Buying New Cafe Furniture? Mistakes To Be Aware Of

Furnishing your new cafe can be exciting and daunting, all at the same time. After all, it’s not quite the same as buying a sofa for your lounge or a dining room table. We’ve put together a few common mistakes that people make when buying cafe furniture to help you get it right.

Not spending enough time planning

It’s easy to land on a furniture website and simply click on the items you like without taking into full consideration whether you have enough floor space, where it’s going to be placed, and how your dining space will flow. Other considerations include durability, whether or not it fits your cafe’s image, and, of course, your budget. Be sure to spend sufficient time in the planning so that when you come to make your purchase you know exactly how much furniture you can comfortably fit into your dining area.

Not considering the spacial needs of your customers

Cramming in too many tables and chairs is a common problem for cafe owners and comes out of their wish to accommodate as many people as possible at any one time. While we totally get this, it’s important to place yourself in your customer’s shoes. Would you want to sit that close to the person on the next table that you can hear everything he or she is saying? Do you want to have to breath in simply to get to your table and sit down? You need to leave at least 45cm between chairs and allow for there to be sufficient space for waiting staff and other customers to move freely between tables.

Not getting your measurements right

When measuring your cafe’s floor space, do it once and then do it a couple more times. It’s infuriating to order several tables and then find out that you can’t fit them in as you’d planned. Instead we suggest that having measured your floor space you then take a note of the measurements of the furniture that you’re interested in. Sketch out a floor plan on a piece of paper and using the dimensions work out the best layout.

Not considering your customers’ needs

Your choice of furniture may suit you but remember it’s not about you, it’s about your customers. Consider the demographics of your potential customers and choose your furniture accordingly. For example, if your cafe is likely to attract older, retired people then choose chairs and sofas which are comfortable and allow them to sit a little longer. If on the other hand, your customers are young business people looking to get in and out as quickly as possible, then look for furniture that’s more suited to a fast turnaround, such as tall bar stools behind counters, or bistro tables and stools.

Every cafe will have its own special requirements based on the image you’re trying to get across and it’s always possible to create the right ambience with the careful choice of colours and textures.

Where to buy cafe furniture

At Cafe Furniture Melbourne we’ve got a wide selection of cafe furniture in an assortment of materials, styles, size and colours. Why not browse our online store or visit our showroom to try it out for yourself?

Leave a Reply