Jun27
Get Post Lockdown Ready With Our Top Commercial Outdoor Furniture Picks
Comments Off on Get Post Lockdown Ready With Our Top Commercial Outdoor Furniture Picks
Quite rightly, the UK has been in lockdown since 23 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s clearly vital that we limit the spread of the virus and reduce the strain on the NHS. However, social distancing rules have meant the almost complete closure of the hospitality trade.
But there now seems to be light at the end of the tunnel as the government considers easing the lockdown in phases to get the economy back up and running.
Post-Lockdown Furniture Requirements
We know that restaurants, cafes, pubs, nightclubs and leisure centres are likely to be among the last venues to re-open. However, those with outdoor spaces will probably be able to open earlier.
It will be essential to continue to protect staff and customers by maintaining a physical distance of 2 metres wherever possible. And additional hygiene practices will almost certainly be required. There will probably also be a need to erect protective transparent sneeze screens at the point of sale.
So, for outdoor areas you’ll need commercial furniture that can not only withstand the British weather, but can also help customers stay six feet apart. You’ll want furniture that is easy to move around and stack when not in use, and, importantly, quick and easy to clean/disinfect.
If you’re a pub with a beer garden, or a cafe with a courtyard, this might be a great time to assess whether your outdoor furniture will be fit for purpose this summer and autumn.
Warner Contract Furniture stocks a huge range of great-priced, high quality Commercial Outdoor Furniture for the UK leisure, hospitality and contract markets.
The Warner top six post-lockdown chairs and tables
This blog post highlights our top six outdoor chairs and tables that can help you get ready for whatever the ’new normal’ will be for the hospitality trade.
- Budget Flip Top Dining Table Base
Our Budget Flip Top Dining Table Base is exactly as described in its name. It offers fantastic value and is a versatile addition for outdoor commercial venues.
The flip top mechanism allows you to flip any table top to the vertical for easy storage. It’s great for small spaces as it’s simple to stack and easy to store. It’s also tougher than it looks as it is made from robust contract quality aluminium/steel (?). And it wipes clean quickly and easily.
These great value table bases will support small 700mm round or square table tops so can make provide perfect social distancing for single customers in small spaces.
You could pair the Budget Flip Top Table Base with …
SM France Arizona Table Top
Outdoor tables have to withstand a lot. They have to put up wth hot sunshine, pouring rain and even frost. And then there is all the eating and drinking. Plates and cutlery, glasses, and spills can all take a toll.
The SM France Arizona Table Top offers a great-looking and cost-effective solution for outdoor dining and drinking areas. It’s on our list because it will withstand heavy use and constant cleaning yet still look good.
That’s because it’s made from a moulded resin laminate material and is fully sealed. It’s also UV-stabilised so won’t fade in direct sunlight.
- Lode Outdoor Chairs
Outdoor chairs need to look good yet also be easy to maintain and store. And our Lode Outdoor Chairs fit the bill perfectly. Made in one stylish piece using air-moulding technology from hard-wearing polypropylene, they are strong and fully stackable. They make ideal chairs for use in the outside areas of cafes, bistros, and bars and come in white, black, grey, brown, lime green and orange.
- Matilda Outdoor Chairs
The Matilda Outdoor Chair combines great looks and practicality. The contemporary design includes a curved shell seat made from hardwearing polypropylene reinforced with glass fibre. The Matilda chair is not only easy to keep clean, but it is fully stackable too.
There is a choice of black, green, red, white, yellow, grey and sand, so you should find an option to suit your space. We also offer matching Matilda Outdoor Armchairs.
- Brew Outdoor Table
Our Brew Outdoor Table is a stylish alternative to the more traditional wooden Beer Garden Bench. It is manufactured with a sturdy pwder-coated steel frame supporting hard wearing teak slats. The frame comes in two colour options: silver and grey.
The Brew Table can be matched with the Brew Outdoor Bench. To encourage customers to maintain the required 2 m distance apart you can easily place markings at each end of the bench.
The Brew range also includes the Brew Outdoor Poseur Table and the Brew Outdoor High Stool.
How we can help
Warner Contract Furniture sources a broad and diverse range of commercial furniture to suit the needs of the hospitality industry. Our sales team have the know-how to help you find the best furnishing solution for your bar, cafe, restaurant, hotel or activity centre.
We are continually adding new products to our website but would love to hear from you if you can’t see exactly what you’re looking for. We have long-standing relationships with furniture manufacturers and an expert in-house team that will rise to the challenge.
Our standard delivery time is just 3-5 working days as most of our stock is sourced within the UK. We can deliver even faster for customers who are working against the clock.
Call our sales team today on 0161 408 2390 or email our sales department sales@warnercontracts.com. We are happy to discuss your requirements and give you a quotation.
As we emerge from the tight restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 lockdown, many workplaces are keen to re-open for business. However, we can’t simply go back to how things were before the pandemic. Public health guidelines include maintaining appropriate social distancing, frequent hand-washing, and even wearing masks in some cases.
To help offices, retail outlets, libraries, canteens and hospitality venues prepare for this ‘new normal’, Warner Contracts Ltd is now offering a range of protective sneeze screens. All products in the range are safe to use and easy to keep clean and disinfect.
They will not only help provide extra protection for both your staff and your customers, but they’ll help get your business up and running again.
The range includes:
Counter Top Sneeze Guards
Staff working at the point of sale in shops as well as cafes and canteens can be protected with our clear glazed Counter Top Sneeze Guards. They come 800mm wide as standard and either 670mm or 950mm high.
