Blog - Page 21 of 29 - Carroll Seating Company

Published: 23 April 2014

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Categories: Casework & Millwork

There are some team members who have such an impact on the way you do business that you think you’ll never be able to function without them. When tragedy strikes and they’re suddenly gone, that empty hole threatens to consume the entire way you do business. You pick up and move on, but the loss is so massive that you know you have to do something to help you honor that individual’s memory.

For us, that person was Anita Frazier. Anita passed in February of 2013, and while we knew we had to move forward with our day to day business operations, we needed something that would always keep her memory in our hearts. Thus the idea for the Anita Frazier Memorial Conference Room was born. Completed in November 2013, we worked hard to showcase our design skills and products in this one package, helping to show what a strong company Anita helped to make us. The door is a custom millwork creation from Kohout Woodwork. It has a unique glass inlay that is nothing short of gorgeous.

Both the custom conference table and the elevated credenza (also customized to meet our exact needs) were provided by Kohout Woodwork as well. The granite tops you see were provided by Fabricor, and they were an absolute must for this environment. Because so many of our meetings are right here, both internal and those with clients, we needed the best possible seating, so we turned to Euro Tech Seating for the chairs you see. They combine comfort, durability, and functionality in one package. The whiteboard came from Idea Paint and the custom sign with our name was a product of Signs Now. All of the electrical components were provided by Valentino Electric.

It’s our design, our products, our best. Thanks for pushing us forward Anita. We miss you!

Published: 15 April 2014

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Categories: School seating

If you’re like many school districts these days, getting the most from the equipment you already have on hand is an absolute priority. The numbers just aren’t there to continually buy new equipment, and students today are anything but gentle with what you already have. Nowhere is this more true than in the cafeteria, but is there anything you can really do to extend the life of your tables and chairs? Absolutely.

Proper Adjustments: One of the single most important things you can do to get the most out of both your tables and chairs is to make certain they’re properly adjusted. While most are well adjusted when you initially order them, over time, movement, cleaning, and misuse can often put them at risk. If they continue to be loose, wobbly, or a poor fit, you will start to notice deterioration, and that can only lead to replacement in the long run. Make certain your maintenance staff knows how to perform the right adjustments to your tables and chairs, and if they don’t, contact the professionals for help.

Cleaning Procedures: Not every surface can be cleaned using the same chemicals. Some surfaces demand the gentle touch of soap and water, while others can take a much rougher scrubbing. Know exactly what can and cannot be used before you start wiping down the tables after lunch. You’ll save the surface of the table as well as quite a bit of money in the long run.

Immediate Repairs: If something is wrong with a table or chair, make certain your maintenance staff addresses it immediately. Having students sitting in the chair or at the table will not only cause further problems, it could also be a safety issue. If you’re not sure how to address a repair, bring in a technician who can help.

Whether you need new cafeteria tables and chairs or you require repair services, Carroll Seating is here to help with the services you need most. Contact us today to learn more.

Published: 8 April 2014

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Categories: Lecture and Theater Seating

Lecture hall seating may not seem like the world’s most exciting topic, but the reality is that it is undergoing innovation just like every other sector in the market today. While there were once few choices in the world of lecture hall seating, now even a subsector like fixed lecture hall seating means choices abound. Here are just a few you may want to consider as you design the next lecture hall on your campus.

Swing Away Seating: You want the advantages of fixed seating, but you want a modern look and a level of comfort for students or staff members. Swing away seating offers the perfect merger of the two. You get uniformity and space saving options while still getting a sleek look that everyone will enjoy.
Beam Seating: If you need durability as well as the maximum possible seating options in any one given space, beam seating is certainly the way to go. It can be just as stylish and functional as any other choice on the market, but you’re going to be able to fit more students into one area than you would be able to with any other choice on the market. You can even choose your beam color as well as the number of seats per beam you’d prefer.
Swivel Seating: As you work to provide the right seating options for students, you may want to offer a flexible choice many other lecture halls don’t. Swivel seating is that choice. Comfortable, adaptable, and less like traditional choices than anything else, this is the perfect upgrade for your lecture hall.

