Residential vs. Commercial Furniture

• February 1st, 2015
• in News

When purchasing furniture for office spaces, it is important to understand the differences between commercial and residential furniture. Commercial furniture is more durable and can handle the wear and tear of constant usage, while residential furniture doesn’t have to be as tough because it simply does not experience the same traffic. Because of its longevity, professional appearance, and superior construction, commercial furniture is often more costly than residential furniture; however, commercial furniture can be customized in various ways to meet the needs of the end user. As such, commercial furniture is made to order and can take six to eight weeks to arrive.

Because of client customization, manufacturers often do not allow returns, and if they do, the return policies might include hefty return fees and return shipping costs. However, commercial furniture usually includes lengthy warranties to cover any manufacturer defect. Despite longer lead times and limited return policies, clients can expect exceptional quality accompanied by lengthy warranties from commercial furniture in their office spaces.

Furniture Warranties

• January 5th, 2015
• in News

Did you know that most office furniture purchased through the University’s furniture contracts come with warranties to cover manufacturer defects? If you have a piece of furniture that isn’t functioning properly, contact us, and we will work with the appropriate vendor to determine whether or not the problem is covered under warranty.  Please provide pictures of the furniture, identifying labels, and bar codes, along with any original order information available, such as quotes, purchase date, and vendor information.

We will contact the vendor, who will verify any warranty information with the manufacturer.  Once the vendor and manufacturer determine that a problem is covered under warranty, we will coordinate with the vendor and the end user to schedule the repair at no charge. In some instances, a problem might not be covered under warranty, but we can work with the vendor to provide a quote to have the end user’s department pay for the repair.

Ferguson Center Renovation

• December 2nd, 2014
• in News

This year has been a busy year for capital projects, and August saw the completion of the Ferguson Center renovation and expansion. Mary Kathryn Holt was the lead interior designer, who gave new life to an outdated student center originally completed in 1973. With Fresh Food moving to its own stand-alone building, the Ferguson Food court was substantially expanded. The food court now houses Wendy’s, Panda Express, Chick-fil-a, Topios, Union Market, Subway, and Auntie Anne’s pretzels along with a larger food court to accommodate a rising number of students.  A spacious lounge area with soaring ceilings and bright skylights invites students to sit by dual fireplaces in gorgeous lounge seating.
Several University departments also saw complete renovations and were given new space in the Ferg including The Career Center, The Center for Sustainable Service and Volunteerism, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Student Government Association, Student Involvement and Leadership, and University Programs. A total of 75,000 square feet were added in the expansion, and almost every aspect of the Ferguson interiors was upgraded including the Supe Store, dated staircases, and a new façade for the outside of the building giving it a traditional University of Alabama feel. Stop by the Ferguson Center to see what F&D has been up to this year!

Recent Projects

• December 1st, 2014
• in News

This year has been a busy year for capital projects, and August saw the completion of the Ferguson Center renovation and expansion. Mary Kathryn Holt was the lead interior designer, who gave new life to an outdated student center originally completed in 1973. With Fresh Food moving to its own stand-alone building, the Ferguson Food court was substantially expanded. The food court now houses Wendy’s, Panda Express, Chick-fil-a, Topios, Union Market, Subway, and Auntie Anne’s pretzels along with a larger food court to accommodate a rising number of students.  A spacious lounge area with soaring ceilings and bright skylights invites students to sit by dual fireplaces in gorgeous lounge seating.

Several University departments also saw complete renovations and were given new space in the Ferg including The Career Center, The Center for Sustainable Service and Volunteerism, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Student Government Association, Student Involvement and Leadership, and University Programs. A total of 75,000 square feet were added in the expansion, and almost every aspect of the Ferguson interiors was upgraded including the Supe Store, dated staircases, and a new façade for the outside of the building giving it a traditional University of Alabama feel. Stop by the Ferguson Center to see what F&D has been up to this year!

Chair Lab

• October 4th, 2014
• in News

In an effort to streamline the Chair Lab scheduling process, the Furnishings and Design Department has created a new Chair Lab Request Form. This form makes it easier and faster to get an appointment scheduled with Kristie Click, the Furnishings and Design Assistant, because it provides her with all relevant information needed prior to the appointment. The form requests basic information such as budget and physical requirements, so Kristie can help narrow down the wide variety of chair options to a select few that will specifically meet each client’s individual needs. Clients can go on the Furnishings and Design website to access the new form to request an appointment.

Completed forms should be sent via email to furnishings@fa.ua.edu or via fax to 348-5791.

New Chair Lap Appointment Form

• October 4th, 2014
• in News

In an effort to streamline the Chair Lab scheduling process, the Furnishings and Design Department has created a new Chair Lab Request Form. This form makes it easier and faster to get an appointment scheduled, because it provides all relevant information needed prior to the appointment. The form requests basic information such as budget and physical requirements, so we can help narrow down the wide variety of chair options to a select few that will specifically meet each client’s individual needs.

Fresh Food Company

• September 24th, 2014
• in News

The Furnishings and Design Department is excited to announce the completion of the new Fresh Food Company dining facility. Interior Designer Mary Kathryn Holt did an outstanding job on this capital project, which wrapped up over the summer and is now open for dining services. The interior of this new, stand-alone dining hall is tailored to reflect each of the food stations individually but with a cohesive feel. Sparkling Terrazzo floors run throughout the facility; exposed brick walls accent the grill; lime green tiles and a farm-themed wall mural accentuate the salad bar; and bright pink and purple mosaic tiles invite patrons to the dessert bar. This project has been a work in progress for more than two years, and we want to congratulate Mary Kathryn on the exquisite job she did! Stop by the new Fresh Food location at 500 Margaret Drive, which is across from the Transit Hub and Rodgers Library, and check out this gorgeous new building!