Our sneeze guard provides an effective barrier against sneezes and coughs, limiting contact between your staff and customers. And the hatch opening allows for payment to be handled safely.
Sneeze Screens for Offices
Maintaining the recommended safe 2m distance between colleagues will be made easier with our range of desktop barriers.
In offices with shared spaces, our Office Desktop Sneeze Screens offer a simple yet very effective way of keeping your staff safe. These tough, shatter-proof plexiglass screens are available in a range of heights and widths to suit standard size desks. And we are also happy to supply them in bespoke made-to-measure sizes.
Additional protection can be added with our Desktop Header Sneeze Screens. These easily connect with our Desktop Sneeze Screens to provide extra privacy and safety for employees.
We also offer clear Desk Mounted Borderless Sneeze Guards in a range of bespoke and standard sizes.
If your staff prefers more privacy, we stock a range of Vinyl Sneeze Screens. These screens are made from opaque anti-microbial vinyl. They can be easily cleaned with bleach and come in a range of sizes. Vinyl Header Sneeze Screens are also available.
Movable Screens
Of course, members of staff don’t spend all their time sitting at their desks. Many companies like to offer informal spaces for staff to collaborate and read in, as well as have a cup of coffee.
Having access to moveable protective screens can be a great way of providing extra safety to your staff in these areas. Our plexiglass Mobile Sneeze Guards are designed for exactly this purpose. The screens are supplied with castors so they are easy to move around and you can choose from a range of height and width options. In addition, we offer three different finishes: clear glaze, with a cut-out, and with safety spots to prevent people walking into them.
Our Floor Standing Sneeze Screens are also useful and versatile. For instance, they can be used in canteens or other areas where staff or customers might be standign in a queue. You can move then to wherever they are required quickly and easily.
Hand Sanitizer Stations
Maintaining a high degree of hand hygiene is extremely important. And we offer handy Floor Standing Sanitiser Units and Desktop Sanitiser Units. Available with either non-alcohol or alcohol-based sanitiser gel, these units are ideal for use in offices, shops, cafes, restaurants, libraries, and counter tops.
How we can help
All our protective sneeze screen and sanitiser units can be ordered products online and you can expect delivery in around 10-15 days. If you need a tighter turn around time then please contact our sales team who will be happy to help.
May27
Government Guidance on Working Safely During COVID-19
Comments Off on Government Guidance on Working Safely During COVID-19
On 11 May 2020 the government released guidelines on how employers, staff and the self-employed can work safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The guidance focuses on practical steps that can be taken to protect staff in offices, contact centres and various indoor environments. You can find a pdf of the full document here.
We thought it might be useful to highlight how Warner Contracts Ltd’s range of sneeze screens and other hygiene items can help businesses comply with this guidance – specifically how to maintain social distancing at the workplace.
Social Distancing At Work
Section 3 of the guidance covers social distancing at work with the stated objective:
To maintain 2m social distancing wherever possible, including while arriving at and
departing from work, while in work and when travelling between sites. You must maintain social distancing in the workplace wherever possible.
Suggested actions companies can take to facilitate safe distancing are:
- Using screens or barriers to keep people separate.
- Change layouts so staff can work ‘back-to-back or ‘side-to-side’.
- Organising smaller teams to ensure each individual interacts with only a few others.
- Looking at how to maintain social distancing to all parts of a business – including entrances and exits, break and meeting rooms, canteens etc.
Sneeze Screens and Other Protective Physical Barriers
Warner Contracts Ltd has a range of sneeze screens to protect employees while at their desks as well as in other areas of the workplace. They can be used as part of your organisation’s COVID-19.
Workstation Protection
In offices, staff spend most of their time at their desks or workstations so it’s vital to provide a safe environment to reduce their exposure to their colleagues.
If your office furniture cannot be easily moved to provide the necessary social distancing, then our Office Desktop Sneeze Screens and Desk Mounted Borderless Sneeze Guards can help.
Made from clear, shatterproof plexiglass these screens are easy to keep clean and disinfect. We supply a range of standard heights and widths as well as made-to-measure bespoke sizes.
We also provide protective desktop screens made of vinyl. These screens offer great privacy and protection for staff. The contract quality vinyl has anti-microbial properties and can be cleaned with bleach.
All our desk screens are supplied with C-Clamps as standard. This means that you can fit them quickly without the need for drilling holes for screws in your office furniture.
Safer Break Out & Meeting Areas
Many workplaces have separate meeting areas and other spaces where staff can take a break. This is where our range of moveable protective screens can prove to be of greatest use.
Our Mobile Sneeze Guards come in a range of widths and heights to suit are supplied with castors so they are easy to move around. One set of castors is lockable for extra security. The plexiglass screens are available in different sizes and three: clear glaze, clear glaze with a cut-out, and with safety spots to prevent people walking into them accidentally.
In other public spaces such as reception areas, canteens and so on, our Floor Standing Sneeze Screens can help you maintain safe social distancing. They come in different sizes and you can also choose to have T-feet or disc feet.
Other Workplace Areas
Our range of protective barriers also includes clear-glazed Counter Top Sneeze Guards. These barriers are made from 30mm thick clear plexiglass and come 800mm wide as standard and either 670mm or 950mm high.
These guards are ideal for staff canteens and admin offices as the cut out opening allows for serving and payments to be safely handled.
Hand Sanitiser Stations
The focus on good hand hygiene is still very important in the fight against COVID-19 and employers need to encourage employees to wash their hands often during the work day.