Designing the ideal lecture hall involves lots of choices. Let us help. With turnkey services that can not only help you select the ideal fixed lecture hall seating choices, but also help you put the perfect design in motion, we’re here to help. Contact us today to learn more.

Published: 1 April 2014

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Categories: Seating Solutions

Just a decade ago, the mall food court was the single best place to be at almost any time of the week. Unfortunately, that equation is changing fast, and the world of shopping malls may never reflect the once great stature it had for years. While a few malls have managed to survive the tough times, finding the secret that will keep your mall alive isn’t going to be an easy task. One thing that will certainly help, though, is creating a fun, social atmosphere within your food court. These tips can help.

Contemporary Tables and Chairs: The right place to sit is one of the most important things you can provide for your mall guests, and the tables and chairs you choose have a lot to do with that. The lunchroom style seating of yesterday just isn’t going to work in this environment any longer. Instead, go with comfortable, bright choices that will make customers feel like they should be there again and again.

Banquet seating: Mall food courts can be great places to hold events as well. From children’s birthday parties to mall store employee events, offer some group gathering spaces that may help to attract a bit more business to your mall, then don’t forget to advertise it.

Bar Seating: Some customers just want to get in and out of the mall quickly while grabbing a bit to eat, and that’s where bar style seating can really come in handy. Make certain you provide plenty of options like these to help not only make the most of your space, but also to give consumers plenty of choices too.

Vertical Landscaping: Don’t just think tables and chairs as you redesign your food court. Instead, think about the atmosphere too. Lots of light is a must and potted plants may prove helpful as well. You may even want to go with a water feature, a fireplace, or even a small stage for local bands.

No matter which choices you decide to integrate into your environment, the key is getting guests to linger as long as possible. The more they want to stay in your food court, the more likely it is that they’ll want to revisit the mall again and again, and maybe make a few purchases while they’re there!

Published: 25 March 2014

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Categories: Gym and Sports Equipment

Volleyball, in almost any form, offers a grace an intensity few other sports can match. From the excitement of beach volleyball to the camaraderie of team volleyball in an arena setting, it’s a sport that makes a meaningful contribution to many lives. As with any other sport, though, the right equipment is absolutely essential. Whether you’re trying to outfit a school team, a health club, or something more pressing, understanding exactly what to get right off the bat is important. Before you can even order what you want, though, you have a few decisions to make.

Indoor or Outdoor: While the basic equipment needed to play the game doesn’t vary from location to location, there are some specifics about each game that do vary. Decide whether you’re going with an indoor or outdoor court first. If it’s outdoor, will players be engaging in sand volleyball? If it’s an indoor court, you need some other information too. Is it going to be possible to anchor the net to the floor or walls? If not, there are still options available, but you can’t place an order until you know for sure.

Recreation or League Play: You may also want to know whether you have players who will be competing for recreational purposes or for professional ones. Those who will be competing at the professional level likely need very specific equipment to make their wins and losses valid ones. Those who are just looking for a fun Friday night event, though, won’t need the specifics the pros or semi-pros often do.

Once you’ve made your choices, you can start looking at required equipment. At the very basic level, you need a net and boundary markers. There are lots of options within those two choices, though, as well as a few accessories. For example, some nets come with an optional referee stand that attaches to the side of the net. You could also order stand padding or even tape to run down the sides of the net with your team’s name on it. If you’re building an outdoor court, you can get weatherproof options that will stand up to the toughest conditions.

Not sure where to begin? You may not be the best person to be ordering the equipment. Instead, sit down with the coach, league officials, or even players to help you carefully plan the court and the needed equipment before you place any orders. After all, if you intend to host bigger fish, you’ll need official status for your court, and you can only get that with the right equipment!

Published: 21 March 2014

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Categories: Bleacher seating

Choosing the right bleachers for any area is never an easy task. It can be difficult to decide what might work best in the area, what’s ideal for fans, and what’s going to look amazing. In certain spots, though, reverse fold bleachers might be perfect.

