As a funeral home director, one of your top priorities is ensuring the comfort and accessibility of your funeral home furniture for all guests. When designing spaces to meet diverse physical needs, it’s essential to go beyond comfort and create an environment that reflects professionalism, care, and respect for every family and visitor.
Why Funeral Furniture is Important
When guests visit your funeral home, they are often experiencing the difficult emotions of grieving the loss of a loved one. It’s your responsibility to foster a calm and welcoming atmosphere, supporting your visitors through this emotional time.
However, creating such an atmosphere begins long before guests arrive. You should consider:
- What type of furniture is needed
- Where the furniture should be placed throughout the funeral home
- Whether the furniture is ADA compliant
- How to keep your seating in pristine condition
Furnishing Your Funeral Home by Room
- Lobby: Include cushioned chairs or sofas arranged in small groups to create an inviting and relaxing atmosphere.
- Reposing room: Provide comfort and functionality by using folding chairs or upholstered stackable chairs along with long tables or end tables for photos or refreshments.
- Reception room: Incorporate easily movable chairs that can be rearranged to adapt to various group sizes. Long tables or end tables can be used for photos and sign-in books and other complimentary decor, such as flower stands.
- Arrangement room: Provide a professional and supportive setting for family discussions with a table and comfortable chairs.
- Chapel: Offer comfort with cushioned funeral chapel furniture along with a podium or lectern for officiants and flower stands.
As you make your selections, ensure that all furniture complements the overall decor for a cohesive feel.
ADA-Compliant Considerations
Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ensures that all guests can participate fully. In each room, ensure wide pathways of at least 36 inches for those with walkers or in wheelchairs.
Provide tables at accessible heights (at least 27 inches high, 30 inches wide, and 19 inches deep) for wheelchair users in arrangement rooms, lobbies, and reception areas.
Make sure that at least 5% of seating is accessible from wheelchairs. Choose comfortable chairs that have stable backings and offer a selection with armrests to assist individuals with mobility challenges in standing up or sitting down.
Chair Upkeep
After selecting your furniture, it’s essential to maintain and clean it regularly to keep it in top condition:
- Clean any upholstered furniture fabric according to manufacturer codes
- Treat upholstered fabrics with protectors
- Attach pads to chair legs to protect floors and prevent noise when chairs are moved
- After each funeral service, inspect the furniture for damage and perform prompt repairs when needed
- Maintain wooden furniture with extra care, using non-abrasive chemicals or a simple mixture of soap and water
- Replace chairs that show signs of wear or are no longer comfortable
For more cleaning insights, learn how to clean upholstered chairs.
Thoughtfully investing in comfortable and ADA-compliant funeral home furniture will help you create the environment your visitors need. As you prioritize their care, you ensure each visitor feels respected and supported during their challenging time.
