Blog - Page 17 of 27 - Carroll Seating Company

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.

Published: 15 July 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Bleacher seating

Outdoor grandstands are the single best way to make all of your fans comfortable, no matter what the sport or event. A good maintenance program, though, is absolutely essential. Outdated or damaged grandstands can mean the potential for an accident, and the last thing you want is a serious situation on your hands. Not sure where to begin? This quick guide can help.

Make certain that you inspect your bleachers at least once a year at the minimum. Remember, the more often you do a scheduled inspection of your bleachers, the higher your confidence level in them during every single season. Ensure that your inspection is scheduled far enough in advance to accommodate and repair or maintenance tasks that must be done before an upcoming event or game.
If you’re not sure, enlist the help of a professional. Don’t assume your normal maintenance crew can handle the in-depth inspection necessary to keep your grandstands safe for all of your patrons. Remember, a variety of different aspects must be considered from the general safety of the grandstands to code compliance. In some states, various documentation must also be kept on file to help protect your facility. If your staff doesn’t understand exactly what has to be done, call in a professional team who can help.
Take a look at recent code requirements. Thanks to the record numbers of recent accidents in outdoor grandstands, states are changing codes and requirements right and left, and ensuring that you understand exactly what is required is a must.

Carroll Seating offers inspections, maintenance, and repair services to help meet your needs. We’ll not only help you spot the potential problems that could be an issue during the season, but we’ll also help you put our suggestions into play with maintenance and repair to ensure every one of your patrons is safe. To learn more, please contact us today.

Published: 8 July 2014

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Categories: Casework & Millwork

The needs of college students continue to shift and change. Just a half-century ago, dorms were still ways of separating students from the outside world so they could focus on their studies. These days, students look for an increasing number of amenities from dorms. Some dorms include pools and waterfalls. Others have Mongolian grills and climbing walls. Many demand luxury at every turn in every inch of their living space. If you’re considering a dorm upgrade to help meet student needs, summer is the perfect time to do it, and we can help.

What to Consider

There are several upgrades you may want to consider in your dorm rooms. Perhaps you’d like to add shared or individual kitchen space to your units. Our custom casework is the perfect fit, providing excellent durability as well as the functionality students will demand.

Common areas are also usually ripe spaces for upgrades, and the key there is to get a good sense of the space before you begin making changes. Whether you want your common areas to have the feel of a cozy café or you’d prefer they look a bit more like a typical bookstore with tables and work spaces abound, we have the options that are ideal, no matter what the size of your project.

Tackling the Most Important Part

More than any other aspect of the project, you need to focus on making students comfortable in the space. At home, students may be used to moving from a bedroom to a living room to a kitchen with ease, and giving students the space to feel that they’re truly at home while on campus can help attract them to your university and keep them there.

Carroll Seating Company has been combining aesthetics and functionality in all of our dorm projects for decades. We can’t wait to help with your redesign. Give us a call now to learn more about what we can do.

Published: 1 July 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Casework & Millwork

Whether it’s the exam rooms, your nurses’ station or even a utility room, you need the right casework to ensure all of your supplies are at your fingertips. What’s more, though, is that it needs to fit with the theme and colors of your office, and given the medical setting, it has to be easy to clean and care for. For many medical offices around the country, plastic laminate casework is typically the answer.

More Casework Options Than Ever Before

Wondering what to consider? There are lots of different choices available. Overhead cabinets to storage cabinets, and base cabinets (both with doors and drawers) are all very available and quite possible. Even if you’re looking for a unique design, it’s certainly possible to go with something that fits your space without a lot of added cost.

Your office has to be as functional as possible, and not just in the exam room either. Even your break areas and utility rooms need to have lots of storage and space to help keep you up and running from day to day, so you’ll find casework in all of the most popular sizes as well as customizable configurations to help better meet your needs.

The Carroll Seating Difference

As you begin to search for the right casework options to meet your needs, your next step is selecting a provider who can help. Carroll Seating Company is that provider. With an individual project manager assigned to your case, you’ll get the assistance you need from those early design phases to the completion of your project.

Carroll Seating has been helping medical offices just like yours come up with the right solutions for decades. We offer every possible casework configuration as well as customized solutions that can help to ensure you get the flexible solutions necessary to make your office work better. To learn more, contact us today.

Published: 24 June 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Furnishing a Library

Statistically speaking, reading scores for elementary students across the nation are in nothing short of a freefall. Despite the continual focus on this essential skill, few students are picking up books and sitting down to read just for fun, and it’s certainly contributing to a lacking love of books the world over. One simple way to change that? Give them a library space they’ll want to visit again and again. Summer is the perfect time for a library redesign. Take a moment to imagine the possibilities.

Get Colorful: Schools are still often drab places, and libraries are little different. It’s amazing what some color can do, though. Whether you’re talking about a simple paint job on the walls themselves, a mural depicting your school mascot and colors, or even bright chairs, bookcases, and workspaces, color can help encourage kids to come in and stay.
Get Creative: Quick, imagine that you’re nine years old again. What would be the coolest possible thing you could have in a library? What if the entire library had whiteboard walls where you could record your thoughts about your latest read? What if every nook and cranny was decorated like a favorite children’s book from Alice in Wonderland to Harry Potter? If you can dream it, we can help you make it happen.
Get Comfortable: Libraries aren’t going to be amazing reading spaces if you don’t have comfortable, cute tables and chairs for students to relax. Get a pair of cushy chairs that look just like rocket ships! Add tables that look like fast food restaurant booths your students already know and love. Consider study carrels with soft seating options instead of traditional hard chairs. The cozier your spaces, the more likely students are to want to come back and stick around.

