How to give your office some TLC

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Fitouts, architects and interior designers are seen as the design and construction experts. From start to finish, their priority is to execute the whole project as planned, even up to the tiniest bit of detail.

They like things to be presentable and, they’re all about keeping things good as new and long-lasting as possible. With this in mind, here are 3 TLC (tender loving care) office tips that fitouts can impart to their clients.

Tip #1: Know about these big chair NO-NOs

  • Relying on your chair’s armrests for support every time you stand up can break them. Armrests aren’t meant to withstand a lot of pressure so it’s best to use it just for resting the arms.
  • Bumping your chair against your desk. You can prevent this by ensuring that your chair has the right height.
  • Fiddling with the adjustments and buttons. If you’re not sure about how the adjustments work, ask. There are manuals and video tutorials that you can refer to in order to avoid any damage to the screws and functions.
  • Overlooking your office floor. Prevent floor damage by reviewing in advance your chair’s castors and floor surface. Inexpensive chairs often have hard plastic wheels resulting in damaged floor surfaces. Chair manufacturers like ourselves can help you solve this. We provide purpose specified castor options – either soft or hard tyred, or black or chrome finish to help protect your floor from getting damaged.

Tip #2: Placement is key

Keep your drinks away from your equipment as much as possible. Significant damage can happen if spillage occurs on your computer, keyboard and sockets.

Where equipment is placed in the office is vital. If it does not have enough space, it can overheat. If it’s close to the sink, it can cause electric shocks and power outages.

 

 

Tip #3: Regular cleaning

After fitouts and designers have done their job in completing the design of a workplace, the next challenge is now keeping it neat. After all, a clean working environment is key to making an office space long-lasting.

Now that you know these simple tips, feel free to explore our wide range of chairs that can suit your fitout needs.

 

Have a look at our products page now for great chair options or feel free to contact Tariq at tariq@capiscofitoutseating.com.au or call at 0438 789 271.

An eventful rainy trip to Sydney

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Tariq’s first visit in Sydney as Capisco’s business development manager was one for the books, showing his resilient and positive attitude during the whole trip.

Bring on the rain

Tariq booked an evening flight from Melbourne to Sydney on Sunday the 21st of March where he arrived a few minutes before midnight. Unfortunately, to his surprise, that was at the same time when Sydney was having some days of its heaviest rainfall. It was raining so hard, and, with no umbrella on hand, he had to run under the cold rain (poor Tariq!!!).

 

Hotel turned into a cosy couch 😂

But wait, there’s more!

After running to his hotel a few blocks from where the closest car park was, no one was around to welcome and even let him in. The worst part was that he couldn’t even contact anyone who was working at the hotel. Tariq ended up staying over at a friend’s house — in a very comfy couch.

But on a brighter note, he’s still pretty lucky that someone picked up the phone and helped him out at one in the morning, or else, he’d be staying the night at the airport.

After a night of surprises, Tariq kept his head high and was very much looking forward to his appointments. Although some cancelled at the last minute, he was still very much optimistic and grateful for all the people he met on his first visit! He was also offered an early flight home at no additional cost which was a great way to end his short and, maybe, bittersweet journey.

 

Have a quick chat with Tariq either via zoom or in person! No commitments, just a brief catch up. Plus, coffee’s on him!

Email: tariq@capiscofitoutseating.com.au

Phone: 0438 789 271

Breaking down the Laugh Chair

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By definition, the word “laugh” means: the spontaneous sounds and movements one makes that are instinctive expressions of lively amusement. With that in mind, the Laugh Chair came about with the idea of creating a chair that can be enjoyed in any space!

With so many different options, deciding on what kind of Laugh Chair you may need for your design can be overwhelming. As a result of this, we have broken it down for you in four easy steps of how to design your Laugh Chair.

PP vs Upholstered Shell

First thing’s first, what chair environment will the Laugh Chair be used in?

PP Shell: Mars Australia by Inscape Projects

Projects Upholstered: Optometry Australia by Incorporate Design

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re into an easy maintenance chair, go with the basics – the PP (polypropylene). It’s wipeable, easily stacked, and usually meant for waiting rooms that don’t require long periods of sitting. In fact, the Laugh in PP has been widely used in schools, cafeterias, and conference areas.

