Office furniture
Furniture is what people touch every day. Choosing well means comfortable, adjustable seating, desks and storage that suit the work, and products that can be reconfigured, repaired and reused.
Business Interiors was never tied to one manufacturer. Over the years it bought from more than 150 furniture suppliers, from Steelcase, Herman Miller and Senator to Orangebox, Allermuir and Kinnarps, and specified lighting, flooring and artwork alongside.
The best results come from involving people in the choice: trials of chairs with the people who will sit in them, showroom visits and mock-ups of key settings, followed by a competitive tender on the chosen specification.
What it involves
From specification to installation
Specification
Seating, desks, storage, meeting and breakout furniture chosen against the brief and the budget.
User trials
Chairs and key products tested by the people who will use them before anything is ordered.
Tendering
A competitive process on a like-for-like specification, so prices can be compared fairly.
Installation
Delivery, assembly and placement coordinated with the fit-out programme.
What to get right
Do not compromise on the chair
When budgets come under pressure, seating is often the first thing to be cut. It should be the last. People spend hours a day in their chairs, and a good task chair lasts many years with basic maintenance.
Look at reuse before buying new. Good systems furniture is designed to be reconfigured, and existing pieces can often be refurbished or repurposed. Ask suppliers about take-back schemes and the availability of spare parts.
- Trial chairs with a range of people before choosing.
- Check lead times early; some products take weeks to arrive.
- Specify for adjustability where desks are shared.
- Keep a furniture schedule for future additions and repairs.
A good fit if…
- You are fitting out new space or replacing worn-out furniture.
- You want advice across several manufacturers, not one dealer’s range.
- Your furniture needs to work with a wider design.
Probably not the right fit if…
- You need a single chair delivered tomorrow.
From the archive
Balfour Beatty Workplace
In Bristol, Balfour Beatty Workplace refused to compromise on chairs when the budget came under pressure. The scheme became the company’s workplace standard for a UK roll-out.
Questions
What clients usually ask
Is the advice tied to particular brands?
No. Business Interiors always worked independently of manufacturers, so recommendations follow the brief rather than a dealer agreement.
What about second-hand or remanufactured furniture?
Often a good option for storage, tables and some seating. Quality varies, so check condition, warranties and the availability of spare parts before buying.
Related
Where this leads
Office interior design · Furniture as part of the design
Move management and churn · Moving and reconfiguring
Office refurbishment · Reusing what you have
Start a conversation
Planning a move, a refurbishment or a rethink?
Tell us about the space, the people who use it and the date you are working to. You will get a straight answer about what it needs, what it is likely to cost and what to do first.