How to Furnish a Restaurant or Hotel Without Cutting Corners on Safety
Opening or refurbishing a hospitality venue is expensive. Furniture is one of the biggest line items, and the temptation to cut costs by going cheaper — or worse, domestic — is real. But the savings aren't worth it. Here's how to get the balance right.
Why hospitality furniture isn't a place to cut corners
Two reasons: compliance and longevity. In the UK, any upholstered furniture in a public-facing hospitality venue must meet CRIB 5 fire safety standards. This isn't optional. Furniture that isn't certified could invalidate your fire risk assessment, affect your public liability insurance and in the worst case, contribute to a prosecution following a fire incident.
Beyond compliance, domestic furniture in a commercial setting will typically need replacing within 12–18 months under heavy use. Contract-grade furniture, properly specified, should last five to ten years.
Where you can be smart with budget
Prioritise seating over tables. Seating takes the most abuse — it's sat in, leaned back in, dragged across floors and used constantly. This is where contract-grade matters most.
Choose versatile colourways. Neutral upholstery — bouclé, soft weave, chenille in stone, ivory, charcoal or olive tones — ages well and doesn't date the interior.
Buy in bulk and negotiate trade pricing. Most contract furniture suppliers, including Industrious Decor, offer trade pricing on orders of ten units or more.
Don't mix contract and domestic. If those pieces are in a customer-facing area, they still need to be CRIB 5 compliant. Mixing in uncertified pieces creates a compliance gap.
What to ask your supplier before ordering
- Is the furniture CRIB 5 certified? Can you provide the certificate?
- What is the foam density on upholstered pieces?
- What is the Martindale rub count on the fabric?
- What is the frame material and construction?
- Is trade or bulk pricing available?
At Industrious Decor, all of these are answered upfront. Our CRIB 5 certified commercial range is available with trade pricing, fast UK delivery and full certification documentation. Contact us at trade@industriousdecor.com.