On the other hand, upholstered Laugh Chairs are mostly used for medical settings and training rooms where it’s left as is and aren’t really stacked after every use. Since it is upholstered, they are more comfortable for long periods of sitting, more suited than the PP shell chairs.

Frame

Now that you’ve figured out the shell, we move on to the chair’s frame. For the frame there are two key things to think about – armrests or no armrests, and the frame’s colour.

With armrests: Fitout at Central Steel Build

No armrests: Fitout at Central Steel Build

First, deciding whether you’ll be having the Laugh Chair with arm rests or not is really a matter of preference, purpose, and design.

 

Based on our experience with our clients, we’ve noticed that chairs used for medical areas usually require armrests for the purpose of assisting the occupant in lifting themselves up. Other types of settings such as universities, offices and homes don’t usually require armrests. It can also depend on how the look of the chair fits with your design.

Second, you could either go for the standard powder coat frame colours or go for a chrome frame. Our standard black ones have been very popular because of its classic look that mostly fit various interior designs.

We also provide custom frames to personally suit the chair you’re after. Feel free to reach out to Tariq for any assistance.

Legs

Do you prefer the look and functionality of a sled based or a four-leg based Laugh Chair? That is the question. The standard sled frame is popular for its simple look and ability to glide smoothly, which protects your floors. They’re also stackable, making Laugh Chairs useful and versatile.

But, if you’re into spicing things up with a four-legged wooden chair, then you can do so as well.

Add-ons

Last but not least, if you’re open to adding a bit more to your Laugh Chair, you can consider adding seat pads for more comfort on the PP shell model, and a Laugh Trolley, for easier storage and transport.

With seat pad: Fitout at Central Steel Build

Laugh Trolley

In summary, the shell, frame, legs and add-ons that you may need are the essential things to think about when building the Laugh Chair of your choice. There may be different elements to it, but when done in a step-by-step manner, it’ll be pretty easy to sort out.

 

For any assistance, we are here for you. Just reach out to Tariq@capiscofitoutseating.com.au

Alert: New Chair Models for 2021

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Starting May 2021, not one but three new task chairs will be available for your fit-out projects. We have noticed the need and demand for classic task and workstation chairs that are of high quality with reasonable pricing. Chairs that are perfect for any workplace, especially where long periods of sitting are involved.

If you’re looking for aesthetically pleasing curved mesh backrest design styling with ‘minimalistic’ height adjustable lumbar support, then you’ve come to the right place.

We are extremely excited to introduce the following:

Wave Chair

The wave chair has an ‘invisible’ height adjustable lumbar support, and its shaped top backrest adds a unique addition to the classic task chair. Several features include an auto adjust mechanism for ease of use and seat depth adjustment.

It is also available with height adjustable armrests and comes with a house black commercial grade standard seat fabric.

Wave Specs:

 

  • Height (fully ascended) from floor to top of seat (Without weight): 420mm
  • Height (fully descended) from floor to top of seat (Without weight): 520mm
  • Armrests width (from outside armrests): 630mm
  • Seat width: 490mm
  • Seat depth: 450mm – 500mm
  • Backrest width at lowest point: 485mm
  • Backrest width at highest point: 425mm
  • Backrest height from seat: 580mm
  • Lumbar support, lowest adjustment at centre of lumbar support: 140mm
  • Lumbar support, highest adjustment at centre of lumbar support: 200mm

Maverick Chair

We are very excited to introduce this brand-new chair to our collection because its seat depth and armrest adjustability is sure to please any user. The invisible lumbar support is also height adjustable, allowing for a seamless look while ensuring the chair perfectly fits any individual. Similar to the Wave, it comes in a house black commercial grade standard seat fabric.

