Strengthening the design team: the contract furniture dealership - Cover Story

Nursing Homes, June, 1998 by Norman Rothbard

4. What can individual furnishings contribute to the mental and physical comfort of patients, and how can they help your employees do their jobs more efficiently? It's vitally important to define your furniture needs by the attributes of care and work settings rather than by the aesthetics or the features of a particular manufacturer.

Furniture should be stable and secure in any areas where you have residents. Four sturdy legs on chairs offer a much better base of support than a sled-based chair, for example. If someone who is in a weakened condition uses the chair arms to get up or sit down, he or she might lose balance in a less sturdy chair. Also think durability. How often will you need to replace furnishings or materials? A qualified dealer can specify cost-effective materials that look good, wear well and comply with health regulations.

5. Plan for "reconfigurability." Standardization can help - e.g., all work stations from one company, all desks and accessories from another. When you have to organize a future space change, you will have gone a long way toward minimizing complications, since all the components match. Remember that custom furnishings can enhance a facility's image or create a perfectly matched complement to a building's architecture, but custom work takes longer and is more costly, both initially and when you need to replace or add an occasional piece in the future. Your dealer can help you plan for change and order wisely.

Even if you're not incorporating anything "custom," select materials early. Waiting for carpets, wall coverings and other materials may cause unexpected delay.

Finally, leasing may allow you to acquire the furniture you want without prohibitive down payments, freeing your working capital for other expenses. Many dealers are able to arrange this for you, as well.

For your next construction or renovation project, then, remember that a solid strategic plan, a focused approach, teamwork and professional guidance can go a long way toward minimizing the inevitable complications. And consider a team member and consultant you might not have thought of before - your contract furniture dealership.

Norman Rothbard is president of Joseph Rothbard & Company, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. Joseph Rothbard & Company, Inc., is a national office furniture dealership and interiors project management firm specializing in serving the healthcare industry. For further information, (215)925-7742.