Published: 28 January 2015

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Seating Solutions

Learning in the 21st century has become a fairly hot topic in recent days. Students now simply don’t need the same skills students did just a few decades ago, so classrooms and other learning areas prize critical and creative thinking with collaboration to ensure students have the necessary skills to move forward in life. Unfortunately, most schools are set up for a very different kind of learning. Flexibility and information literacy aren’t always part of the classroom layout, so while teachers and administrators are rethinking the curriculum, they have to be rethinking the layout of a classroom as well. These design ideas can help you rethink your learning spaces.

Classroom Flow: Collaboration has to be at the forefront of everything your teachers do in the classroom. As a result, you have to create spaces that are ready to foster creative energy in groups. The classic desks and chairs don’t always work well for that. Instead, comfortable tables and chairs that are configurable for a variety of projects tend to work well. Open spaces also work well so students feel like they can move among groups to get projects completed.

Multimedia Friendly: Technological and face to face learning have to work well in the 21st century classroom, so every design you create needs to be ready to integrate technology at a moment’s notice. Whether that means projectors so students can see an instructor’s screen, data connections for students, or even simply space to use tablets and laptops, classrooms should be as wired for technology as they are for students. Don’t forget to factor lighting into this equation, as something as simple as the screen in the wrong place in the afternoon could make a room completely unusable.

Classroom Look: The aesthetic appeal of a classroom has to play a central role in 21st century learning design as well. The goal is to build a student-centered experience where kids feel comfortable enough to learn. That means both a physical and mental sense of ease, and a big part of that comes from the choices you make. Everything from the color of classroom walls to the flooring choices to the furniture you fill the room with can contribute to it, so ensure you’re working toward harmony with teach of the choices, as well as a level of simplicity so the classroom can be easily repurposed in the future as learning needs change.

Good designs can be difficult to achieve in today’s learning environment, which is a big part of the reason you may want to choose a trusted guide to help you through the experience. Carroll Seating can help. The premier school furniture company, we have the project managers, design experts, and catalog to help you build the perfect classroom to meet your needs. Contact us today to learn more.

Published: 6 January 2015

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: School seating, Seating Solutions

Palmer-Hamilton Cafeteria Solutions: The Right Choice

School cafeterias must serve many roles these days. They’re no longer simply spaces for eating and socializing in the middle of the day. Now they often serve additional purposes outside of lunchroom meals. In some cases, they must be storage space. In others, they serve as additional classroom space. With so many different roles to play, the right solutions for storage, seating, and more are a must, and when you need the perfect cafeteria solution, there’s only one name we recommend – Palmer Hamilton.

Innovative Beauty
Even in cases where cafeterias are just used to serve food, setting the right tone for students is essential, and good furnishings can do just that. Palmer Hamilton has a unique corner on the market there. Their tables and food court style seating isn’t just useful for the multi-functional needs of today’s cafeterias, but it’s also absolutely gorgeous. Eye catching and durable, it’s all completely customizable, so adding logos to the tables that feature mascots and motivational quotes is never a problem.

A Variety of Options
The other real benefit of Palmer Hamilton is the number of options available to schools. The traditional cafeteria tables are certainly a choice, and there are a range of possibilities there. From standard bench tables to a variety of shapes and those that come with stools, standard cafeteria tables don’t have to look quite like they once did. If you need something a bit different like food court style seating, Palmer Hamilton can help there too with booths, free standing tables, and even comfortable lounge furniture for a corner area of your cafeteria.

What’s going to work for your school cafeteria? We can help you find the right solution. With our design services and Palmer Hamilton’s catalog of options at your fingertips, we’ll create the perfect space to reflect the needs of your school.

Published: 28 October 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Seating Solutions

There are few things you can count on these days. The world has changed so much just within the last decade, it’s hard to predict what might happen in the next. One thing you can always count on, though, is the level of customer service you can expect from Carroll Seating Company. The perfect way to get the solution you need now, Carroll Seating has the right products at the right time along with the service you need most.