Maverick Specs:

 

  • Height (fully ascended) from floor to top of seat (Without weight): 540mm
  • Height (fully descended) from floor to top of seat (Without weight): 420mm
  • Armrests width (from outside armrests): 690mm – 715mm (they are adjustable)
  • Seat width: 515mm
  • Seat depth: 480mm – 520mm
  • Backrest width at lumbar support point: 485mm
  • Backrest width at highest point: 445mm
  • Backrest height from seat: 570mm
  • Lumbar support, lowest adjustment at centre of lumbar support: 80mm
  • Lumbar support, highest adjustment at centre of lumbar support: 160mm

 

Ripple Chair

The ripple chair is the perfect task chair for someone who wants a sleek & sharp look. Complete with height adjustable armrests and lumbar support, the ripple chair will help any worker prevent lower back pain. In addition, the tilting features makes for a fun feature for people sitting for long time periods.

Ripple Specs:

Height (fully ascended) from floor to top of seat (Without weight): 430mm

Height (fully descended) from floor to top of seat (Without weight): 550mm

  • Armrests width (from outside armrests): 670mm
  • Seat width: 500mm
  • Seat depth: 470mm – 520mm
  • Backrest width at lowest point: 480mm
  • Backrest width at highest point: 435mm
  • Backrest height from seat: 580mm
  • Lumbar support, lowest adjustment at centre of lumbar support: 130mm
  • Lumbar support, highest adjustment at centre of lumbar support: 170mm

 

The Wave, Maverick and Ripple all have a load rating of 150kg. All manufactured to exceed Australian & International Standards and are designed & built to exceed the highest levels of strength and durability testing. The best part about our products is that the quality & build of these chairs are backed with an industry best and comprehensive lifetime warranty. ISO 9001 + ISO 14001 certified.

 

For more details or sample chair enquiries,

feel free to reach out to sales@capiscofitoutseating.com.au or call +03 9020 7299.

Central Steel Build’s New Office

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Inscape Interiors created this vivid and vibrant space which is true to Central Steel Build’s brand and identity at their new location in Kyneton, Victoria.

FITOUT: Inscape Interiors
AREA / SIZE: 800 square metres
YEAR: 2020
LOCATION: Saleyard Rd. Kyneton, Victoria
TYPE: Commercial Office Space

Central Steel Build, a building manufacturer located in Kyneton, Victoria, has recently moved into their new 800 square metre office space featuring various chairs of ours. These included our Rhythm, Italian Collection, Laugh and ottomans. They needed chairs that were functional, fit for purpose, and would last at least 5 years of daily wear. And we’re proud to cover all of these and of course offer a lifetime guarantee.

The overall design of the space truly manifested Central Steel Build’s identity of being industry experts. From its spacious interiors, deep blue and dark green accents, and paired with plenty of natural light, the end-result is definitely inviting. “Our main aim was to create a beautiful open plan office environment where the different departments were defined by colour & lines rather than physical walls, and a hub where staff felt empowered to perform and innovate yet feel safe with the luxuries & comforts of home” -Gerald Edmonds, Managing Director of Central Steel Build.

“Working with Capisco to further finesse our chair requirements for office, training room, boardroom, and breakout areas was a pleasure, the team’s sense of humour, ergonomic industry expertise, fabric suggestions, and superior Italian collection range made it an unforgettable and painless experience. Their assurance that the chairs and fabrics we chose would be delivered on time for our opening day was a real winner. The friendly & helpful delivery guy was the cream on the cake. Thanks team, you guys are awesome!” -Gerald

 

“It was easy (and a pleasure) to work with Capisco. We all collaborated so well to achieve a unique result that truly reflects the brand, as well as the look/function of our new HQ space. The process was stress free, ideal with so much decision making during a fit out process”.  -Luisa Pane, Central Steel Build’s Creative Lead.

 

 

Similarly, the team at Capisco enjoyed working with Gerald and his in-house designer Lu, through great collaboration to achieve the most beautiful fabric textures and colours for their design intent.

For your inspiration, check out Capisco’s chairs below.

Italian Chair

The Italian chair is elegant yet robust, making a statement in any breakout, meeting or office space. Available in 6 PP shell colours, with or without armrests and swivel bases, it is the perfect chair for any situation. Central Steel Build opted for chairs complete with swivel bases and arms, and have also selected beautiful shades of blue for upholstery.

Upholstered stools were also selected as it is perfect for high work benches.

Laugh Chair

The laugh chair is extremely versatile, offering customisation in the height, colour, upholstery, seat, and frame of the chair. Being stackable allows for easy transport and storage, perfect for sporadic use if necessary.

