5 Smarter Tips for Choosing the Right Materials for University Furniture
When it comes time to furnish a new campus space or liven up an existing one with new furniture and case goods, there is sure to be a whole host of factors vying for your attention. Style, scale, functionality, cost, and more, oh my!
Choosing the specific materials for university furniture requires balancing these considerations — all with the ultimate goal of serving your university community well (and in a way that makes sense financially).
If you’re a student housing director or part of a team making design decisions for your campus’s built environment, your material choices can go a long way to meet that goal — because they impact not just aesthetics, but also durability, maintenance, and cost over time.
And that’s where Smarter Furnishings comes in. After almost three decades in the custom commercial furniture industry, here are our top tips for making smarter long-term decisions about materials based on student use and lifecycle performance:
Tip #1 – Aesthetics are Only a Starting Point in Choosing Furniture Materials
It’s understandable for aesthetics to be the first box you check when evaluating whether a material is a good fit for a campus space. After all, you want the interior of the built environment on campus to be inviting and pleasing to students and visitors.
Naturally, you want contract furniture that is stylish — but once you’ve narrowed down your material options based on that first criterion, it’s time to take a closer look at other highly practical considerations…
Tip #2 – Prioritize Durable Materials
Most campus spaces are high-use environments by nature, demanding long-lasting finishes and construction (especially in common areas). So, whether you’re outfitting a smaller institution or a large university with multiple residence halls, you’ll want to protect your investment in contract furniture by prioritizing enduring quality.
Not sure how to judge durability? The best way to ensure your pieces will be long-lasting is to work with a manufacturer with a proven track record of providing well-designed, high-quality furniture using quality materials.
Tip #3 – Balance Upfront Costs with Long-Term Savings
Choosing durable materials helps with our next consideration: setting a budget that takes into account the lifecycle value of the furniture.
When you buy cheap furniture, you can expect it to wear out sooner than you want – and then you find yourself in the position of furnishing the same spaces again too soon. On the other hand, when you invest upfront in quality and longevity, you’ll experience savings over time with a longer furniture lifecycle.
At Smarter Furnishings, all our furniture and case goods, from our custom designs to our catalog staples, are high-quality pieces that come standard with a 25-year warranty, so your spaces can be both stylish and functional for years to come!
Tip #4 – Choose Materials with Easy Maintenance
University furniture and case goods will last longer and look better when they’re well cared for over time. Make that job easy for your housing team and maintenance crew by choosing materials that simplify cleaning and repairs.
Think textiles that are stain-resistant, wipeable, and easy to vacuum. Plus, hard surfaces that are made from high-quality, sturdy materials with a relatively simple design, so if a screw or a bolt gets a little wiggly over time (as some eventually will in heavy-use spaces), maintenance is quick and easy.
Tip #5 – Consider Shopping for Sustainable Furniture Materials
When you’re in charge of furnishing institutional spaces, such as large communal areas or many student housing units, you have the chance to make eco-friendly purchases on a significant scale. If sustainability and responsible sourcing are part of your university’s values, consider choosing sustainable and responsibly sourced materials to reflect those in your spending and in the campus interiors.
One specific way to practice sustainable furniture choices on- or off-campus is to invest in furniture with removable and replaceable upholstery. That way, when it is time for an upgrade, you can give the furniture a facelift instead of a trip to the landfill!
Let Us Help You Choose Smarter Materials
The bottom line when selecting materials for university furniture: choosing wisely from the start leads to smarter investments and better student experiences.
At Smarter Furnishings, we’ve been supporting student housing professionals and universities for more than 30 years. Our furniture design experts and custom furniture providers have the experience and commitment to quality you need to choose the right materials — ensuring your next project is a success.
Got a project in mind? Reach out to our team to get started here. We can’t wait to introduce you to the smarter way!