Unlike public cafes and restaurants that are constantly trying to entice new customers, cafeterias in schools and offices naturally become a part of many peoples’ daily routines, serving the same people day after day. However, it is still important to make sure your cafeteria is as inviting as possible, providing a relaxing and comfortable environment for people to enjoy their lunch break.
Whether it’s with several small changes in décor or large changes to the furniture, redecorating your canteen will help to keep it looking attractive and welcoming for its daily visitors. Here at Trent Furniture, we have a wide range of furniture ideal for use in canteens, providing both style and substance. This guide features our ideas and tips for refurbishing your cafeteria, using our 60 years of experience to help you maximise your canteen’s potential.
Canteen refurbishment: less is more
Ensuring your canteen is appealing to its users does not mean you need to buy a lot of expensive, extravagant furniture. Investing in a few simple yet attractive items can make a large difference when redecorating, producing a minimalistic design that still catches the eye.
Plain, wooden furniture fits seamlessly into any room, whatever the décor. Combined with a light coloured or white wall it can create a light and airy setting, making the room feel bigger than it is. Pops of colour can then easily be added with decorative items such as plants, framed prints and cushions. This also makes it easier to then change up the design of your cafeteria in the future, without needing to replace all of the furniture.
Wooden chairs such as our light oak Roma or Remo chairs match perfectly with a large number of our wooden tables, creating a simple but effective look. Alternatively, our Bella chairs are perfect for bringing more colour to the room, available in a wide range of vibrant shades from mint green to orange. Wooden and metal chairs like these are a great solution for canteens as they are easy to wipe clean, making them unlikely to be ruined by stains or spills.
Space-saving solutions for your canteen tables and chairs
When choosing your canteen furniture, it is important to think about how it will fit into your space. If your cafeteria is a large space, you may want to have rectangular tables, allowing you to accommodate a large number of people without taking up too much space. Alternatively, smaller cafeterias may benefit from small, circular tables, taking up less space whilst still providing a communal and social atmosphere.
If space allows, a mixture of large and small tables is ideal for creating a canteen suitable for everyone’s needs. Small, square tables are perfect for people wishing to eat alone or catch up on work during lunch. Larger, rectangular or circular tables, however, offer more space for those who want to socialise as they eat.
Versatile furniture for the canteen
In schools and community areas, canteens are often used for multiple different purposes. If your canteen furniture is constantly being rearranged or cleared, it may be worth investing in some stacking or folding furniture. This furniture is lightweight and durable, specifically designed to make it quick and easy to move about as and when it is needed.
Laminate tables are also ideal for versatile environments such as cafeterias due to their light weight, with their hard-wearing plastic edges keeping them protected from damage even when being constantly moved. Their surfaces are easily cleaned, making it quick and simple to move from one activity to the other. At Trent, we supply reversible laminate table tops, to help keep them looking brand new for as long as possible.
Trent Furniture are a leading UK canteen furniture supplier. All of our furniture is suitable for contract use, meaning it is hard-wearing and durable enough for use in busy canteens, as well as being compliant with all fire-safety standards. For more information about how we can help you refurbish your cafeteria, give us a call on 01162 864911 or email sales@pubfurnitureuk.co.uk.