Published: 16 September 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Seating Solutions

How Can You Spice Up Your Food Court? Think Tables!

Looking to create a stronger food court area? Whether you’re in a school setting, a large office complex, or a retail location, the food court can be the center of what you do, but sometimes you need a little spice to create that perfect atmosphere, and believe it or not, the tables you choose actually have an impact. Here are a few aspects you may want to consider.

Height: Not all tables have to be the same height. In fact, a mix of traditional tables and bar height tables may actually help to make your space a bit more interesting. It offers those sitting in the area added choices, creating an area they may come back to again with varied groups of people.
Size: The physical size of the tables in your food court area matters as well, particularly if you’re in an office complex or a school setting where very large groups of individuals may want to sit together on a routine basis while in the area. Keep in mind, though, that you don’t necessarily want to create a huge family size area. It’s essential to have spaces for both small and large groups alike.
Color: Sticking with that wood finish isn’t any fun! Food court tables can not only come in all shapes and sizes, but in lots of different colors as well. Imagine spicing up the school cafeteria with tables meant to match the school colors. From bright yellows to dark burgundys, if you can dream it up, the chances are good you can get a table to match. You may even be able to go with more creative options like customized table tops to reflect your company logo.
Durability: Remember that while the appearance itself is certainly going to be an important addition to your food court, you should always shop for options that offer you a higher level of durability so you’re not replacing your new tables in just a matter of months.

Replacing your current set up with newer tables is certain to have an impact on your current food court. Contact us today to learn more.

Published: 9 September 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Furnishing a Library

Now more than ever before, college libraries have a challenge ahead of them. The challenge is technology, so while college students will likely always need the study space the library provides, they need the physical resources less and less all of the time thanks to the extensive ability to obtain many of these same resources online. Traditional study carrels and areas just don’t work for today’s students. A concept that might? One borrowed from the business world called hoteling or hot desking.

What Is It?

The idea is a fairly simple one. Because many employees are on the run these days to customers, sales meetings, or other offices, the desk space remains unused much of the time. As a result, freeing some of that up, and thus needing smaller work areas overall, is finally possible. Thus the idea of hoteling was born. The concept is this – when an employee is going to need a workspace, he calls ahead to the concierge (or office manager, as the case may be) to reserve a desk space. That desk space is then open for him on a given day at a given time, and he has the space he needs to work.

The idea is pretty easily transferable to college libraries, though you may need to put some policies in place to make it work well. There are several software solutions on the market today to help make it work well from an administration standpoint. Students, particularly on those campuses where many students commute or live off-campus, reserve a great workstation for a period of time. Libraries are sure their workstations are put to good use, and students aren’t trying to study in the noise of the food court.

Making It Work

If hoteling might be a good choice for your library, the essential factor will be the workspace itself. You have to have amazing casework to play this game. Students aren’t going to want to reserve a space if it isn’t comfortable and useful, so much thought has to go into the areas themselves. Keep in mind that you probably don’t want to give your entire library over to the concept, but dedicating a portion to the space is going to do excellent things for both your library and the students themselves. The work areas need to fulfill the simple needs of students who wish to study or complete assignments. An attractive work surface is a given, but you should also ensure students have access to power, maybe even a variety of available charging cords for various devices. Beautify it with some task lighting, and add some functionality with a coat hook or even a trash can. All of these things are simple to accomplish, but they’ll make these hoteling spaces amazing for student use.

Not all business concepts have a place in education, but this is one that certainly does.

Published: 2 September 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Lecture and Theater Seating

Dirksen Junior High in Joilet, IL had a 220 seat auditorium that was in need of updating. They contacted the design team at Carroll Seating to work with them over the summer to update their auditorium with new maintenance free seating and increase seating if room allowed. Carroll Seating was excited to take on this project. Here is the auditorium before:

When all options were discussed, the design team chose Camatic’s Quantum Seats. These seats were designed in consultation with leading ergonomists and are arguably the most comfortable seat of its kind in existence. This popular chair is also extremely durable and easy to maintain. Dirksen staff chose it in pearl grey without the upholstery option for easy cleaning. The gravity tilt seats increase comfort using an innovative, fully enclosed counterweight. They tilt silently and reliably.

