The Complete Guide to Healthcare Recliners

The Complete Guide to Waiting Room Seating

Whether you’re outfitting a small or large waiting room, your choices in reception seating are vast and varied. So, where do you begin? This guide to waiting room seating explains your choices in reception seating and will help you decide which options will work the best in your office.

Type

Guest chairs are standard-size seating options that are also referred to as side chairs. Guest chairs may come with or without arms.

 

Bariatric chairs are guest chairs that can accommodate more than the standard 250-pound weight capacity. Weight limits vary from 300 pounds to well over 700 pounds. 

Club chairs are guest chairs that are more padded and plush. This type of seating is commonly used in a lounge or other area where visitors will be seated for longer periods.

Sofas are commercial-grade couches that are often added to a reception area to give the space a more homey feel. Sofas can typically accommodate up to 3 average-size people. They are similar to club chairs in that they are plush and commonly used in a lounge-type setting.

Loveseats are smaller versions of sofas and can typically accommodate 2 average-size people.

Benches are similar to sofas and loveseats in that they can seat multiple people in an area; however, benches have a lower profile and are not as plush as sofas and loveseats. Benches may come with or without a back and with or without arms.

Ottomans are plush single-user benches commonly used in combination with club chairs or sofas and can be used as tables or additional seating in a lounge.

Tandem seating includes 2 or more guest chairs connected by shared legs and/or arms. Tandem seating may also be referred to as multi-chair sets.

Beam seating is similar to tandem seating, but chairs are connected via a single beam that runs along the seats.

Special Features

Tablet arm chairs have a small, movable work surface attached to one or both arms. Tablets are often attached to lounge-style seating and are ideal for waiting areas where paperwork must be filled out or business professionals must get work done while waiting.

Motion back chairs have a backrest that moves with the user to provide additional comfort during extended waiting periods. This type of chair is commonly used in healthcare facility waiting rooms.

Armless chairs are chairs without arms. This type of seating takes up less space because it can be placed closer to other chairs in the room.

Green chairs are also referred to as eco-friendly. There are many different levels of eco-friendliness, including Greenguard and Level certified seating, but all chairs in this selection are designed to improve indoor air quality in commercial interiors one way or another.

Stacking chairs are guest chairs that can be stacked on top of one another. This type of seating is helpful for areas that need to be frequently cleaned or rearranged, as stackable seating can be quickly and easily moved and stored away whenever needed.

Nesting chairs are similar to stacking chairs, but instead of stacking on top of one another, their seats flip up to allow them to be nested into one another for quick and compact transport and storage. Nesting chairs are almost always mobile.

Mobile chairs are chairs with either 2 or 4 wheels. This type of chair is best for areas where seating needs to be moved around often.

 

GSA-approved chairs are part of NBF’s GSA contract. These chairs are approved for sale to the US government.

Upholstery

Fabric upholstery is a woven material that helps give furniture a homey look and feel. Fabric is available in many colors and patterns but is not appropriate for use in medical waiting rooms due to its porous nature.

Genuine leather upholstery is either full-grain or top-grain genuine cowhide. Full-grain leather shows its grains and natural imperfections and is as close to its natural state as possible. Top-grain leather is the most common type of genuine leather upholstery—it’s thinner and more flexible than full-grain leather. Top-grain leather is also sanded down to remove any imperfections, giving it a more polished look.

Faux leather and vinyl upholstery are manufactured alternatives to genuine leather. Faux leather and vinyl are made of either polyurethane (PU) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), both of which give the look of leather at a lower cost.

Mesh is a textile that provides more breathability than any other type of upholstery. Mesh is durable but can be trickier to clean due to its porous design.

Seat Type

Pocketed coil systems are made up of a number of individual pocketed coils that help evenly distribute weight for user comfort. The coils are usually outfitted with a layer of foam on top and bottom, with the top layer being less dense to create a cushioned feel.

 

Fabricated foam is one of the most common materials used in upholstered office chairs. This type of foam varies in density; the denser the foam, the firmer it will feel.

Molded foam is formed when a liquid foam material is poured into a mold—hence the name. This type of foam offers more consistent support and can hold its shape for longer than fabricated foam. This allows for more contour and a more comfortable feel.