Our Floor Standing Sanitiser Units and Desktop Sanitiser Units will help you make it easy for staff to keep their hands clean in a variety of workplace settings – especially in public areas such as lift lobbies and meeting rooms. We supply these units with either non-alcohol or alcohol-based sanitiser gel.
Mar11
The Rise of The Independent Coffee Culture in the UK
Comments Off on The Rise of The Independent Coffee Culture in the UK
We love Coffee at Warner Contracts; we’re not alone in this. In the UK, we drink around 95 million cups of coffee per day. The rise of the independent coffee shops and cafes means they’re popping up on the high street like there is no tomorrow, this has also lead to a move towards a more French and Italian inspired setting, bringing with it what were once considered unusual and exotic words, such as ‘cappuccino and espresso’ into our daily vocabulary.
With this ever-expansion of coffee offerings, café furniture has also and, continues to evolve with it. Old fashioned and dated décors have gone out of the window and replaced with bold colours and quirk: bringing with it splashes of the owner’s personality and tastes.
Some interesting facts about coffee consumption in the UK:
The coffee industry creates over 210,000 jobs in the UK.
Café culture has continued to boom with 16% of us visiting a coffee shop on a daily basis.
The average person drinks 2 cups a day.
The industry has sustained a 20 year growth with 2019 reflecting a 7.9% annual sales increase.
Café furniture, both inside and outside is leaning towards being bold, adventurous, and reflecting the atmosphere of the venue. We’ve put together 6 of our top picks for both indoor and outdoor furniture to help you make a splash along the way:
The Drum Coffee Table
Measuring in at 60cm high, the metallic frame work is strong and is available in different colours, seamlessly blending into any environment and style, while making a statement. As they say, big things come in small packages!
The Hoxton
A modern take on an iconic chair, this chair sits upon 4 individual turned legs, supported by a strong polypropylene shell, creating a sturdy and hardwearing piece of kit, designed with comfort in mind.
The Luna
Complete with a natural beech coloured table legs, the Luna is one of the most stylish additions that you can add to your coffee shop. Its design is sleek and contemporary creating a fresh feeling which is perfect for all year round.
The Wilmslow
Featuring distinctive art-deco style, this table is certainly attention grabbing. Not only a treat for the eyes; it is built to laugh in the face of bad weather and can handle constant usage with ease.
The York
This vintage delight is available in multiple colours allowing you to create a blend of tones to really make a statement of colour with these sturdy and robust pieces. The aluminium frame is extremely versatile for use inside and outside making it a true team player.
The Scaffolding Bench
This industrial design will stand out for sure, with its scaffolding effect poles, and chunky wooden surface, this is a piece of furniture like no other. Comfortable, yet able to withstand heavy usage, this is certainly one of our favourite pieces in our entire collection, and it’s available as a whole range so your outdoor space will really catch eyes.
The expansion of coffee shops and café’s shows no signs of slowing down as we continue in the first quarter of 2020; we think the need to differentiate and distinguish your brand from competitors is more important than it has ever; to be bold and make a statement.
With a wide variety of woods, colours, and patterns to choose from, it’s easy to see why HPL Laminate is a staple in our food and hospitality industries, laminate table tops are sturdy, and known for their antibacterial properties, so it’s important to keep those tables stain-free, and looking their best!
The surface is easy to clean, and should be cleaned regularly, they require minimal maintenance under normal use and conditions.
When cleaning is needed, more often than not, you can wipe the surface clean with a damp cloth using an all-purpose cleaner such as Dettol or Flash; the use of bleach and harsh cleaning chemicals, particularly those with abrasive properties may result in permanently dulling and scratching your laminate product.
Furniture polish and other wax based cleaning products should be avoided as these clog up the surface structure causing a sticky layer to form, attracting dirt.
For small spillages such as tea/coffee, then your best course of action is to use paper towels, as soon as possible, to absorb the liquid then wipe the area with a damp cloth, for more persistent stains, we recommend household cleaning agents such as Cif, Flash, or Mr Muscle.
More persistent stains such as ink and dyes can be removed by using a stronger detergent or glass cleaner, but the stain should be tackled as soon as possible or it could become permanent. Allow the cleaner to work for several minutes before blotting with a damp cloth and then rinsing. If the stain persists then nail polish remover or paint thinner may be used, this may take a few applications, and should be followed by the cleaning routing mentioned above.
Robin Park Leisure Centre and Arena in Wigan, Lancashire, offers a wide range of sport and fitness classes. This popular centre is located next to the Wigan Warriors rugby league team training ground and is open seven days a week.
The Brief:
To create a multifunctional space to accommodate a café, bar and business hub. Everyone from Wigan Warriors players to students and leisure centre members uses the space so it needed to be both functional and comfortable.
The large room features a red Kingfisher mural at one end so it was important to supply furniture that would complement this. There is also a large Wigan Warriors logo in grey and white near the cafe area.
The Warner Contract Furniture Solution:
Following an initial on-site consultation, Warner Contract Furniture recommended a mix of standard and bespoke commercial furniture. In total the order comprised 180 individual products to suit a dining area, a study / business area, and a soft seating lounge area.
Dining Area
Commercial Furniture suitable for eating and drinking areas must be able to withstand the knocks of heavy use yet stay looking good. So, chairs and tables made from durable materials that are easy to keep clean are essential.
We therefore recommended mixing and matching table bases to provide different social dining options for customers in the main part of the room. These were complemented by four poseur table bases located on the window side of the room where customers can sit in pairs for coffee or drinks.