The seats have a patented beam mount system that allows seats to be evenly spaced in every row. Seats can be easily added, removed or re-spaced, as events require. There are 4 ADA accessible arms and 10 ADA removable sleds to ensure compliance and comfort of those with accessibility needs. Because Carroll Seating chose these seats with their unique mounting system, they were able to install an additional 37 seats into the existing auditorium. The room now seats 257 people.

Here is a photo after the Carroll Seating installation:

The team at Carroll Seating was pleased with the finished outcome of this auditorium at Dirksen Junior High School and hope they enjoy it for many school years to come. For more information about this auditorium project, please visit the Carroll Seating website or call us in Elk Grove, IL at 847-434-0909.

Published: 29 August 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Bleacher seating

School space is at an absolute premium these days. With more students than ever and seemingly less and less money, finding the level playing field gets harder all of the time. More space would help, right? Is it actually possible to find that without converting the janitorial closets into administrative offices? Actually, yes. Your next space saving campaign could start with telescoping gym bleachers.

Aren’t They Uncomfortable?

For schools that don’t already have telescoping bleachers, the biggest concern is lack of comfort for patrons and students during games, events, and assemblies. Sure, the hard wooden options of decades ago really weren’t that comfortable, but today’s choice certainly have those beat. With options like added row spacing, tapered sections, custom rises, and foldable platform chairs, these aren’t the bleachers you’re used to.

Aren’t They Harder to Use?

Today’s telescoping bleacher systems are easier to use than ever before. In fact, you can automate the entire process. At the touch of a button, the seating can automatically fill the right space. Touch it again and it retracts for added space. It just doesn’t get easier than that.

How Do They Look?

These seating choices look exactly like you want them to. Customized to fit your space exactly, you can add all sorts of features to help enhance the entire look of your gym. Add your mascot to help cheer your team on. Consider end-closure curtains. Think about doing the entire gym in your school colors. Sure, standard, hard wood bleachers were once the only option you had, but now you can be as colorful as you’d like to be.

To learn more about how we can give your gym a little more space with telescoping bleachers, give us a call today, and explore just how much you can do with that extra space!

Published: 26 August 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Lecture and Theater Seating

Auditoriums make amazing spaces for a variety of different events. From plays and concerts to graduations, special lectures, and even religious services, the right auditorium can mean so much to a facility or a community. As it ages, though, it not only becomes an outdated space, but it may also become more difficult to use. The last thing you want is for it to fall into disrepair. Auditorium remodel is your next logical step, but if you think this can only be a simple facelift, it’s time to reimagine the possibilities.

Preserving the History

Many resist auditorium remodels, citing the history of the area itself and the idea that all of that will be lost once the remodel takes place. That, though, couldn’t be further from the truth. Even in very historic theaters, a remodel is possible, carefully preserving those special elements community members or patrons may not want to see lost in the change. The key here is proper planning. At Carroll Seating Company, our team can help from start to finish. Once you give us a call, you’ll be paired with a project manager who will ensure you get the best possible service, starting with that initial plan.

Potential

One of the best aspects of an auditorium remodel is the fact that you can add so much to your space. From customized, comfortable seating for everyone in the audience to new acoustics and lighting systems, there’s so much that can be done to make the much-needed shift in your space. Carroll Seating company can help. For more than half a century, we’ve been working with spaces just like yours, creating the ideal environment, no matter what that stage is used for again and again. The trusted name in auditorium seating and remodels, we’re the only place to turn as soon as you’re ready. Give us a call today.

