Café Furniture – Wood or Metal?

Are you planning on opening a café? A lot of effort goes into choosing the right location, finding the right staff, and deciding what food to serve. Since décor tops the charts in this Instagram age, you face an important decision when choosing between wood or metal.

Add to this the fact that you’re not buying for yourself but for customers who will, after all be using it most of the time, then juggling with comfort, cost, durability and how it fits in with your theme can be challenging. To help, we’ve put together a quick guide to lead you through the minefield of buying café furniture.

First of all, you need to decide which material to choose for your furniture as this then narrows down your search. Plastic, wood, and metal are some of the most popular choices which suit most decors and offer value for money. Furniture made from wood or metal is the most durable and shouldn’t need replacing for several years. So which is the best choice for your café?

Go by the theme or type of café

Are you planning on opening a casual café or one that is more up-market? Your furniture should fit in with the vibe you’re trying to create. Metal furniture suits a more casual style whereas wood is more stylish and/or traditional.

If you’re planning on having an outdoor seating area then make sure the furniture you choose is designed for outdoor use. Aluminium is a great choice for outdoor use and is light and easy to move around. If you’re choosing wood, then teak is one of the best choices and looks natural and inviting. Nylon rattan on an aluminium frame also makes an attractive and durable choice of outdoor furniture.

Maintenance

In a busy café environment the last thing you want is for upkeep on your furniture to put it out of action. Often people make the mistake of choosing residential furniture which can’t withstand the daily wear and tear and consequently involves more maintenance. Always choose commercial furniture which is constructed to be more durable.

In this regard, both wood and metal are strong and durable but wood may require regular polishing to keep its good looks whereas metal can just be wiped clean with a cloth.

Understand your customer’s need and expectations

It’s very important to know what your target customers will be expecting. For instance, young professionals may expect your furniture to be sleek and contemporary, families may be looking for booth seating, and older clientele would probably like comfy tub chairs to sit on. You might also want to customer how many customers you can expect at any one time, and whether you need communal tables for large groups. When considering your furniture options be sure to have your target demographic in mind.

Budget is key

Last of all, keep your budget in mind before rushing in. Typically furniture accounts for a large proportion of your budget, so surely getting high quality metal or wood furniture at the right price from a trusted supplier ticks all your boxes?

At Café Furniture in Brisbane we stock a wide range of quality metal and wood furniture so why not browse our online store or better still, drop by our showroom and take a close look for yourself.