All laminate table tops in various different sizes and shapes were manufactured by Warner Contract Furniture as bespoke items for the Robin Park site.
Final product specification for the Robin Park cafe area:
Imola Table Bases supporting two large rectangular table tops covered in bespoke graphitewood HPL laminate. (is this right?)
Featuring an industrial twin pedestal design, Imola Table Bases are both practical and stylish. They are made from contract quality steel with a clear lacquer finish and can support rectangular table tops to seat around eight people.
The graphitewood laminate is a hard-wearing surface comprising a black finish with a decorative white wood grain design.
Valencia XL Table Bases supporting two large round table tops also featuring a bespoke graphitewood HPL laminate finish. Due to their size these had to be manufactured in two semi circular pieces and then joined together on site usning connectors.
The Valencia XL Table Base is an ideal choice for leisure centre cafeterias. They are made from cast iron with a scratch-resistant grey powder-coated finish and feature three central columns. And they can easily seat eight people around a 1600mm diameter table top.
Danilo M Square Poseur Table Bases supporting bespoke square graphitewood HPL laminate table tops.
Featuring a contemporary brushed steel finish, the Danilo M Poseur Table Base has a cast iron core to give extra stability. Our Danilo table bases are not only strong they also offer superb style and quality.
Each of the four large rectangular and round dining tables at the Robin Park facility is matched with eight Paris Industrial Cafe Chairs. Our Paris chairs are a popular choice for leisure centres and cafes as they are strong, easy to keep clean and stackable. They’re also extremely stylish and made from steel with a grey powder coated finish. Other finishes available include gun metal grey and vintage copper.
The four Danilo Poseur tables each have two Paris Bar Stools that match the dining chairs with a durable grey powder coated finish.
Business Hub
We suggested that the business hub be located at the opposite end of the room from the lounge area and away from the dining area so that people can talk business and work or study in a calm environment.
The specification comprised:
Our Danilo Complete Round Tables comprise a standard Danilo base of brushed stainless steel with a sturdy cast iron core matched with a 2-seater laminate table top in one of six colours – wenge, walnut, oak, beech, black and white. For Robin Park we specified a bespoke 25mm white laminate top.
The Shoreditch range of commercial chairs are incredibly popular with leisure centres and it’s not hard to see why. They have a contemporary, Scandinavian design with a seat made from tough polypropylene. There is a choice of nine strong colours for the seat shell and different leg styles.
For Robin Park we chose the Shoreditch Chairs Frame K with a red seat shell supported by turned wooden legs in black which are held together by stylish black steel framework.
The red chairs help to provide a splash of strong colour to this end of the Robin Park Arena cafe which is mostly white. The red also echoes the red Kingfisher mural at the other end of the room.
Soft Seating / Lounge Area
To provide an area that members can relax in, Warner suggested a mix of comfortable sofas, armchairs, with matching stools and coffee tables. All in shades of grey, and black and to complement the large red Kingfisher mural.
The sofas, tub chairs and stools are all bespoke, manufactured from solid wood frames with high quality faux leather upholstery in grey. Can we say any more about these items? Are they listed on the website and just given different upholstery? Do they have names?
They are designed to be stylish, comfortable, hardwearing and easy to keep clean.
The final specification comprised:
Danilo Rectangular Coffee Table Base plus a 40mm rectangular graphitewood HPL laminate table top.
The Danilo bases have a solid cast iron core housed in a base and pedestal of high quality brushed stainless steel and match the Danilo poseur tables used in the dining area. The graphitewood HPL laminate tops match the other bespoke roudn and rectangular table tops in the dining area.
Timescale:
The on-site consultation took place on 12 September 2019 and the order was placed on 10 October. Warner Contract Furniture delivered and completed the fit-out on-site on 23 October. From order to delivery took just 2 weeks
How we can help
If you’re thinking about a new look for your bar, cafe, restaurant, hotel or activity centre then get in touch. Our friendly sales team has the know-how to help you find the best contract furnishing solution for your particular needs.
We offer discounts on bulk orders and standard delivery time is just 3-5 working days as we source the majority of our stock within the UK. An express 24-hour service is also available for a fee.
Why not browse our huge range of contract furniture? We are always sourcing new products for the commercial hospitality trade so let us know if you can’t find exactly what you’re looking. We have a large network of manufacturers and we are also happy to provide bespoke solutions.
Call us on 0161 408 2390 or email our sales department sales@warnercontracts.com to get a quote.
Nov11
Update Your Restaurant Furniture and Boost Your Xmas Appeal
Comments Off on Update Your Restaurant Furniture and Boost Your Xmas Appeal
Christmas comes but once a year. And for restaurants and cafes it’s the busiest time of year. Throughout December commercial venues will be catering for everything from office knees-ups to family get togethers. So its vital that your furniture is up to scratch.
As we head towards the busy festive period, now is a great time to take a good look at your contract furniture. Is it looking a bit weary and worn? Will it add to the customer’s dining experience? Why not update some of your furniture to make sure you’re prepared not just for the Christmas rush for the new year too.
Order now for pre-Christmas delivery
With more group bookings expected at this time of year, it’s helpful to ensure that your restaurant tables can accommodate different size parties. For this blog post we’ve selected a few of our contract furniture items that we believe are ideal for busy restaurants.
All our stocked items are available to be delivered in time for Christmas 2019 if ordered by December 16. For bespoke items, you’ll need to contact us by mid November to ensure delivery.