Memory foam has a unique chemical makeup that allows the seat to adjust to your body temperature. The seat retains more heat than others, which allows them to mold their shape as the user moves. Memory foam seats are well known for providing superior customized support. In addition, this material is hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites.

 

Healthcare Considerations

Furnishing a healthcare waiting room involves additional considerations for the safety and comfort of your guests: 

• Seating must be covered with Crypton, vinyl, or IC+ upholstery. 

• Provide 15–20% bariatric seating—more if your practice commonly sees patients with these needs. 

• Select chairs with a clean-out space between the back and seat. This will ensure that each chair can be cleaned safely and completely.

The Complete Guide to Healthcare Seating Textiles

Whether you’re furnishing a new healthcare facility or replacing old furniture in a hospital or private practice, knowing your textiles is crucial to the well-being of staff and patients alike. To help make your purchasing experience as easy as possible, we’re breaking down the pros and cons of commonly used seating textiles. This list is ranked from worst to best in terms of appropriateness for a healthcare setting.

Fabric

Fabric is a woven textile that is not considered appropriate for healthcare settings. The major benefit of fabric is aesthetic: it comes in many color and pattern options. 

Although the appearance of fabric creates a welcoming, homey aesthetic that most medical facilities seek, the good far outweighs the bad in the case of this material. Because fabric is woven, it is porous—fluids can seep into the chair easily and become nearly impossible to remove. This creates an infection control nightmare as fabric will likely harbor bacteria and bedbugs. 

In addition to the health hazards associated with this textile, fabric is not durable enough to withstand regular use in a busy healthcare facility.

Benefits

• Unlimited color and pattern choices

• Welcoming, homelike aesthetic

Challenges

• Porous

• Not very cleanable or durable

• Harbors bedbugs and bacteria

Crypton Fabric

Crypton fabric is specially manufactured with a fluid-resistant backing that makes it more like vinyl than the fabrics it so closely resembles. This textile has the same large range of color and pattern options as fabrics, but it’s much more acceptable for a healthcare setting as fluids cannot seep into the chair as they can with fabric. However, this material is still semipermeable and can hold unwanted odors. 

Crypton requires specific cleaners for regular maintenance, as it can degrade quickly if cleaned improperly, so staff must be well-trained on the correct cleaner to use on this material. This textile can also be expensive and is not the most durable option. Due to this, Crypton is often used on the backs of chairs in low-abuse settings such as private practices and senior living centers.

Benefits

 

• Same range of color and pattern options as fabric

• Fluid-resistant backing is healthier than fabric options

• Good choice for chair backrests that receive less wear

Challenges

• Semipermeable

• Requires special cleaners and can degrade quickly if cleaned improperly

• Expensive

• Can hold odors

PVC-Free Vinyl

PVC-free vinyl is an impermeable and eco-friendly textile ideal for inpatient and acute care facilities. Because it’s PVC-free, this material emits no off-gas, making it a great choice where indoor air quality is a concern. In addition, this textile has a soft, comfortable feel. Unfortunately, the color palette is limited. Though relatively easy to clean, PVC-free vinyl is fragile and can degrade quickly and pucker if not maintained correctly.

Benefits

• Impermeable

• Emits no off-gas and is great for indoor air quality

• Soft, comfortable feel

Challenges

• Fragile and will degrade quickly if not properly cared for

• Can pucker

• Limited aesthetically—only solid colors are available

Vinyl

Like PVC-free vinyl, regular vinyl is commonly used in inpatient and acute care facilities, including typical hospital settings. Vinyl is also impermeable and Greenguard Certified for better indoor air quality, but this material is much more durable and easy to maintain. 

You should note that over-bleaching can lead to the breakdown of plasticizers (the additive used to make vinyl soft and pliable), and the stripping of plasticizers can lead to cracking and ripping that The Joint Commission will quickly write up as a violation. On the plus side, vinyl is available in a much wider range of colors and patterns than PVC-free vinyl. Bedbugs and bacteria contamination are less of a concern with this textile, though these may still thrive in the seams of the material.