Rhythm Chair

The rhythm chair is designed for elegant boardrooms or meeting spaces with the fluid lines of the aluminium arm rests curving around the high-grade leather body. The olive-green leather rhythm chair chosen for Central Steel build looks amazing in the neutral toned boardroom.

 

Ottomans

The built ottoman has a compact design making it easy to carry. Along with its comfortable upholstery, the ottoman can be utilised in breakout spaces or even reception areas.

We offer full custom upholstery, so any colour or fabric you wish to see, Capisco can deliver. The orange colour used here is so vibrant and adds a lot of accent to the breakout space and reception area at Central Steel Build.

 

We hope that this Central Steel Build project inspired you and helped you see how Capisco can aid in bringing any design idea to life through customisation. Our lifetime warranty and sample chair offerings help to ensure the chairs selected are right for your design.

 

For more information, send us an email at sales@capiscofitoutseating.com.au

Capisco Fitout Seating: What We Learned in 2020

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After a crazy and challenging year in 2020, all of us here at Capisco Fitout Seating had the chance to reflect on the good things the year brought us. Specifically, our key learnings from those turbulent few months and how it made us all stronger both individually and as a team.

Compassion

“There is no rainbow without the rain. This year has taught me to love, to listen, to care, and to help. It is good to get things done on your own, but it is better to get through it with someone. Phone calls, emails and text messages mean a lot more these days. Pick up the phone and reach out to someone”. -SA

Compassion is an expression of understanding and caring for another individual. Because of the pandemic, each one of us learned how to treat the people around us with more sympathy. Simple things such as checking up on each other while we were all working from our own homes meant a lot – be it through call, text or WhatsApp.

Isolation, worry, and stress were a few of the things that each of us were going through so knowing that we had a team to count on during tough times made everything much more bearable.

 

Grit

“I have learned that you need to be able to adapt to changing situations and change”. -TR

 

“I’ve learned to focus on what I can control and by doing so I have become flexible and agile with changes both at work and with my personal life”. -AS

 

“I learned that embracing change and learning how to adapt is essential for both the business and its employees”. -HV

Grit means having passion and perseverance amidst hardship. Without a doubt, most businesses from various industries experienced adversity in the past few months.

What sets our team apart is our dedication to succeed no matter how hard things may seem. On our most difficult days, we constantly tried to find ways to get back up and adapt to the new normal so we could continue our mission of providing zero backpain in the workplace.

 

Teamwork

“I learned the importance and value of face-to-face interaction in regard to productivity and efficiency”. -HT

 

I learnt that a successful business is built on the integrity of its employees, the value proposition to our customers and maintaining a strong future relationship”. -TJ

 

“I learnt that there isn’t any substitute for communication & in uncertain & testing times there gets to be increased communication” & “speaking rather than emailing / messaging is just so much better!” -JM 

As cliché as it may sound, teamwork is everything. Being able to actively incorporate teamwork within the company, despite the world’s crazy state, is something that we’re proud of as a business. Having the sense of shared responsibility and a single goal is what kept the team intact and stronger. Because of this, a feeling of accountability, self-accomplishment, creativity and joy within all of us has been nurtured and reinforced.

 

Going into 2021, we are stronger and more appreciative of the year ahead than ever and are more than thrilled to be working with all of you in any way we can.

2021 colours of the year announced!

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Pantone, best known for their colour matching system, releases several colours that they predict will be popular in the upcoming year – whether it be in the architecture, fit-out or apparel space.

Last year, pantone shade 19-4052, or simply called ‘Classic Blue’ was selected. This is a deep blue shade that was referred to as a comforting and relatable colour.

Photos taken from: Pantone.com & Icon Interiors

Curious to know what the colours for 2021 are? Pantone have selected both ‘Ultimate grey’ (a pale grey) and ‘Illuminating’ (a soft yellow tone).

Photos taken from: San Diego Union-Tribune

The chosen colours work so well together as the bright yellow shades evoke feelings of optimism while the grey tones speak more of composure and resilience. Hence, reflect on the challenging year that was 2020 that we were all able to overcome.