Turning the tables …
First things first: tables. Are your current dining tables fit for purpose? Can you accommodate larger bookings by pushing tables of the same height together? Are they easy to clean? Are they able to withstand heavy use yet still maintain their good looks?
Warner Contract Furniture stock a huge range of contract quality dining tables. You can choose from complete tables, tables bases and table tops.
Perhaps the most versatile option for any venue is to buy table bases and table tops separately. This allows you to customise your dining areas to suit your business needs.
You can mix and match different styles and materials to create the look that perfectly suits your venue and ambience. Choose from metal, solid wood, veneer and laminate finishes and a good range of size options, from 2-seater to 8-seater options.
Even within a range of table bases we can offer flexibility. For example, take our Mayan range. These sturdy yet stylish black cast iron table bases come in round, square, single and double pedestal formats plus a range of heights.
The Mayan range looks good with any of our table tops, including solid wood, laminate table tops and metal. As with our table bases we stock a wide range of sizes and in square, round and rectangular format.
Our Chunky Oak Table Tops are a popular choice for restaurants. Solid wood is always in fashion and can blend in with a host of different interior designs – from contemporary to traditional.
For an even more hard-wearing table, then you should choose from our range of laminate table tops. With a huge range of decorative finishes to choose from – including marble, block colours and wood grain – our laminate table tops are incredibly hard wearing, easy to maintain and will age gracefully.
And for extra sparkle and shine, we also stock metal table tops, including beautiful brass, and copper, which will add to the festive atmosphere.
Pull up a chair …
Restaurant chairs need to be comfortable and hard-wearing. They also need to combine practicality with style so they can complement many different interior designs.
Our Homa Veneer Back Dining Chair is a popular choice. Not only does it look classy, it is one of the most robust chairs available in the UK. It has a solid beech frame supporting a veneer seat and back, stained and lacquered in a darker wenge finish.
It also features a wipe-clean faux leather cushioned seat pad in a choice of three colours: white, cement and mustard. What’s more, when not in use, these versatile chairs can be stacked up to four high for easy storage. Which is handy when those large group bookings turn up.
Restaurant Chairs that are immediately available include: the Trent Dining Chair which features a deep upholstered seat in cream and brown faux leather; and Epsom High Back Dining Chairs, also in cream and brown faux leather.
Other in-stock chairs come in classy burgundy and grey faux leather upholstery, including our Repton Side Chairs, Wave Side Chairs, and Angel Side Chairs.
Making it social …
Restaurants that offer a more contemporary dining experience require a more modern furniture style. Rectangular tables and bench seating offers a great solution. Such dining sets look ‘cool’ and can accommodate larger groups of diners, sharing ‘canteen’ style.
The clean, functional lines of our Tokyo Dining Set provides a minimalist, ‘utilitarian’ look for restaurants and even roof terraces. It comprises a dining table and two bench seats. The frames are made from contract quality steel with a lacquered finish in black or white.
There is a choice of four colour options: black frame with white top; black frame with oak top; white frame with white top; and white frame with oak top.
The Tokyo Dining Table can also be purchased separately for use with built-in upholstered bench seating and other commercial chairs.
And … don’t forget the kids
A Christmas family gathering without the kids is unthinkable. And you don’t want to be turning away business at this time of year. So, now is a good time to check if you have enough high chairs to cope with the Christmas demand.
Our Bambino High Chairs are ideal for use in restaurants. Suitable for children up to three years old, Bambino high chairs include a safety strap and fully comply with BS EN 14988-2017. They are manufactured from sold beech hardwood and come in choice of natural or walnut wood stain. Bambino high chairs can be easily wiped clean after use and can be stacked (up to four high) to save space when they’re not needed.
We hope we’ve given you some food for thought about how you might refresh your restaurant furniture in time for the Christmas period. But remember, commercial furniture isn’t just for Christmas – it’s for life! Our contract quality tables and chairs will stand the test of time.
How we can help
Our sales team has the know-how to help you find the best contract furnishing solution for your bar, cafe, restaurant, hotel or activity centre.
We are continually adding new products to our range but if you can’t find what you’re looking for let us know. Our commercial furniture contacts and in-house team relish a challenge and we are happy to provide bespoke solutions.
Standard delivery time is just 3-5 working days as we source the majority of our stock within the UK. We also offer an express service which delivers in just 24 hours.
Call us on 0161 408 2390 or email our sales department sales@warnercontracts.com to get a quote.
Nov08
Top Trends for 2020 That Will Influence Commercial Interior Design
Comments Off on Top Trends for 2020 That Will Influence Commercial Interior Design
As the end of the year approaches, we thought we’d indulge in a bit of crystal ball gazing. What will 2020 bring in terms of interior design trends? And how is this likely to influence the look of pubs, cafes, restaurants, hotels and other hospitality venues?
When it comes to hospitality design, creating a unique look is key to achieving business success. Increasing competition from home delivery companies such as Uber Eats and Deliveroo, means that cafes and restaurants need to offer more than just great food. Discerning consumers are looking for more of an ‘experience’ when they dine out.
And earlier this year at The Pub Show, a report was released that revealed what pub goers really want. Survey participants were asked to list the most important factors influencing their choice of pub. ‘Atmosphere’ was by far the most common answer, followed by a ‘decent outdoor space’, ‘interior design’ and ‘good background music’.
Hotels aren’t immune from the changing demands of customers either. Hotel lobbies are becoming less like waiting areas and more like modern living rooms and spaces to socialise in. These so-called ‘lifestyle lobbies’ focus on providing a personalised experience for travellers.
