chances are good that their furniture is some of the newest and most innovative furniture out there. To get a broad view of what types of furniture are commonly used, visit several different types of restaurants, from fast food to fine dining. This mode of trend-seeking is extremely convenient, just be aware of your surroundings every time you dine out.

3) Talk to furniture representatives. All the major furniture companies have representatives who travel to restaurants and distributors promoting their products. Keep in mind that they are always trying to push their product on you to make a sale. Even if you don't buy from a representative, they can be a great tool for finding out what is hot in the industry.

4) Surf the web. There are many great commercial furniture websites that feature the newest and most popular furniture for restaurants and bars. One such website is www.hazelwoods.com. The Hazelwoods website features a wide variety of popular furniture for all types of restaurants including booths, tables, chairs, bar stools, and patio furniture.

Hopefully these ideas will give you a head start toward creating a trendy and popular dining area. Remember, finding trends can be easy and inexpensive, but can have a profound impact on the success of your restaurant or bar.

Table and Chair Standards

I cannot stress enough the importance of correct measurements when planning a dining space. Of course you will have to measure the physical area you have available for tables, chairs, and booths. In addition to these routine measurements, you will also have to know the height of your tables and chairs.

We've all dined at tables that seemed too high to be comfortable, or sat in chairs that seemed to almost touch the ground. These are example of dining arrangements that fail to follow the rules of anthropometrics. Anthropometrics is the study of human measurement and the dimensions needed to provide the most comfort and efficiency. There are standards that the dining industry generally follows to meet the needs of their guests

In general, standard distance between the floor and the seat of a chair is between 18 and 20 inches, while tables come standard at a height of 28 to 30 inches. 10-12 inches is the normal amount of space between the seat and the table top. This provides optimal comfort for the average diner. In addition to the height of tables and chairs, you must also consider the number of diners that can comfortably eat at a table. It is ideal to allow at least 24 inches of elbow room per person and 12 to 15 inches of depth into the table. For more information on industry standards on table and chair measurements, click here.

Can Furniture Be Too Comfortable?

Considering the comfort of your customers when planning your seating needs is imperative to the success of any restaurant. The question is, how comfortable should your chairs and benches be? Logic says that you would want to make your seats the most comfortable they can possibly be. No one wants to be uncomfortable while eating. However, extreme comfort may not be the best for your business. I'll explain why:

Say you are at a fast food restaurant. You are standing while you order your food and standing while you wait for it. As soon as you sit down on one of those hard plastic seats, you are comfortable. But soon, the unforgiving nature of the hard plastic starts to become uncomfortable. It becomes uncomfortable enough to keep you from sitting at the table for an extended period of time. Any restaurant owner knows that the faster you can turn over guests, while still keeping them happy, the more money you will make. A table with guests brings in more money than a table without. But if guests linger at a table because it is so incredibly comfortable, that table is not maximizing its potential to make a profit.

It is best to think about the atmosphere of your restaurant, the type of dining, and the target diner group that you are wishing to attract when you purchase seating. Commercial seating is often judged entirely on aesthetic, but the comfort of a chair or bench has an impact on the success of a business as well.

Maximizing Your Dining Space

The sheer number of issues involved with planning and executing an attractive, effective, and comfortable seating plan is staggering. It may come as a shock to some beginning restaurateurs, but the attention to detail that restaurant owner gives the seating and dining arrangement of a restaurant has a profound impact on the atmosphere of the place and the satisfaction of the patrons. Have you ever been dining peacefully only to have another customer ask you to scoot your chair in because the space between the tables is not adequate for people to easily pass through? Or been bothered by a wobbly table for the entirety of your meal? These are just a few of the annoyances that can detract from your customers' dining experience and leave them with an unpleasant taste in their mouth.

When beginning to plan seating for your restaurant things you will want to take into consideration how many patrons you have the capacity to serve and how much space you have to work with (the square footage of your dining room). It is a good idea to look at table sizes and how many patrons each table will comfortably seat. For example, a 30" square table is ideal for 4 guests while a 24" square table would be extremely cramped and uncomfortable for 4, but plenty of space for 2. Booth seating is also an option that can make a dining room look more cozy and comfortable, but be aware that booths can take a lot more room than initially thought. Be sure to keep all options in mind when planning your dining room so you get the most potential out of your restaurant furniture. Take a look at this website for more information regarding acceptable dining standards.