Northland Builds Lasting Quality in America

For over 40 years, Northland has been manufacturing quality commercial furniture for high traffic environments, proudly built in the United States. While trends come and go, we remain committed to this core aspect of what we do.

While there are many reasons to create and purchase furniture that’s made in the USA, our reason is simple: We take pride in creating quality products at home. The United States has a long-standing history of quality in manufacturing, and Northland strives to maintain this each and every day.

 

In-house manufacturing. Competitive pricing.

All of our collections are designed and manufactured in our 42,000 square foot US manufacturing facility by our team of engineers and craftsman. This means we’re able to manage the production process from start to finish, maintain flexibility to serve project needs and turn standard orders on shorter lead times, often within six to eight weeks – compared to twelve to sixteen from overseas providers.

Keeping good jobs in America should be a goal for any domestic manufacturer. We are proud to do our part in contributing to a strong US economy, and keeping jobs and profits in the States.

 

Flexibility to adapt as your needs change

We believe that working with a domestic manufacturer allows everyone involved the flexibility to adapt as needs and requirements change. During the course of any project, details are subject to change. Working with a US-based company helps make any necessary changes easy and efficient. Our lean manufacturing processes and robust technology allows us to offer competitive pricing across our collections, while still delivering excellent value.

Quality assurances provide us the ability to respond rapidly to your needs. Every piece of furniture produced by Northland uses top-of-the-line computer controlled machinery and a strict production schedule. Should any adjustments need to be made, we can do this quickly and effectively.

This improves our energy and cost efficiencies. As a result, we are able to provide competitively priced hospitality, student housing and senior living furniture built for durability.

Another factor to consider is that despite our best efforts, sometimes things can go wrong. No matter how well designed, how well planned the production cycle or how seamless the ordering process, problems can happen. When they do occur, rest assured Northland will remain close by. We provide immediate support and resolve any issues quickly and effectively.

 

Reducing our carbon footprint

Buying your furniture domestically can dramatically reduce our carbon footprint. Products manufactured and delivered in the US travel a significantly shorter distance, simplifying transportation. Simpler transportation means shorter lead times, and a decreased environmental impact. Northland also uses soft, damage-resistant reusable packaging, saving an enormous amount of waste each year. Northland builds sustainability into every piece of furniture it produces. We believe that furniture manufactured to provide lasting value and reduced weight on the earth is beneficial to our suppliers, our customers and to the generations to come.

 

Providing clients the expertise and service they expect

Northland takes pride in providing clients the expertise and service they expect. Using domestically sourced materials, including many from the Pacific Northwest, our craftsmen design and build furniture that can withstand high traffic and other challenging environments.

Northland offers one of the most comprehensive 10-year warranties in the industry. This is just further testament to our commitment to manufacturing durable furniture. We want your furniture to be the highest quality available. As a result, if you have any issues with your furniture, we will be there to assist quickly and effectively.

Hospitality Interior Design Trends Bridge Millennials and Baby Boomers

Hospitality design trends for 2017 indicate we will see both millennials and baby boomers with contrasting wants and needs, and accordingly, the industry will see challenges resulting from meeting those needs. In order to be successful, hotels will need to find the right mix of features to appeal to each audience.

 

“The easiest way to sum it up is that millennials seek to create a sharing experience—it’s a version of the “Uber effect”—while baby boomers look for a fundamental experience when choosing a hotel,” offered Jordan McInturf, vice president of sales with Shelby Williams.

Baby Boomer Seek Fundamental Comforts

When looking at baby boomer preference, most indicators point to familiar design elements. Here are some of the most commonly mentioned design trends for 2017:

 

  • Rustic – Traditional furniture is a favorite among travelers. Inspired by nature and the countryside, rustic design helps to create a warm and inviting atmosphere that’s reminiscent of home.
  • Metallics – Metallic tones are finding their way into many of the small details.
  • Monochrome – This classic finish will never go out of style.
  • Neutral tones – Inspiration from the outdoors paves the way for neutral, earthy tones
  • Natural textures – Expect to see different techniques with texture, including wire and brushing, which helps to make wood grain pop.

 

Millennials Crave Unique Sharing Opportunities

On the other side, addressing the wants and needs of millenials requires some new approaches. Millennials want each experience they have in hotels to be unique. As a result, the challenges revolve around how to provide more unique, authentic experiences.

 

No generation before has ever been interwoven like technology and millennials . This means that when staying at a hotel, millenials will expect much more than free Wi-Fi. They are seeking new ways to create and share their experiences, and simultaneously want to do so in environmentally conscious spaces. As a result, we’re seeing hotel lobby and room designs morphing into more open and flexible spaces and technology incorporated into functional furniture. Scaled down design with an emphasis on authentic and sharable experiences will be the standard.

