Commercial Sofas and Upholstered Lounge Chairs for Contract Furniture Projects

Commercial sofas and upholstered lounge chairs should be quoted as complete constructions, not selected by appearance alone. The frame, joints, suspension, foam, cover, seams, finish and destination-market evidence all belong to the item that the project approves.

FBM Furniture works with companies only: Developers · General Contractors · Builders · Commercial Project Owners · Interior Design & Construction Companies · FF&E Solution Providers. Send the schedule, drawings or reference images, quantities, fabric and finish requirements, and the project location so we can compare the same specification line by line.

Product scope

• Commercial sofas for hotel lobbies, office lounges, reception areas, restaurants and shared residential-project spaces
• Upholstered lounge chairs and armchairs
• Ottomans and coordinated soft seating
• Booth and banquette modules where the seating specification is coordinated with the project drawings
• Timber- or metal-frame seating with upholstered seats, backs or arms
• Client-supplied upholstery fabric (COM) or fabric proposed for approval

Seating, casegoods, upholstery, metal frames and fixed joinery come from different production lines. We place each product with a factory that runs the relevant line and keep the approved construction tied to that model.

What to specify before requesting quotes

Intended use and dimensions

State the room or area, item code, quantity, overall width and depth, seat height, seat depth, arm height and any access limits provided by the project team. Identify whether the item is a sofa, lounge chair, ottoman, modular unit or fixed banquette.

Frame and joints

Name the required frame material where the design controls it: timber, plywood, metal or a specified combination. Provide drawings for a custom profile, fixed module or interface with surrounding joinery. The quotation should flag any proposed substitution rather than silently changing the frame.

Foam, fibre and comfort reference

State the seat and back build required by the specification and the performance or flammability requirement for the destination. Avoid accepting a generic “high-density foam” description without the item-specific construction and test evidence needed by the project. If comfort is important, define how the approved sample will be used as the reference.

Fabric, leather and COM

For a factory-proposed cover, record the selected collection, colour and approved cutting. For customer’s own material (COM), provide usable width, repeat, direction, required quantity per item, defects allowance and responsibility for delivery to the upholstery factory. The test evidence needs to match the cover and filling combination used on the order where the project specification requires it.

Finish, feet and exposed parts

Specify the finish on exposed timber or metal, the type and colour of feet or legs, floor glides and any removable part. State whether projecting parts ship removed and where the item-matched hardware will be packed.

Packing and labelling

Record the approved packing format, carton mark, room or area label and any unloading sequence required by the site team. Commercial sofas are normally treated as factory-built upholstered constructions; removable legs or other projecting parts should be identified explicitly rather than assumed.

Destination-market evidence

The project specification and local authority decide what applies. Before quotation, tell us the destination and the named standard or test method required by the project. We then check the evidence for the specific product and material combination rather than relying on a general factory claim.

United States — upholstered seating

16 CFR Part 1640 applies California TB 117-2013 to indoor seating furniture with an upholstered seat, back or arm. For products within scope, the rule also requires the prescribed permanent label. Mattresses, foundations and bedding are outside this part.

California — upholstered furniture

California Business and Professions Code sections 19101 and 19094 address covered flame-retardant chemicals and the related label statement for new upholstered furniture sold in California. Confirm the current project specification and evidence required for the exact product.

Australia — timber in wooden furniture

The Illegal Logging Prohibition Act 2012 and Illegal Logging Prohibition Rules 2024 place due-diligence requirements on importers of regulated timber products. The Rules include listed wooden-frame seats and wooden furniture categories. The importer and project team should determine their obligations; we identify the timber and request the available supply evidence for the order.

Other markets

Do not substitute a North American or Australian report for a different destination’s specification. Send the named requirement for the project. Where a standard number or hazard category has not been verified for the intended use, it should remain pending rather than being presented as a product claim.

Approval path

1. RFQ alignment: confirm item code, quantity, dimensions, construction, fabric, finish, destination and required evidence.
2. Quotation: compare each line like for like, with the packing and lead time shown and any substitution flagged.
3. Drawings and materials: resolve custom dimensions, feet, seams, modules, COM information and finish samples.
4. Sample approval: use the sample to confirm the agreed questions, including construction, appearance and comfort where relevant.
5. Bulk production: keep the approved model, drawing revision and material references connected to the order.
6. Pre-shipment QC: our own team carries out one inspection after bulk production is complete and before shipment, checking quantities, dimensions, finish, fabric and foam, hardware and packing against the signed-off specification. Your project team is welcome to attend.
7. Full-container consolidation: product groups from the same project may share containers. We consolidate goods from the specialist factories and issue a loading report.

Commercial terms relevant to the product

FBM Furniture works on full-container orders and does not ship loose cargo. Where the project fits our service, we can price one product group first as a reference and continue with the rest if the quality and commercial terms fit.

For suppliers you nominate, we charge a 5% commission. For products we source for you, we quote a direct price. Sea freight is quoted before shipment. All quotations, invoices and shipping documents are issued by FBM Sourcing.