In this blog post we look at four key trends that we think will impact the interior design of commercial interiors over the coming year.
The Instagram Factor
There is no escaping the fact that venues need to consider their Instagram ‘worthiness’ as a key part of their design. Our previous blog post about Boosting Your Venue’s Instagram Appeal looked at this phenomenon.
Apparently young people (18-35 year-olds) now spend the equivalent of five days a year browsing food images on Instagram. And many will base their decision on which restaurant to book based on its Instagram presence.
So being Instagram ready is now a key requirement for bars, cafes restaurants and hotels. This means paying careful attention to colours, lighting, furniture, and creating photogenic spaces.
Sustainable Materials
Concerns about sustainability and the environment will continue to have a huge impact on all areas of the hospitality sector. The industry has already taken important steps to reduce the use of plastics in food service. In 2020, we’re likely to see greater demand for recycled and sustainable commercial furniture.
Ten years ago the the British Furniture Manufacturers Association produced a report on a two-year study into Zero Emmissions From Office, Contract and Kitchen Funiture. Recommendations included procuring more sustainable materials, cleaner design, and greater recycling of materials into new furniture.
It’s not surprising then that one of the major factors influencing interior design trends for 2020 is ‘Zero waste’. Expect to see a greater use of raw and unfinished materials as well as upcycled and recycled materials.
Examples of familiar materials that are already ‘eco-friendly’ include concrete, brick, cork and natural wood. We already see these materials used widely for flooring and structural elements.
Other materials that might become more prevalent for soft furnishings and upholstery include: raw/organic cotton, calico, bamboo, jute, hemp, ramie and linen.
Biodegradable Chip(s) Board made from potato peelings. Photo credit: Dezeen.com
We were intrigued to learn about an innovative new material made from potato peelings that can be used as a substitute for single use chip board and medium density fibreboard (MDF).
MDF is widely used in furniture manufacture and is the base for many laminate materials used in table tops, But it contains formaldehyde and other toxic resins and chemicals. And some 140,000 tonnes of MDF is disposed of or incinerated every year.
By contrast, the new wood substitute material – called Chip[s] Board – is fully biodegradable and non toxic. Innovations like this will have a huge impact on reducing the environmental impact of the hospitality industry.
Colour Palettes
The use of colour in interior design schemes is always evolving. Anyone remember the hideous orange and brown era of the 1970s? Colours come in and out of fashion and seem to reflect the general mood of society.
So, it’s interesting to know that one of the most on-trend colours of the moment is green. In September, paint manufacturer Dulux announced Tranquil Dawn (a pale green) as their colour of the year for 2020, saying:
“As 2020 is the start of a new decade, it’s a fresh start. A new dawn. In an increasingly hectic and digital world, there is a desire for meaning and kindness. So, inspired by the colours of the morning sky, our colour experts have created an inspiring new shade, Tranquil Dawn.”
The themes of well-being, comfort and sustainability are widespread in the world of interior design and do seem to be leading towards colour palettes and textures that connect people with nature.
For instance, 2020Spaces.com predicts that in the coming year, we’ll see a lot more of these colours: olive green, golden yellow, light pink, mango, champagne, navy blue, dark red and charcoal.
And earlier this year at the influential Milan Design Week a similar range of colours were shown for 2020. These included: champagne, lemon yellow, pumpkin red, fuschia, sky blue, terracotta, olive green, and pale purple.
Expect to see designers using contrasting colours and textures – for instance deep blue and terracotta, as seen in the Milan Design Show setting below.
Contrasting bold colours at Milan Design Week. Photo credit: ItalianBark.com
Use of Outdoor Space
One of the key trends for restaurants, cafes and bars is the use of any outdoor space to create attractive, comfortable spaces. Courtyards, garden terraces, and roof spaces have become increasingly popular in the UK and can be used year round – helped, no doubt, by the introduction of portable heaters.
Make the most of any outdoor space to keep customers happy. Photo credit: Pixabay.com
Careful choice of lighting and style of furniture is clearly important with outdoor spaces. Warner Contract Furniture is a specialist supplier of a wide range of contract quality outdoor commercial furniture.
We can supply complete tables and dining sets as well as a huge range of durable, weather resistant and stylish dining chairs, armchairs, bar stools, benches plus table bases and table tops.
Whatever way the design trends go, we can help you to keep your customers happy and comfortable. Our outdoor furniture range is manufactured from contract quality aluminium, teak, rattan and polypropylene in a wide range of colours and styles. Many items are stackable for easy storage.
So … goodbye 2019 – here’s to 2020!
How We Can Help
If you’re thinking about a new look for your bar, cafe, restaurant, hotel or activity centre then get in touch. Our friendly sales team has the know-how to help you find the best contract furnishing solution for your particular needs.
We are continually adding new products to our range but if you can’t find what you’re looking for let us know. Our commercial furniture contacts and in-house team relish a challenge and we are happy to provide bespoke solutions.
Standard delivery time is just 3-5 working days as we source the majority of our stock within the UK. We also offer an express service which delivers in just 24 hours.
Call us on 0161 408 2390 or email our sales department sales@warnercontracts.com to get a quote.
Oct03
Five Chairs to Boost your Venue’s Instagram Appeal
Comments Off on Five Chairs to Boost your Venue’s Instagram Appeal
Five chairs to boost your venue’s Instagram appeal
Love it or loathe it, it’s impossible to ignore the effect that Instagram has had on the hospitality industry.