 

As consumer tastes evolve, Northland Furniture will also be there to help. As we often say, we leave nothing on the shelf. We don’t carry stock furniture that sits, waiting to be purchased. We craft unique commercial furniture that’s made according to the specifications of our customers.

 

As an industry leader for over 40 years, you can trust that as wants and needs change, Northland Furniture will be there at the forefront.

 

Resources:

 

http://ehotelier.com/insights/2015/01/14/5-hotel-design-trends-to-watch-out-for-this-year/

https://www.houstoniamag.com/articles/2016/4/25/top-6-design-trends-will-be-hot-2017

https://www.genesisproductsinc.com/new-trends-in-the-hospitality-industry-the-modern-hotel-makeover/

How Does LEED Relate to Furniture?

There’s been a lot of discussion on LEED and LEED-certified buildings recently. But what exactly does that mean and how does it relate to furniture? This is reasonable question and certainly one worth exploring.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, is a globally accepted third-party certification program for sustainable building design and construction. While the US Green Building Council (USGBC) developed the program almost 20 years ago, LEED is now the world’s most widely used third-party verification program for green buildings.

The USGBC developed LEED to consider all aspects of buildings at any point in their development. Buildings seeking LEED certification earn points by addressing sustainability issues in several areas. Based on these points, projects can earn one of four levels of certification: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

LEED-certified buildings use resources more efficiently, saving water, energy, and ultimately, money. This is why in less than twenty years’ time LEED has grown to become the global standard for sustainable building.

LEED v4

Recently, USGBC marked the release of LEED v4. LEED v4 aims to improve the overall community experience through its “bolder” and more flexible design.

LEED v4 achieves its mission through design. While thorough and far more comprehensive than we can report, here are four areas where LEED v4 improved upon LEED:

  • Increased focus on materials, what they contain and how they affect the environment
  • Offers a clearer picture on water efficiency, while estimating building use
  • Takes a more performance-based approach to indoor environmental quality to ensure improved occupant comfort
  • Emphasizes smart grid thinking by offering credits to projects participating in demand response programs.

Northland Furniture doesn’t only provide long-lasting, functional and practical pieces; we also recognize that as a member of the global community we have a responsibility of sensibility. With this in mind, here are a couple examples of how Northland uses LEED-friendly practices.

Low-VOC

From our low-VOC, LEED-applicable water-based stains and finishes, to the local woods we source to limit our footprint and our use of blanket wrapping to limit packaging, sustainability is key at Northland.

Sustainable Woods

Northland uses both solid and engineered woods sourced from the Pacific Northwest, utilizing as much from the tree as possible while minimizing waste.

These are just a couple of more reasons to specify Northland on your next project, and how to potentially qualify your project for LEED credits.

 

Resources:
http://leed.usgbc.org
http://www.leed.net
http://www.usgbc.org

 

 

Engineered Wood | A Sustainable Hospitality Furniture Choice

When it comes to choosing the material for your next hospitality furniture project, you may want to consider engineered wood. Engineered wood provides many sustainable benefits for hospitality furniture. In addition to being ecologically responsible, engineered wood can enhance the structural integrity of hospitality furniture.

What is Engineered Wood?

You may be asking yourself, what exactly is engineered wood and how does it differ from solid wood? Engineered wood is typically made from the same species as it’s solid wood counterpart. Engineered wood is made from solid wood, veneers, chips and individual fibers. These parts of the tree are reconstituted using different resins and manufacturing processes. This process produces wood that performs better and often costs less than the same dimension of solid wood.

Advantages to Engineered Woods

While wood itself is a renewable resource, engineered woods have many sustainable and environmental benefits. Most often with engineered woods, 95% of the tree is used, which is typically much more than with solid wood products.

  • Highly efficient use of trees, waste can be recycled for further use
  • End product is free of knots, voids, warping and other imperfections
  • Consistent quality
  • Lays tighter and flatter
  • Higher load carrying abilities compared to solid wood
  • Resins used in these products don’t produce gas
  • Higher density, carbon-intense wood products sequester carbon dioxide, which results in a net negative carbon footprint

The many advantages of engineered wood make it a sustainable choice for hospitality furniture. By using nearly every part of the tree, nothing is left to rot or be burned. Using as much of the tree as possible ensure that nothing goes to waste, which is one of the hallmark principles of sustainable building practices.

