Introducing our Hospital Chairs
Knightsbridge Furniture produces and supplies a wide range of both patient chairs and recliners. Our products are offered with a wide variety of of features and options to meet as many requirements as possible. Accordingly our range of patient chairs are available in different form factors. One such form factor variation is the height of a patient chair’s back support. Furniture pieces range from short ‘club’ chairs to ‘high back’ chairs that support a patient’s entire back. The image below exhibits some of these differences.
Knightsbridge Furniture’s collection of patient seating offers a number of options and design features to give them a place in your patient environment.
- Caretaking Wheels – For easy positioning and relocating. (Note these wheels should not be used whilst the chair is occupied.)
- Handgrips – To assist in easy rising.
- Drop-Arms – A heavy duty vertical action drop arm mechanism to allows selected chairs to lower their arms to the level of the seat. This ensures easy transfer from either side.
- Hygiene Gaps – Most of our patient chairs are equipped with this feature to aid in the cleaning process and by extension infection control. The two exceptions are the Selkirk and Harris ranges.
Size Variations
Similarly, consideration is given to space constraints. Our ‘petite’ patient chairs offer our quality designs in a smaller form factor. In doing so the features of the full sized chair are preserved whilst being able to fit into less spacious areas. Examples of petite patient chairs are linked below.
- The Dalton Petite High-Back Armchair
- The Hamilton Petite High-Back Armchair
- The Selkirk Petite High-Back Armchair
Conversely, we also have larger variants of our most popular patient chairs. Both our Dalton and Hamilton ranges offer bariatric variants. Ultimately this enables patients who require more support than our standard furniture provides to appreciate our distinctive British design.
Introducing our Medical Recliners
Knightsbridge furniture offers a robust variety of recliners. Our catalogue present different levels of functionality and varied aesthetics to best suit your workplace environment. Markedly, our recliners offer seven variants of locomotion, including both manual and motorised methods. To illustrate the breadth of this pictured below are diagrams of our must simple and most holistic forms of locomotion.
Our most simple recliners make use of a simple mechanism to articulate. These provide simultaneous footrest and back movement. An example of a medical recliner that utilises a mechanism of this sort is the Dalton two-way tilt recliner.
By comparison, Trendelenburg locomotion is utilised by our most advanced medical recliners. Trendelenburg action allows the recliner to move with independent back and footrest movement. This allows a user to lay flat on their back. Otherwise known as the supine position. Our Trendelenburg recliners are perhaps best exemplified by our Hallam Grande recliner.
View additional details about these examples and see our full catalogue of recliners below.
Common mistakes when Buying Hospital Furniture
Over the years, hospital aesthetics have drastically changed. Where they were previously very clinical, cold and uninviting, the industry as a whole has identified the benefits of using bright colours, contemporary designs and comfortable furnishings to reduce anxiety that can surface when visiting hospital settings.
With this in mind, it’s important that furniture in hospitals is considered from every aspect. It must look inviting, be comfortable and serve a purpose and often, some of these considerations are overlooked. Read on to see the common mistakes we have seen when facilities invest in furniture.
Assessing needs
When looking for a piece of furniture it’s imperative to identify the specifications. Consider where will it be housed? Who will it be used by? What is the main functionality of the product? It’s important not to overlook user needs and end up with an item that might look great but does not meet the demands and purpose required of it. Considering most healthcare furniture applications will need to be used by individuals of all ages, sizes and abilities, it is imperative that any furniture selected can accommodate the needs of these people practically while providing an attractive and dignified environment.
Choosing price over value
Finding the balance between a good price and good value is something every industry comes across. Wanting the best cost but not compromising on the quality of the product can make sourcing furniture stressful, however there should be a sweet spot where the items you purchase cover these bases. Sometimes it may mean spending a little more to guarantee the quality is up to standard, but in a facility where people’s health is at the centre point this needs to take priority.
Appearance
With healthcare settings evolving and adapting the way they have to become warmer, more inviting places, it’s important that the furniture complements this. Warm colours, soft seating and curved angles all give a friendlier approach than cool tones, hard seating and harsh corners. Keep this in mind when selecting designing a space. Colour is something that will help create an inviting impression. Moreover, colour can have other beneficial imparts that aren’t clear at first glance. Learn the impacts of colour in interior design in ourImpact of Colour on Healthcare Environments article.
Additionally, consider the importance of ergonomic designs. Ergonomics plays a key role in the comfort and support of end users. They will always be critical in healthcare, no matter what the furniture looks like.
Fabrics
Selecting an attractive fabric is important. However, it can be rendered useless if it doesn’t meet the needs of healthcare facilities. It’s essential that soft furniture is made using healthcare-grade materials. All so they can withstand strong cleaning solutions that eliminate pathogens and bacteria. When it comes to upholstering in general, opting for products which don’t have seams or gaps between cushions or arms can be a great feature for controlling the spread and harbouring of germs. Learn more about fabrics on our Samples Page.
At Knightsbridge, we have helped thousands of architects and contractors specify furniture for every healthcare environment. In many cases we have endeavoured to design and redesign pieces alongside the specifier teams to ensure the very best solutions and budgets are achieved.
What is something you think is overlooked when selecting hospital furniture? We would love to carry on the conversation on our social media @knightsbridgefurniture on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.