When They Shine . . .

Most venues are looking for more recoverable space, and this is the ideal setting for reverse fold bleachers. There are some settings when you need the space behind bleachers for other events and activities. For example, in a school gym, you might be able to use that mezzanine space for batting cages, gymnastics equipment, or even other sports practices. During a game, though, you need that added seating for your patrons. With reverse fold bleachers, both are absolutely possible. Instead of just getting seating or just getting added space, you can have both without the hassle of having to choose between these two important factors.

Special Considerations

It’s important to note that reverse fold bleachers aren’t always going to be the answer. For example, you can typically only have between 18 and 22 rows if you’re going with the reverse fold choice. As they get higher, the floor mounts tend to get a bit more unstable, so you don’t want them too high for safety reasons. They also may not be the right choice in some venues, so talk to a professional before you make any final decisions.

If you’re thinking about reverse fold bleachers, take the time to give us a call today. We’ll be happy to make an on-site inspection to see if reverse fold bleachers might be the right choice in your situation. We can not only match you up with the right product to meet your needs, but also handle the installation! Contact us today to learn more

Published: 18 March 2014

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Categories: Furnishing a Library

If you recently walked into a library and thought, “This isn’t quite what I remember,” you’re not alone. Many of today’s libraries are designed to be open environments, perfect to support diverse needs, including those of individuals and groups. It’s a popular idea, and with good reason. Libraries aren’t what they used to be. Demographics are changing fast, and so too are the needs of libraries. They’re often as much about community collaboration as they are about individuals spending time with reference materials. As a result, the physical landscape of libraries has to shift at the same time, and much of the responsibility of that shift lies in the right furniture.

Tables and Chairs Defining Libraries?

Libraries were once just about books, but that can’t be the case anymore. Sure, just a few decades ago the best way to study up on a concept was to look through past printed material, but people don’t work that way anymore. Instead, the best researchers consult printed material, digital material, and even other people to share information. As a result, libraries have to move from shelves of printed material to technology bases that allow as much space for equipment as they do for people. Getting the right book may be as simple as using the library’s wifi connection to download it from their site instead of consulting the card catalog to go back in the shelves and find it.

Enter furniture solutions. With comfortable chairs to sit in while you’re holding your tablet, spots to take a break and talk with other patrons, and bright, friendly story time areas for the smallest patrons, the idea of an open library quickly becomes a reality, even without other vast changes to the space itself. The simple addition of open and individualized study spaces in the same spot transforms what used to be a dark place with people going “Shhhh!” all of the time to a light, airy environment where grabbing what you need may mean plugging in or heading back to the stacks for a closer look at that book.

To learn more about our complete line of open library furniture, contact Carroll Seating Company today. From the initial design to the installation phase, we’re right here to help you develop the perfect space for all of your patrons.

Published: 11 March 2014

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Categories: Locker Solutions

Lockers. Sure, they mean storage, but often they can mean so much more than that. While the term itself may evoke memories of junior high school, the simple reality is that lockers have moved beyond the halls of education. You’ll find them in every police and fire station around the country. You find them on military bases, in sports and rec centers, in the dressing rooms of many healthcare facilities, and yes, even in schools. Not just one locker can possibility fit all of those needs, right? So where’s the innovation? Everywhere you turn.

Materials

Metal. L ockers are all made of metal, right? Nope. Plastic, metal, steel, wood. . .Is there a material out there that lockers aren’t made of? Probably not. What’s more, though, is that we’ll help you find both the ideal material and the perfect look to help meet your needs.

Sizes

Small. Big. Medium. Tiny. Lockers these days come in all shapes and sizes. If you need a spot for patrons to store their shoes while they go ice skating, we can help. If you need the right size to hold firearms while your officers are off-duty, we can help there too. No matter what the size, there’s a right fit for anything your patrons, employees, or students need to store.

Storage Ability

Books. Backpacks. Wet Gear. Dangerous Materials. Not every locker will store the same stuff. They’re made to hold all sorts of things, so finding the ideal choice to store yours can be tough. Let us help with our start to finish services.