Benefits

• Impermeable

• Greenguard Certified for better indoor air quality

• Many patterns and colors available

• Durable with good light resistance

• Easy to clean (though this varies depending on manufacturer)

Challenges

• Can degrade if over-bleached

• Seams can harbor bedbugs and bacteria

IC+

Ideal for emergency departments, IC+ is the top-of-the-line choice for high-traffic hospitals that require the very best in durability and cleanliness. Healthcentric is the only company that manufactures IC+. The treatment is applied via a spraying technique rather than sewn. As a result, IC+ has no seams for bacteria and bedbugs to thrive in, making it the best choice to prevent the spread of infection. 

This material is also 10 times stronger than vinyl, completely impermeable, does not degrade, and has a very high abuse rate, making it ideal for busy emergency rooms that see patients with a vast range of ailments. Not only will this material not rip or crack, but it’s also safe to clean even with harsh bleaches. 

IC+ is truly the best option available for healthcare facilities, but it is worth noting that color options are limited, and this material is not the most comfortable for patients due to its durable build.

Benefits

• 10 times stronger than vinyl

• Does not degrade

• Seamless design does not harbor bedbugs or bacteria

• Highest abuse rate

• Easy to clean

Challenges

• Not the most comfortable

• Very limited color palette

The Complete Office Furniture Style Guide

Ready for the office of your dreams? If you've already been scouring board after board on Pinterest trying to find inspiration for your office design, you may find yourself leaning toward one trend or another. To learn more about the most common office styles, check out our complete guide and create the beautiful office you deserve. 

Industrial Office Furniture

Industrial design is a popular trend in residential and commercial interiors, featuring a blend of organic and man-made elements to create a unique balance. This particular trend is a breath of fresh air compared to its rigorously detailed traditional and starkly minimalist modern cousins. In contrast to these popular styles, Industrial design embraces the utilitarian nature of buildings, utilizing elements like exposed brick and open ductwork as things to be appreciated, not hidden. Read our guide to decorating with industrial décor and furniture to learn more about this office style trend.  

Rustic Office Furniture

Rustic office design has the unique ability to turn a cold, stodgy office into a warm, welcoming workspace by using the simplest elements. With neutral colors, a worn-in look, and a little help from Mother Nature, you can take your office from corporate to comfortable in no time. Remember to incorporate natural elements, a worn-out design, and warm, neutral colors when bringing this style trend into your office. Learn more about rustic office design in our guide to decorating with rustic décor and furniture.

Traditional Office Furniture

Whether you’re working in a lawyer’s office or love the rich look of classically styled furniture, traditional offices are a sight to behold and easy to achieve in most workspaces. Create a warm and welcoming atmosphere by incorporating furniture in a deep cherry, chestnut, or mahogany finish with office chairs in fine leather. Elegant details such as nailhead trim on chairs and picture frame panels on desks will give a nod to the historical significance or traditionally styled office furniture. Learn more in our guide to decorating with traditional office furniture and décor.

Transitional Office Furniture

Transitional design is a mix of traditional and modern interior design aesthetics. When it comes to design styles, modern and traditional are fairly well-known and easy to define, but the lines are blurred when it comes to transitional pieces. If you’re looking for a happy medium, transitional may be the way to go. Check out our guide to transitional office design to learn how to bring this classic yet modern look to your workspace.

Modern Office Furniture

Modern office design has a signature look that’s simple and clean. With a focus on minimal silhouettes and bold décor, it’s no wonder this is the go-to style choice for most corporate offices and startup businesses today. When adding modern design aesthetics to your office, remember to keep it simple, choose a cool color palette, and utilize artwork and other décor that makes a statement. If you're ready to go minimal in your workspace, read our guide to decorating with modern office furniture and décor.

Mid-Century Office Furniture

What's old always becomes new again at some point, and that fact is no different when it comes to office design. Mid-century modern office furniture and décor are reminiscent of furnishings made popular in the 1950s and 60s and made popular again by hit TV shows like Mad Men. Learn how to bring this bold style into your office by reading our guide to mid-century modern office furniture and décor.