Published: 19 August 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Casework & Millwork

The work world is not always a pretty place. In fact, it can get downright ugly at times, and the chance to get away from it all, if only for a few moments, is an absolute must. The one place they can do it without actually leaving the office? Your break room. Have you taken a look at it lately? Is it really the inviting, comforting place it should be? If not, it’s certainly time for a makeover. Here are some tips that may help.

Make It Inviting: No one wants to head into a dark, crowded area, so as you begin thinking about design concerns, think about everything. Remember to choose an inviting color, and consider going with some motivational sayings or artwork on the walls. As you choose furniture, remember that you want a combination of comfortable and functional. You also want a space that’s large enough for small groups to have lunch together and socialize. You’ll also want a few spaces for some to have privacy, read, or make phone calls while taking a break.
Think Function: Your employees need easy access to everything. If it’s not easy to get to, you’re going to find chaos on your hands fairly quickly. For example, if you can’t get to the coffee maker and the microwave at the same time, or no one can ever find the tea bags or the sugar, you may have a problem on your hands. Consider how your employees might use your break room, and then add organizational or functional features as needed.
Keep It Clean and Stocked: Once you’ve implemented your redesign, make sure employees actually want to utilize the space by keeping it clean and as well stocked as possible. Whether you have your cleaning crew hit the break room too or you simply have employees rotate on who cleans the break room from week to week, it needs to stay nice. As far as stocking it goes, consider ordering supplies in advance and having them delivered automatically, as it will take the thought process out of the equation.

A good employee break room can do so much for your productivity. To learn more about how we can help make yours more inviting, contact us today.

Published: 12 August 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Gym and Sports Equipment

What’s it going to take to make this season amazing? What has to change? Sure, there are things your players need to work on. There may be things you need to work on from a coaching perspective. More than anything else, though, it often comes down to the basics, and having good equipment on your side has to be part of that equation.

Understanding the Importance of Equipment

Wondering why your team can’t really look at things from a competition perspective until you’ve upgraded your equipment? It’s simple, really. Volleyball gets more competitive every single day. The field is narrowing fast, and no matter what level you’re at, your players need to realize that things are changing in the world of volleyball. From sand volleyball to indoor team volleyball organizations, players’ skills are making massive leaps forward. To compete, any player has to be ready to make that jump to the next level.

Wondering where equipment comes in? It’s not just skill that’s going to help your players move forward. The technology behind the equipment is changing too. If there’s an improvement that might mean an edge in the game, it’s going to appear, and that often means teams need to continually upgrade equipment just to keep up.

Getting Started

You want the best for your team, right? After all, the best equipment means better results with every match. When you get ready to upgrade your equipment, give us a call. At Carroll Seating Company, we’ve been working with teams just like yours for decades. We have the knowledge to ensure you get what you need to remain competitive throughout the season. Take a moment to think what a difference new equipment might make to your team, then give us a call. We’ll be happy to help you make that shift!

Published: 5 August 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Locker Solutions

New lockers for a school, whether it’s a brand new building or you’re just making some changes to the space, can be exciting. They’re also not the easiest thing in the world to choose. It may seem like a simple task of checking the latest catalog, pointing, and ordering, but there’s quite a bit more to it than that. Before you place an order for metal school lockers for your building, take a quick look down this checklist to be sure you have all of your bases covered:

Are You Choosing The Right Size Lockers? If you’ve never ordered metal school lockers before, you might be a bit surprised to learn just how many potentially different sizes there are, and with good reason. Not every school needs the same kinds of locker systems for their students. Public schools packed with students and still growing need small, efficient systems that are just large enough to give students a home base during the day. Slightly smaller schools with a stable population may be looking to add to atmosphere with larger locker spaces so students can carry less from day to day. In order to establish that perfect locker size, though, you’ll need to take a careful look both at your available space and the size of your student population. You don’t want to overestimate how much space you have available.
Have You Considered Durability? After size, this is easily the single most important concern. Imagine the life of a school locker for just a moment. Bags, books, shoes, sometimes food, are all thrown in the locker, taken out the of the locker, added to the locker, snatched away from the locker, and every time a kid walks away, that door slams as hard as possible. Durability in this situation is an absolute must. When life happens to a school locker, it shouldn’t ding, dent, or even lose a bit of paint. Before you order, make certain you’re getting top of the line choices or you’ll be replacing them in just a few years.
Have You Considered Style? This is probably at the bottom of your list, but it certainly shouldn’t be. Colors and styles can actually do quite a bit to improve the mood of your students. Keep in mind that a locker is essentially your students’ home away from home. The better it looks, the more likely they are to like the space. Sure, you can’t have everything, but a few minor adjustments to colors and styles could give your school the facelift that will have students smiling.