In 2017 the Independent reported on market research commissioned by a nationwide pizza chain. Amazingly, the survey found that 18-35 year-olds spend the equivalent of five days a year browsing food images on Instagram.
And not only that. Some 30% of those questioned said they would choose not to visit a restaurant if they weren’t impressed by its Instagram presence.
This might sound brutal but it’s the present reality. Many people now actively search for places to eat and drink using Trip Advisor and Google Maps. And they often make choices on where to go based on the images and reviews that pop up.
The importance of ‘Instagrammability’
It used to be that word of mouth was the best publicity a pub, club, cafe or restaurant could hope for. Today, not only does your food have to taste great – it has to look fabulous too. We’ve all become used to seeing people taking photos to share on social media.
And it’s not just the food styling that makes a venue ‘Instagrammable’. The interior décor, lighting, and furniture all have parts to play in creating an ambience that is truly ‘Instagram-worthy’.
If you’re looking to improve the look and feel of your venue Warner Contract Furniture can help. We have a huge range of contact quality commercial furniture and we know what works for different venues.
Most of our stock is sourced in the UK so we can deliver fast to get your venue Instagram-ready. We also offer discounts for bulk orders.
Take a look at these highly Instagrammable chairs and imagine the difference they could make in your venue…
We love our Activ Cafe Chair – and we know that many cafe owners do too. Its mid-century retro style is timeless and brightens up any indoor eatery. And it’s not all about good looks. It’s also hardwearing and easy to keep clean and store.
With 15 colours to choose from you’re sure to find the one that best suits your design. Colours include: black, white, blue, red, green, yellow, brown, burgundy, grey, olive, orange, pink, purple, sand and slate. Why not mix and match for a rainbow of colour?
The Activ Bar Stool is also available in the same range of colours and looks eye-catching in a row or at poseur tables.
- Vivid Puzzle Frame Chair
The Vivid Side Chair is another great looking chair that harks back to the classic designs of the 1960s. In fact, its elegant puzzle frame was influenced by the the famous Charles Eames DSR chair.
The Vivid Side Chair should add a ‘wow’ factor to any contemporary-styled cafe, bistro and restaurant. The seat is made from durable polypropylene and comes in grey, white, pastel blue and pastel green.
Three other complementary Vivid chairs are also available: the Vivid Side Chair Skid Frame, Vivid Side Chairs, and Vivid High Stool.
- Hoxton Chairs
With its unusual contemporary seat design and wide choice of colours and frames, the Hoxton range of contract seating is hard to beat. These chairs do not fade into the background – they demand to be seen.
The seat comprises a moulded polypropylene shell featuring an unusual indented seat and seat back profile. And you have up to nine colours to choose from – black, white, red, blue, green, turquoise, yellow, purple, and grey.
Variations in the Hoxton range include:
– The Hoxton Chair Frame K – with four turned beech legs and a black steel frame.
– The Hoxton Eiffel Chair – with a black powder-coated metal frame.
– The Hoxton Chrome Eiffel – with a chrome rather than black frame.
– The Hoxton Spider Chair – with a central chrome pedestal and four legs.
– The Hoxton Side Chair – with chrome plated steel legs.
– The Hoxton Bar Stool – with chrome plated steel frame and seats available in black, white and grey.
- Diamond Chrome Mesh Armchair
For a completely different and uncompromisingly high-tech look – why not consider our Diamond Chrome Mesh Armchair?
It looks light and airy but it is surprisingly strong thanks to the clever use of chrome plated steel. These stunning armchairs are works of art in themselves but are very comfortable too. And you can accessorise with cushions to suit any colour scheme.
If you wish to add other chrome pieces from our range then we recommend our Chrome Mesh Sled Leg Chair and Chrome Bar Stools.
- Paris Industrial Cafe Chairs
And from the futuristic to the retro. Our Paris Industrial Cafe Chairs have enduring appeal thanks to their great design which looks vintage but is also modern.
Manufactured from contract quality steel, the Paris Chair comes in a choice of three colours: a grey powder-coated finish, a darker gun metal grey, and a vintage copper finish.
This versatile chair looks good in any cafe or restaurant and can be put together with many different styles of tables – from wooden to metal and glass.
Further items in the range include: the Paris Industrial High Stool and the Paris Industrial Low Stool.
We’re here to help
The sales team at Warner Contract Furniture is committed to helping you find the best contract furnishing solution for your bar, cafe, restaurant, hotel, sports club or activity centre.
We are continually adding new products to our range but if you can’t find what you’re looking for let us know. Our commercial furniture contacts and in-house team relish a challenge.
Standard delivery time is just 3-5 working days as we stock the majority of our range within the UK. We also offer an express service which delivers in just 24 hours.
Call us on 0161 408 2390 or email our sales department sales@warnercontracts.com to get a quote.
How long has Warner Contract Furniture been operating?
I started the company in 2014 so we’re now in our fifth year. Prior to founding Warner Contract Furniture I’d spent seven years building up my knowledge and experience of the commercial furniture industry. I had already got one contract furniture company off the ground in a past employment so I knew the time was right to start up my own company.
How has the company developed over the last five years?
At the start we mostly focused on supplying contract quality commercial furniture to the UK hospitality and leisure trade. But we have evolved into a company that does way more than supply competitively priced furniture and fast delivery.
Warner now offers a complete service from sourcing and recommending furniture through to manufacturing bespoke items, fast delivery and full fit-outs.
We’ve also expanded to supply customers not just within the UK and across Europe but to many places outside the EU, including North America.