A Historic Name
Carroll Seating Company is hardly the new kid on the block. Initially founded in 1952 by Patrick Carroll, Sr. who was selling church pews out of his basement, we work with a number of different markets today including K-12 schools of all shapes and sizes, colleges and universities, healthcare facilities, labs, and even sports venues. We’ve spend more than half a century building relationships with the right manufacturers, and by employing the best project managers and installers in the business, you get the perfect design solutions to meet your needs.

The Best Possible Service
Our return customers don’t just come back to us again and again for great products, though, A big part of the reason they continue to return is our customer service. When you contact us, you don’t just get a voice on the phone. You get a dedicated project manager ready to take a closer look at exactly what your facility needs right now. Even if you’re not entirely sure what you’re looking for, we’ll work to help you find the perfect product at the perfect time. We have a complete staff that includes design professionals who can help you come up with the ideal solutions, no matter what your spacing or even budget concerns. It’s our commitment to you.

To learn more about our product line or our customer service, please contact us today.

Published: 21 October 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Seating Solutions

The classroom – it’s a space for learning and discovery like no other. So many amazing things can happen in a classroom, and while a classroom doesn’t even have to be a defined space, it certainly helps to create the right atmosphere for learning. From primary school classrooms through university spaces designed for those obtaining degrees at the highest level, aesthetics can actually enhance the learning process, and one simple way to ensure you’re building the right aesthetic feel is to choose custom casework for every classroom in the building.

Understanding the Process
It starts with a simple idea. You know what you want in a given area. Whether it’s a science lab or a foreign language classroom, your ideas go far during the process. From there, you’ll contact the right custom casework company to meet your needs. While there are many, you’ll want to select one with extensive industry experience so you can make certain you’re getting the best from the outset. You’ll also want one with a fairly large catalog of options so you can make sure you’re getting exactly what you want in terms of look, options, and finishes. Once you’ve found the right company, you’ll sit down with your case or project manager to make your order. Order placed, the waiting process begins. Often within a few weeks, your order will be ready, and installation can begin in your facility. This is perhaps the best part, as you begin to watch your classrooms transform from drab and dull to nothing short of magazine-style amazing. Be sure to take lots of photos during the process for your newsletter or newspaper so everyone can watch the process unfold just as you have. Once the casework is installed and the finishing touches are put on, it’s time for your magnificent unveiling to students and staff. They’ll be so surprised at the new atmosphere you set into motion with a single call.

Making the Right Choices
With so many potential selections out there, it’s easy to wonder if you’ll make the right choice and create that perfect atmosphere for your students and teachers alike. Fortunately, most companies that create and install custom casework have you covered there, too. With designers on staff to help guide your decision making process and ensure you get exactly what you need in your order, you’ll have beautiful classrooms no matter what selections you make.
Custom casework can do so much for your classrooms. Look into it today, and enhance learning throughout your facility.

Published: 14 October 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Seating Solutions

If you have bleachers, you know the importance of regular inspections. Without them, you could have a headline-splashing tragedy on your hands in a hurry. Even if tragedy doesn’t occur, regular maintenance means a longer life for your bleachers without stressing all of the components that are so necessary for stronger functionality. A big part of maintenance in many areas is replacing various parts, but where do you turn when you need the parts and hardware to keep your bleachers safe and functioning well? Carroll Seating Company.

A Different Approach
While you can likely order parts that may take weeks to arrive from some questionable reseller online to help maintain your bleachers, Carroll Seating Company takes a very different approach. For decades, we’ve been helping organizations just like yours install and maintain their bleacher systems, and whether you’ve worked with us before or you’ve had other companies in, we can help. We provide certified inspections to help ensure you’re maintaining code compliance, and we’ll even be happy to make any repairs to issues we find during inspection. Additionally, our warehouse stocks hundreds of common replacement parts that ship out within forty-eight hours of your order. If necessary, we’ll be happy to obtain any parts for you that we don’t currently stock. We’ll even come install them, ensuring you have the safe, reliable seating you need for your patrons.

Bleacher safety is an absolute must in today’s society, but it can be difficult to maintain systems on your own. Find a partner who can help. Carroll Seating Company would be proud to be that partner. Give us a call today to set up an inspection or simply to discuss your bleacher safety options. We’ll be happy to advise you on all of your options and ensure you get exactly what you need.