At Northland, we use engineered wood to create beautiful and sustainable hospitality, senior living and dormitory furniture. Reduce material costs and your carbon footprint by choosing commercial furniture made from engineered wood. By choosing engineered wood, imperfections are avoided and quality remains consistent. Both strong advantages when it comes to hospitality furniture.

New Commercial Furniture Finishes Available at Northland

When it comes to commercial furniture, be it for a hotel, senior living community or college student dormitory, finishes matter. Each industry and setting can’t be locked into a singular color scheme. In order to personalize commercial furniture for the locale, industry and feeling you’re going for, having a wide array of finishes to choose from makes a big difference. Northland Furniture Company is pleased to announce that we have added new options to our extensive collection of commercial furniture finishes.

Commercial Furniture Finishes

At Northland, our long-lasting finishes provide unparalleled flexibility for our customers’ design aesthetic. With a vast selection available, Northland’s commercial furniture finishes can be used to adapt seamlessly into the unique atmosphere and ambiance of your commercial facility. A sample of the new commercial furniture finishes include:

  • Witchcraft
  • Driftwood
  • Skyline Walnut
  • Carmel Sagawood
  • Noce Secchia

In addition to new finishes with unique highlights and characteristics, we also have expanded our selection to include more traditional stains, such as walnut, maple and pine. Browse our full selection of commercial furniture finishes to get an idea of how different stains can be implemented.

Eco-Friendly Stains

Northland proudly uses eco-friendly stains and paints to complete commercial furniture finishes. Our water-based stains keep their color longer than traditional oil-based alternatives. Additionally, our stains don’t have a negative impact on the environment. Our non-toxic, water-based stains reduce groundwater and ozone depleting contaminants. Beyond a wide selection of colors, here are a few of the benefits of our eco-friendly stains:

  • Water-based paints and stains dry quickly
  • Easier cleanup using only soap and water
  • Mildew and mold resistant
  • Water-based paints provide a richer hue of color for a longer period of time
  • No harmful odors or fumes can be expected from water-based paints and they aren’t flammable

Northland offers a variety of commercial furniture finishes that are sure to compliment your hotel, senior living community or dormitory. Browse our selection of commercial furniture finishes and then contact us to speak with a designer about implementing your favorite colors in a tasteful and eco-friendly way.

Choosing Environmentally Friendly Hospitality Furniture Suppliers

Choosing environmentally friendly hospitality furniture suppliers may seem like a daunting task, especially when you’re trying to shop for the best deal. But choosing hospitality furniture suppliers that are conscious about the environment may end up saving you money in the long run.

Advantages of Environmentally Friendly Hospitality Furniture Suppliers

There are the obvious advantages to choosing environmentally friendly hospitality furniture suppliers. These suppliers go out of their way to help protect the world we all live in by using materials that aren’t harmful to the ecosystem. In addition, choosing an environmentally friendly hospitality furniture supplier like Northland Furniture Company could save on overall costs.

Northland ships hospitality furniture in blankets, which has many environmental and economical benefits.

  • Packing furniture in blankets cuts down on waste, which is good for the environment
  • Blankets can be reused, which also cuts down on packing and shipping materials
  • Blankets create a padded layer between pieces of hospitality furniture, which prevents damage during shipment
  • Using blankets instead of boxes and other traditional packing supplies cuts costs for both Northland and for our clients
  • All furniture is hand wrapped, which provides an additional set of eyes in our quality guarantee

Choosing an environmentally friendly hospitality furniture supplier also has benefits when you get your new furniture in place. Many companies create hospitality furniture using lead-based paints that not only are dangerous to air quality and human health, but also leave a pungent smell. Imagine staying the night in a hotel and smelling turpentine as you hang up your clothes in the closet. By choosing environmentally friendly hospitality furniture suppliers that use water-based paints, you’re helping both the environment and your guests.

When it comes time to furnish or refurnish your hotel or resort, you may be tempted to choose hospitality furniture suppliers from outside the United States in order to save money, but what you think you’re saving will eventually be offset by shipping costs, time necessary to build your order and more. When it comes to being environmentally friendly, choosing hospitality furniture suppliers in the US cuts down on your carbon footprint. Shipping within the US reduces the amount of oil used to ship your freight order from overseas, which is good for the environment. Often the shipping supplies used by overseas companies can’t be recycled, which is more reason to choose environmentally friendly hospitality furniture suppliers.

Interested to know more about Northland’s environmental impact? Contact us, we’d be happy to share with you more details on how we work to create a positive impact on the environment as well as build high-quality hospitality furniture.