Ready to get started on your library redesign? Give us a call. From start to finish, we’ll help you do more with your library space and help encourage students to read!

Published: 17 June 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Bleacher seating

As you think about fixed seating for your stadium, you’ve probably already realized that it’s just not as simple as choosing a product and going with it. Instead, there are a number of considerations that must be made.

Seating Style: Looking for something with a bit of classic ballpark style? Want those more modern ergonomics that fans seem to love? You’ll need to choose before you make your order. Don’t forget to factor in ADA standards as you think about the style that may best meet your needs.
Fan Engagement: Just how excited are those sitting in that stadium? The mor e excited they get, the tougher your seating choices need to be. If they’re as avid as World Cup soccer fans, for example, you’re going to need something seriously durable. If they’re a little less enthused simply because of the kinds of events you tend to hold in the stadium, you can probably make other selections.
Weather: Understanding the weather patterns in your area also makes a huge difference in the seats you choose for your stadium. In the upper Midwest, snow and rain are the forecast norms for a good portion of the year. Stadiums in the Southwest, though, have very different potential, particularly that of blistering heat and dry conditions day after day. Make certain the seats you choose can take the weather in your area.
Concessions: Most stadiums serve concessions at will, and if you serve any kind of food or beverages, you can bet that sooner or later, it’s going to end up on your seating choice. Know a bit more about the wherewithal for your seating choice to deal with that kind of abuse before you make a final decision.

As you work to select the right fixed seating for your stadium, contact Carroll Seating Company. The choice of hundreds of arenas for ordering, installation, and maintenance, we’ll be with you every step of the way.

Published: 10 June 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Lecture and Theater Seating

What’s the single most important part of every event you hold in your school theatre? The seating, of course! No matter what the event or performance you’ll be holding, those seats will be well-used, so making the right choice is an absolute must. These days, though, everything is completely customizable, and understanding exactly what your options might be is an absolute must.

Cushioning: It may seem like a simple choice, but there are lots of options in this category. Not only can you choose different types of padding, but you can also select from a variety of thicknesses to help offer those in your seats added comfort. Additionally, the covering on your cushioning can come in a variety of colors and materials. You could even opt to have seats embroidered with your school mascot, initials, or another logo.
Mechanisms: This category hits on both the decision of whether to go with rising seat cushions as well as the choice in arm rests. If you select rising seat cushions, going with a gravity-lift mechanism can mean a quieter experience. There are, though, a number of other options. Arm rest choices can not only include the type of materials you wish to use, but also whether you want a flip up arm rest to allow for more seat space.
Aisle End Covers: As you search for a way to make your school theatre really stand out, this is the perfect way to customize your seating choices. From laminate to solid wood designs that have been engraved to meet your needs, the options here are almost endless.

Whether you’re looking to breathe new life into your auditorium, you need to do some renovations, or you want something a bit more versatile, we can help. With the experience, knowledge, and product choices your school needs, Carroll Seating Company is the only place to turn.

Published: 3 June 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Casework & Millwork

It seems almost everyone and everything has gone green these days, and with talk of climate change continually in the media, it’s little wonder why. While you might remember your commitment to a greener world when you’re composting or using the water in your rain barrels, it can be a bit tougher to see how to incorporate it as you sit on the planning committee of a new lab. Even in educational and commercial laboratories across the country, though, going green can play a factor, and LEED designed lab casework can help you meet that goal.

What is LEED?

There are lots of terms associated with today’s green revolution, and LEED is one of many. The acronym actually stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and it is part of an initiative by the U.S. Green Building Council to help encourage professionals to design and build buildings and structures that are a bit more environmentally appropriate. There are a number of different categories within LEED goals including sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation and design process, and regional priority.

How Does It Apply to Casework?

The casework for that new lab primarily falls into the materials and resources category. In order to get that LEED certification, you’ll want to choose sustainable materials or those that use recycled components to be more ecologically friendly. Still lost as to even how that works? Here are a few examples that may help.

Those hardwood, veneers, and plywood choices that come from forests that are FSC managed are considered to be fully sustainable. The timber there is rapidly regenerated and the soil and site productivity is carefully protected and managed.
Steel choices can also be considered green because it can be made from sheet steel that contains scrap material that comes from old cars, appliances, and manufacturing fall off.

Don’t feel limited by going with LEED certification, though. There are still lots of options available to you. The key here is to talk to your designer and project management about your goals. It’s the only way to make sure every scrap of material that goes into your new lab is actually meeting your overall green goals.

The Benefits

Not sure why you should even consider LEED casework for your new lab? There are actually a number of different reasons.

Tax Credits: There are ongoing tax credits for certified LEED facilities that may help your organization save some money at the end of the year, something that’s certain to make the accounting staff a bit happier.
Smaller Price Tag: It may seem odd, but LEED materials often come with a far smaller price tag than even traditional materials, helping to put more money back into your project budget.
It’s Healthier: LEED materials often have fewer associated health problems than more traditional materials today, and that can be an excellent choice for those employees or students who will be in there on a daily basis.

To learn more about LEED certifications and materials, contact your designer or project manager.