It’s also great to know that our focus on providing excellent customer service has paid off and we’re getting more repeat business as a result.
Who else is in your customer support team?
There is a team of five in the office at the moment. We aim to provide the best customer service possible. This means we can help our customers at all stages of the process. We have deep product knowledge so we know what works for different venues.
We’re extremely competitive on price. We’ll better like-for-like quotes and are happy to offer discounts for bulk orders. And we also understand the time constraints our customers have. Every day a cafe, restaurant or bar isn’t open means revenue loss. So we strive hard to deliver fast and never fail to deliver on time
Our standard delivery time is 3 – 5 working days. We can achieve this as most of our stock is held here in the UK. However, rush orders can be handled if customers advise us before placing an order. We have delivered contract furniture in as little as 24 hours from receiving an order – but we do charge extra for express delivery.
How many individual products do you list on your website?
That’s a good question! We’re constantly updating our product listings on the website but right now we have 961 product lines, and if you include the product variations within some of the lines, there’d be around 2,500 individual items.
We love a challenge so if you can’t immediately find anything on our website to suit your needs then let us know – we love a challenge!
How and where do you source contract furniture?
We source from reputable suppliers who manufacture contract quality commercial furniture that fully conform to British Standards requirements for safety, strength and durability.
We also source quite a lot of products in component form and then handle all the assembly ourselves in our factory in Manchester.
All of the commercial furniture listed on our website is covered by a 12-month warranty which covers against any manufacturing defects.
What makes Warner Contract Furniture different?
Well, as I mentioned before, we pride ourselves on our customer service and I think that is one of our key advantages.
Some customers know exactly what they want and will simply put in an order for a known amount of chairs, table bases, and table tops.
But other customers might call us up for some product advice. They’ll talk us through what they’re planning in terms of design for their venue. Some even send us images of interiors they like the look of so we can suggest various furniture options.
We will always go the extra mile to keep our customers happy. We completed a fit-out for a recently which took just 18 hours from us arriving on site to a fully functional cafe. It’s unusual and we wouldn’t want to be doing that every day – but we like to help our customers.
Include quote from Edinburgh client here?
Who are your main customers?
Warner supplies contract furniture for the hospitality and leisure trade. That covers: cafes, restaurants, bistros, bars, clubs, pubs, schools, higher education facilities, churches, sports clubs, activity centres, corporate interiors, hotels and conference venues.
What are your most popular items?
In terms of chairs I would say that our Paris range is up there in terms of popularity. It looks great in retro and industrial design schemes and we sell around a 1,000 items each year. And the range now includes not just the well-known industrial cafe chair but now also a bar stool, as well as high and low stools.
Our Trent dining chair is also consistently popular with cafes and restaurants, together with the Trent Bar Stool. The Trent chair offers comfortable seating with contemporary looks and so suits a wide range of modern interior design schemes.
With table bases, our Forza range is hands down the most popular. It’s such a versatile, stylish and practical product which suits just about any commercial venue, including pubs, clubs, hotels, cafes and restaurants.
The great thing about the Forza range is that is works with around 99% of al the table tops we sell – that’s up to 18 different sizes, including coffee, dining and poseur tables.
Tell us about some of the more unusual sales enquiries you’ve had and how the team dealt with them
Well, here’s one I can talk about. It involves the BBC’s Holby City drama series. Make sure you watch the episode that will be going out around Halloween later this year. We supplied some of our new brass-coated for use in a cafe scene.
What do you think the key trends for commercial furniture will be over the next 12 months?
I think in 2020 we’ll see a continuation of people becoming more aware of issues like sustainability and upcycling. The popularity of vintage, retro and shabby chic interiors is likely to continue.
Colour trends seem to be favouring muted, pastel colours in pale greens, greys and blues. Lighter wood finishes are also becoming popular. And we’re also seeing new products that are made to look old with and ‘distressed’ finishes.
For instance, at first glance our new Brooklyn Outdoor Chairs, and our Manhattan Outdoor Chairs look like they belong indoors. They resemble wooden cottage and spindle-back chairs but they’re made from powder-coated aluminium. They’re stackable and will withstand whatever the British weather brings.
I expect the love for pared-down, mid-century Scandinavian design to also continue in commercial interiors, especially those with wooden spindle legs. Our Shoreditch Wooden Leg Armchair and Hoxton Chair Frame K fit into this category.
What’s new/coming soon from Warners?
We have to be careful not to give away our trade secrets but we are looking to move into a bigger factory with two years which will enable us to keep up with expected demand.
And we are looking into listing some of our bespoke furniture items on our website. Normally, we can supply any of our listed contract furniture items to customers within three to four days of receiving an online order.
However, we’re seeing an increase in requests from customers wanting bespoke furniture items. By its nature, such furniture has to be made to each customer’s unique requirements and delivery is therefore dependent on how much work is involved.
We’re here to help
Warner Contract Furniture is committed to helping you find the best contract furnishing solution for your commercial hospitality or leisure venue.
Standard delivery time is just 3-5 working days as we stock the majority of our range within the UK. We also offer an express service which delivers in just 24 hours.
Call us on 0161 408 2390 or email our sales department sales@warnercontracts.com to get a quote.
View our Contract Furniture
Our Latest Products
-
Como Upholstered Bar Stools £179.00 Inc. VAT - Como Armchairs £140.00 Inc. VAT
- Blake Side Chairs £107.50 Inc. VAT
- Blake Arm Chairs £140.00 Inc. VAT
- Restaurant Sneeze Screens Small £195.00 Inc. VAT
