What to Consider When Furnishing a Restaurant or Bar

Seating is one of the most overlooked decisions when fitting out a restaurant or bar — it affects comfort, table turnover, cleaning, and how the space actually feels. Here’s what to think through before ordering bench or bar seating.

Durability over aesthetics alone

Hospitality seating gets far more wear than anything in a home. Commercial grade upholstery fabric, reinforced frames, and finishes that can handle regular cleaning matter more here than in residential furniture — even if it means a slightly higher upfront cost.

Bench seating vs individual chairs

Long bench seating along a wall or booth uses floor space more efficiently than individual chairs, and can seat more people per square metre — useful for smaller venues or high turnover spots. Individual chairs offer more flexibility for rearranging a room, which suits venues that host events or need variable table sizes.

Sizing to your venue

Standard bench lengths rarely match a specific wall or booth exactly. Getting benches built to your actual measurements avoids wasted space or awkward gaps, and makes better use of a small footprint.

Bar seating specifically

Bar benches and stools need to match your counter height, and need upholstery that can handle spills and daily contact. If your bar sees late night or high traffic use, ask about wipeable or more resilient fabric options.

We build restaurant and bar bench seating to order in Cape Town, sized to your venue. Get in touch with your space dimensions for a quote.

L Shaped vs Corner Couch: What’s the Difference?

“L shaped” and “corner couch” get used interchangeably, but there are a few practical differences worth knowing before you order one for your living room.

L shaped couches

An L shaped couch has one straight section and one chaise or extended section that forms the “L”. They’re usually a fixed configuration — the chaise sits on one specific side — and work well in rooms where you already know exactly how the couch needs to sit against a wall.

Corner couches

A corner couch (or corner lounge suite) is built specifically to fill a corner, with two sections meeting at roughly a right angle. Because they’re built to the corner itself, they tend to make better use of awkward or boxy rooms, and can sometimes be configured with the option to swap which side the longer section sits on.

Which one fits your space

If your room has a natural corner you want to fill, a corner couch generally uses that space more efficiently. If you want a couch with a chaise for stretching out and your room layout is more open, an L shaped design usually works better. Either way, because these are made to order, the exact dimensions can be adjusted to fit your room rather than the other way around.

See examples in our couches and lounge suites range, or send us your room dimensions for a custom fit.

How Much Does a Custom Headboard Cost in Cape Town?

If you’re comparing quotes for a custom headboard in Cape Town, price mostly comes down to three things: bed size, fabric choice, and whether you need a matching bed base.

What affects the price

Size — single and three quarter headboards cost less than double, queen or king sizes simply because they use less fabric and framing.
Fabric — standard cotton or linen blends are the most affordable option. Velvet, boucle and genuine leather cost more per metre and usually push the price up.
Height and shape — a tall or shaped headboard needs more fabric and more labour than a simple rectangular panel.
Bed base — ordering a matching upholstered base at the same time is usually more cost effective than adding one later.

Custom vs off the shelf

A custom headboard costs more upfront than a mass produced one, but it’s built to your exact bed size and fabric choice — useful if you have a non standard bed frame, want a specific colour to match existing decor, or simply want something that isn’t sold everywhere.

Getting an accurate quote

Because every headboard is made to order, the most accurate way to get a price is to send through your bed size and preferred fabric. Browse our headboard range for examples, or get in touch with your requirements and we’ll quote accordingly.