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: 20 May 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: School seating, Seating Solutions

Even if your outdoor seating system has served you well in the past, all good things must come to an end at some point. When is the end of outdoor seating and what are your options for replacement? Do some exploration now.

The End is Near

You may realize that it’s time to update or replace your outdoor seating options when a number of different situations occur. First, if your crowd size has simply outgrown what once worked for your facility, you may want to look at doing some updates. If, for example, you currently have a solid set of bleachers on a school football field but your population has tripled in size since the bleachers were installed, it may be time to look to additional bleachers or other options entirely. Continue to abuse the bleachers with too much weight, and you could have a real safety issue on your hands.

Another reason you may need to make some changes is that your current system has been in use too long. If, during a routine safety inspection, you realize that things just don’t look as sturdy as they once did, replacement is the only option to consider. Thanks to the elements, outdoor seating systems do actually expire, and paying attention to that end when it happens is essential to protect your patrons.

What’s Next?

Fortunately, once you do decide that it’s time to make some replacements, you have lots of different options available. From traditional aluminum bleachers to powder coated amazement as well as custom layouts, we have the outdoor seating options your field needs, no matter what. Contact us today to learn more about your options or for an outdoor seating inspection to determine if your patrons can continue using your current seating choices safely.

Published: 1 April 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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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: 3 December 2013

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Seating Solutions

Folding chairs are one of the best ways to get high quality portable seating options, no matter what the venue. The problem? When you think of folding chairs, you think of hard metal seating options that offer little in the way of real comfort. Folding chairs don’t have to be hard hunks of metal no one looks forward to, though. Instead, you can get comfort and portability in one amazing package.

Premium

A better venue deserves better portable seating options, and we certainly have them. It’s the single best way to give customers and fans an experience they’ll remember. Go with contour foam, a suspension seat, wider seats, or even front and rear leg covers for a look that won’t invoke memories of hard metal chairs. Looking for arm rests? We can do that too. We can even customize it with your logo, a tablet arm, or ganging to help keep your chairs side by side. The bottom line is that you get better chairs and a more comfortable experience, no matter who is headed to your venue.

Simple, Yet Comfortable

Need something a bit more budget friendly? We can help there, too. The 3000 series has lots of choices, including wider seats to make sure all of your customers have enough personal space, a heavy duty model for those courtside seats, and molded foam options for a great level of comfort. You can even choose your upholstery to help support your team or school.

As you search for the right portable seating to meet your needs, let us help with turnkey services. With a quick look at your facility and the types of uses for which portable seating might be appropriate, we’ll help you select the ideal model for your gym, arena, or other facility. Contact us today to learn more.

Published: 5 November 2013

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Seating Solutions

Sitting down in the cafeteria isn’t always the best experience. It’s just not part of human nature to want to sit in an industrial environment to eat, whether with friends or on your own. Fortunately, there are a number of great ways to change that feeling, and innovative seating choices from Palmer Hamilton can help.

Table Styles

One of the most important choices you’ll make is getting the right table style, and that will depend heavily on the use of the cafeteria space outside of serving food. If it’s only a food service facility, you have lots of amazing options. From fiberglass or upholstered cafeteria booths to freestanding tables and amazing circular booths that will truly change the way people look at the cafeteria, your options are virtually limitless in that department. You can give any cafeteria a café style feel in a hurry.

If you need mobile style seating options, you may be a bit more limited, but you don’t have to stick with wall pocket systems if you have the right storage space. Instead, you can go with shaped or elongated tables as well as chair or bench style seating. What’s more, though, is that you can choose a number of laminate surfaces that may even include customized graphics to help change the atmosphere of your lunchroom.

Making the Most of Your Space

The key with any seating choice you make is to ensure you’ve better filled your space. It can be tough to even know where to begin, but we can help with customized floor plan services that will ensure you consider every aspect of your space.

No matter what concerns you may have about your cafeteria, let us help you solve them. Cafeteria seating is our specialty, and we’ll not only help you design the ideal environment, but also help open up your options when it comes to the ideal seating choices. Contact us today for more information on Palmer Hamilton cafeteria seating solutions.