Furnishing colleges and universities goes well beyond just traditional classrooms and schools. You're housing students and trying to give them a home away from home while creating functional learning spaces that best support each student's academic success. There's a lot to consider when choosing pieces of furniture and equipment for every aspect of a college campus. There are lecture halls, small classrooms, media centers and libraries, various labs, dining halls, and residence halls. Each one has different requirements and needs, including comfort for long study sessions, durability for heavy use, flexibility for versatile spaces, and technology integration for modern learning tools. We explore the different aspects of creating a successful learning space for all students. And these must-have furniture selections are trends today's colleges can't ignore!
Create a home away from home for college students
Whether you're housing brand new freshmen or returning students to your residence halls, it's important to create an inviting and functional space for them to reside. Not only will this lead to more academic success, but it will also encourage the students to take advantage of all the resources on-campus living provides.
Outfitting residence halls
Dormitory rooms are generally limited in space, so space-saving furniture with plenty of storage is essential. Additionally, consider the level of comfort you're providing with each furniture selection. Consider desks with multiple drawers, comfortable desk chairs, and storage cabinets with shelving options. It's also not uncommon to have shared resident lounges that might benefit from soft seating solutions and additional studying spaces.
Check out these featured products to inspire how you outfit your spaces:
Dining halls that delight
Similar to any school cafeteria, the dining halls at a college campus should include tables and chairs that can sustain high-traffic and endure regular wear and tear. College students prefer a variety of seating options like smaller tables, booth-style seating, and cafe tables.
Bring all the must-haves to your student dining experience, like:
Foster collaboration with flexible furniture options
One of the main differences between a K-12 classroom and a college campus classroom is that each classroom or lecture hall on campus is accessed by multiple professors. Different classroom configurations that are easily moveable to meet each professor's needs will be appreciated.
Design for shared learning spaces
Most classrooms and lecture halls on campus are shared spaces by those teaching each class. Professors don't have their own classrooms, therefore having access to universal tools is necessary. White boards, classroom dividers, and moveable desks and chairs are all helpful when quickly creating a learning environment that best suits each educator.
See how flexible your learning spaces can be with products like these:
Lecture hall flexibility
When designing lecture halls, there's many factors to consider. Beyond the varying layouts it's important to prioritize comfort, accessibility, and efficient use of the space. Collaboration and teamwork among students can be tricky if all the tables and chairs are fixed to the floor. Consider moveable chairs so students can easily interact with one another, along with stackable chairs and folding chair carts for flexible seating and mobility options.
There are all kinds of chairs to consider, including:
Get creative with your college lab furniture
Create a flexible lab setup that encourages a successful learning environment and a collaborative atmosphere. Multifunctional furniture that adapts to various disciplines promotes innovation and effective learning for each student. Most lab courses are meant to provide students with hands-on experience and additional exposure to the subject matter. Therefore, it's important to equip each lab with the necessary tools for success.
Here are a few lab furniture options and accessories to consider:
Help students stay connected wherever they study
College students spend most of their time outside the classroom and digitally connected. Media Centers and libraries allow students to explore multiple resources from books to digital databases to assist with studying and research. Library resources can enhance both academic and personal development. Prioritize connectivity wherever your students gather and study. And look for ways to incorporate furniture that supports technology.
Explore these tech-supportive furniture solutions:
School Outfitters has all the college furniture and products you need!
Trends are constantly changing and adjusting to new generations of college students and their academic needs. Technology driven choices coupled with flexible styles of furniture will always be a top priority for colleges and universities.
Shop our classroom, lab equipment, and media center products and get a free furniture quote or explore room design options with our team. Chat with an expert today!