As you work to order the right lockers for your facility, make sure you look at every aspect available. Don’t simply order the first choice you see.

Published: 29 July 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Furnishing a Library

There is perhaps no space in an educational environment that must be so conducive to learning as the law library. While the materials provided are certainly an integral part of the experience, so too is the area. At Carroll Seating Company, we’ve been working to provide beautiful law library spaces for more than half a century.

Creating the Space

As you begin your redesign, start by thinking about the style you want to create in your space. You’re looking for a balance of the functionality students and professors need as well as the beauty of that is a must for efficient operations. What’s more, though, is that you not only need to think in terms of study carrels and great reading spaces, but you may also need to make meeting spaces available for students and staff. The casework you choose should also be a consideration as you begin making your plans.

Our Role

At Carroll Seating Company, we work to find the best way to create the space you want without compromise. Here you’ll find efficient designs that look as amazing as they feel. We offer a variety of options from customized casework to comfortable seating.

Our Bookcases: When it comes to space to store materials, we offer easy to access, durable selections that meet both traditional and modular designs so you get the level of flexibility you want.
Our Seating: Today’s students are used to that café feel when they walk into a space like yours, so designing comfortable seating areas for browsing or research purposes is a must. We offer an entire line of stylish, smooth, luxurious seating choices that will make all of your patrons comfortable.
Our Desks: Complete customization is the name of the game when it comes to the desks that will serve both you and your staff well. We create not only beautiful spaces to work, but also those that redefine multimedia functionality.

To learn more or to see some of our previous work with law school libraries, contact us today.

Published: 22 July 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Casework & Millwork

The Lake County Animal Control Center provides a wide range of services to Lake County, Illinois residents. This particular building is used to house stray cats and dogs. They hired Carroll Seating Company to design this wash area and storage area. New stray dogs come into this area to get washed and treated by medical staff. The staff will use both over and under custom cabinets to store the many cleaning supplies and items used for the animals’ health. Carroll Seating Company installed custom Case Systems plastic laminate cabinets. Because of their concern for cleanliness, they chose stainless steel countertops from Institutional Equipment. These are easy to keep sanitized and easy to care for.

More About Animal Care and Control (AC&C)

Animal Care and Control (AC&C) is designed to prevent the spread of rabies through vaccinations and education. They do this through a number of services including: Animal Control Photo

Supporting a database of registered dogs and cats
Maintaining a lost and found network.
Providing spay and neuter assistance to low-income residents of Lake County.
Enforce animal control laws, including Lake County Ordinances and Policies, and Illinois Statutes
Provide interim shelter and care for stray and unwanted animals and transport to adoption center
Investigate complaints of nuisance and/or threatening animals
Provide emergency rescue of injured and sick stray animals
Investigate incidents of animal bites and/or scratches
Observe impounded biting animals
Submit specimens to the State of Illinois laboratory for rabies testing
Present educational programs to schools and community and civic groups
Provide animal control support services to Sheriff and municipal police departments upon request

The team at Carroll Seating was pleased to work on this project with the Lake County Animal Control Center. For more information about this custom cabinet project, please visit the Carroll Seating website or call us in Elk Grove, IL at 847-434-0909. For more information about the Animal Care and Control facility, please visit their website or call them at 847-949-9925.