Design

Attached. Unattached. Flexible. Electronic. Mobile. All of them describe today’s lockers. Design is perhaps the most innovative feature in the world of lockers today, so from recharging stations for employee PCs to secure evidence lockers with a pass-through spot for law enforcement, our designs are some of the hottest new choices in the industry.

To find the right lockers to meet your needs, please take contact Carroll Seating Company today. From start to finish, we’ll help you design, install, and even service the right storage systems to meet your needs.

Published: 4 March 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Casework & Millwork

A lab is only as good as the equipment inside. So much of the world of science today relies on the best available technology, and that means top-of-the-line equipment for every theorized application. We’re proud to offer you the equipment and solutions you need with the help of two essential partners: Jamestown Metal Products and CampbellRhea.

Jamestown Metal

The single best known producer of steel and stainless steel casework and equipment often found in both lab and educational settings, Jamestown Metal Products has been building a name for itself for decades. With amazing designs and specialty choices, you won’t find better equipment choices than these, no matter what your lab needs. We’re proud to be able to serve you with this amazing catalog of options.

CampbellRhea

As soon as you enter the world of professional science, you know the name CampbellRhea as the go-to source for all things scientific. From phenomenal choices to effective, functional protection in any lab setting, this is one company you want standing behind you in the lab. Thanks to our work with them, we can offer you equipment and casework that looks as beautiful as it works.

The safety and usefulness of your lab and its projects depend on your ability to have better equipment at your fingertips all of the time. It spells progress. It spells safety for everyone involved. It also spells results, the one thing your lab is going to need to demonstrate again and again to continue.

Let us help. With the right partners, we have the equipment you need to move forward right now. Whether you’re just at the design phase or it’s time for a facelift, we’re here to help. Contact our team today to learn more about how Carroll Seating Company can help to fully equip your lab with all of the right components.

Published: 25 February 2014

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Categories: Furnishing a Library

The idea of open concept library furniture is growing fast. Libraries simply aren’t closed, dark spaces full of shelves and silent tables anymore. They’re changing as fast as the way people obtain information is, and a big part of that change is a shift in the furniture. If you’re thinking of giving your library a facelift, but you’re not quite sure what’s available, this quick guide can help.

Shelving

Any great library has lots of shelving, but it does not have to look quite so traditional these days. There are so many different choices. Looking to make an area friendlier for littler hands? Why not try a cute shaped display shelf that’s just the right size for your pint sized patrons. Need to display the best selections in a given section? End panel shelving or even canopy topped shelving may be the ideal answer.

Often how you store your materials is just as important as what materials you have in your facility, so feel free to dream big. From decorative end panels that help further a theme to cute choices that incorporate flexible seating options, reviewing your shelving choices carefully is a must.

Seating

Comfy arm chairs. Stacking modular seats. Traditional sturdy wood chairs. Squishy soft bean bag chairs. Wondering what they have in common? They’re all often part of today’s library at the same time. Those cozy spots are ideal in the places where your patrons might spend a bit of time chatting about the latest best seller.

The modular seating is ideal for the larger community gatherings your library might play host to. The sturdy wooden chairs are a must when it’s time for a more serious look at things. No matter what look you’re going for, the key with today’s library seating options is to make certain you’re serving the needs of everyone at the same time.

Study Areas

As important as collaboration can be in a library, quiet study is just as essential, so putting some thought into those individualized study spaces is an absolute must. Fortunately, there’s still plenty of modern options there too. Incorporate a little technology with plug in spaces for laptops and tablets. Get more traditional with flexible study carrels that can reconfigure as needed. Go with tables that work just as well for one as they do for an entire group. It’s all in the flexibility these days.

Proper Planning

Open concept library furniture is a broad area. You can’t simply choose a few products out of a catalog and have the right look for your library. Instead, you need an entire planning team on your side to look at your current space, show you the right options for that space, then help you put it all together. So, before you start that order form, contact the qualified library planning team at Carroll Seating Company today, then get ready to build the library of your dreams.