If you’re thinking of incorporating these colours into your 2021 designs, we highly recommend our Italian Collection Chair with the shell 7502C which offers a subtle yellow or go for our upholstered Italian chairs that can be customised with soft grey fabric making for a comfortable and aesthetic breakout or boardroom chair.

The Italian chair can be made both with and without armrests and a range of different bases such as a swivel base, ensuring that it will suit any office fit-out requirements you may have.

As seen in the project photo below, the upholstered Italian Collection Chair is simple but combined with a pop of colour, looks very striking.

RT Edgar Toorak Real Estate’s office fitted out by Icon Interiors

Moreover, our wing chair is a fun design, available in yellow and is ideal for kitchen, waiting or breakout style seating. Adding colour to breakout spaces through furniture can be an interesting way to create a work environment in which creativity and collaboration blossom.

We hope both the colors ‘illuminating’ and ‘ulitmate grey’ sparked some inspiration and design ideas in you. Because at Capisco, any design you may have can be achieved as we customise chair materials, colours and features.

 

We look forward to helping you make the most of the 2021 colours of the year. Happy yellow-grey New Year everyone!

 

Explore the Italian Collection Chairs and Wing Chairs here.

Get to Know Tariq Jose: Capisco’s New Business Development Manager

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The Capisco team is pleased to announce our new business development manager. We are excited to welcome Tariq to our team as he brings 10 years of experience in client relations. Tariq will be working with Airalace for all enquires regarding present and upcoming projects and looks forward to helping you meet all your office Fitout and design needs.

Now let’s quickly get to know Tariq!

1) Question: In one word, how can you describe yourself? And why.

Answer: Amiable – What makes me happy is seeing others happy. 

2) Q: What is the main duty you have as Business Development Manager?

A: Build “long term” relationships and assist my clients to the best of my ability big or small. 

3) Q: Which aspect of the job are you most excited about?

A: Getting to know you, understanding your needs and how I can best assist. Most importantly keeping a long-term business relationship! 

4) Q: What do you think sets Capisco Fitout Seating apart from the rest of its competitors?

A: Our quality products at a very competitive price. Above all, our service to you! 

5) Q: What motivates you?

A: The satisfaction of the end result. 

6) Q: How can clients reach you?

A: Anyway, you best prefer! 


Because we want to get to know you a little more…


7) Q: How would your friends describe you?

A: Easy going! I am super chill, always love a good laugh and chat! 

8) Q: What’s your favourite thing to do on the weekends?

A: Family time, and when I get a few minutes after hours it would involve cars and motorbikes 

9) Q: What show are you currently binge-watching?

A: Power, Queen of the South, Queen’s Gambit 


10) Q: Coffee or Tea?

A: Coffee! 

11) Q: Pineapple pizza. Yay or Nay?

A: Not fussed but don’t proactively order it. 

12) Q: What’s your secret talent that no one knows about?

A: Ask me, I don’t want to run out of conversation points…haha 

13) Q: Show the best meme you have in your phone (Haha).

A: When I come home, clean up all the toys that’s scattered all over the house, walk away…

 

“I have worked together with one of Capisco’s directors in a different capacity over the past 2 years. I am very grateful for the opportunity to work with him directly and the Capisco Team moving forward. Looking forward to the growth and seeing what the future holds for Capisco Fitout Seating. Please contact me in regard to any enquiry small or big and I will do my very best to ensure it is completed to satisfaction.”

-Tariq Jose

 

Email: tariq@capiscofitoutseating.com.au

Phone number: 0438789271

Website: https://capiscofitoutseating.com.au/

How Workplaces Are Changing

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As we will never forget, around March of 2020, Australia started feeling the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. As cases began to rise, restrictions and curfews were implemented across borders, and offices were forced to shift in a work from home set up.

As some of you may know, Capisco Fitout Seating is a local business in regional Victoria. As a result of this, our office staff had to start working from home to adhere to social distancing measures. Only the staff at the factory continued to work onsite in order to keep the production and deliveries going.

During these trying times, our team has learned a lot about how the workplace has changed.

 

1) Mindfulness is not necessarily a bad thing after all

When we’ve asked one of our colleagues the simple question: “What do you think changed here in the office after being in lockdown for more than 3 months?” Her quick response was, “there’s less people in here and we’re more aware of the things around us”.

From her response we learn that people in the workplace are just more cautious and aware now. The constant washing and sanitising of hands, keeping a distance from another co-worker, and just practicing proper hygiene religiously are just a few of the things that will now be part of everyone’s normal routine.

 

 

2) The importance of overcoming social isolation and disconnection

After a few months of working at home, with no colleagues around, there were definitely times when things got tough and lonely for the members of our team. The feeling of being secluded can often result into either exhaustion from too much work or can even affect one’s mental health.

With this in mind, employers are now becoming more proactive in watching over their people through clear communication efforts such as: Structured team meetings, team engagements for collaboration, having fun, non-work-related activities and discussions. In this way, employers, managers and team members would all have a sense of connection rather than being disengaged from one another.

In photo: Elf in the shelf makes an appearance at one of our zoom calls just to drive engagement and excitement with the employees

 

3) Finding the right balance between individual flexibility and good leadership

For some companies, a work-from-home situation can be a walk in the park (call centres, online teaching etc). But for those of us who are new to this and value face-to-face collaboration, it can be a bit tricky.

We’re thankful that this pandemic has taught us how to cope in situations like this. Our sales staff learned how to better empathize with our customers and clients as we were all going through the same thing in this current climate. Their calls weren’t about selling but rather just there to keep the relationship active and let them know that we were there for them.

And this is all thanks to our sales staff being able to have that freedom and individual flexibility. They weren’t pressured to do hardcore sales calls but were given the freedom to explore different ways on how to connect with our customers.

On the other hand, it’s easy for managers to have the tendency of micromanaging their team because they can’t see them physically. Good leadership is about trusting your people and not about dictating and checking each and every move they make.

 

In closing, workplaces have changed and are continuing to change. But what our current circumstance has taught us are these 3 key things: mindfulness, overcoming social isolation, and balancing both individual flexibility and good leadership.

Does Office Design Really Impact a Company’s Culture?

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Business Culture is becoming more and more important and while it has been hard to measure and develop this year, with 2021 approaching there is no better time to assess how a new office design or Fitout could help to improve business culture as employees begin the return to offices.

 

Times are changing

Office uses are evolving into more than just providing tools and spaces in which employees complete tasks. Offices are now a space that draw people together through collaborative meeting rooms while seeking to attract and retain staff by creating a sense of community and belongingness while allowing for effective communication.

Office design can work to maximise natural light, incorporate fitness facilities or even implement dynamic work settings to allow for more informal lunch meetings. In fact, check out this lunch meeting area where colleagues can go around tables to better connect with each other.

In photo: Laugh chairs – they’re stackable & lightweight, great for drawing colleagues together

 

Employee collaboration and input

Collaborative environments and workspaces are all the rage at the moment as ‘many hands make light work’ which helps to boost productivity but, more importantly it creates a more inclusive and knowledge-seeking space. For example, a new colleague of yours, who, at first was unsure about how to connect with the rest of the team is now, due to an open-plan office design, is surrounded by an environment where ideas and opinions are nurtured and welcomed.

Encouraging participation and seeking advice from workers over something as simple as selecting an office chair allows you to build the motivation levels of the employees by nurturing an environment in which everyone can express their thoughts and opinions.

In photo: Rhythm chairs featured in a collaborative meeting space

Colours

Whether it be brand specific colours or simply bright and vibrant choices, having colour throughout an office through paintings, chairs or other furniture is so important. Brand colours or logos can aid in creating a unique environment that builds a long-term impression on both employees and visitors.

Colours can also be beneficial in terms of productivity in the office. Colours helps to stimulate the mind to allow for greater creativity and motivation both of which help a business to improve efficiency and innovation. For example, ‘orange’ stimulates concentration and ‘blue’ promotes calmness making it a popular combination for office design.

Our team can provide a variety of fabric colour options to match any colour you have in mind for an upcoming project. Better yet, we also customise chairs to suit the fabric of your choice helping to make every office unique.

 

We hope these ways inspire you to enhance a company’s culture by designing a collaborative, dynamic and vibrant workspace with our custom upholstery and various colour options helping to create any vision you have.