There are a huge number of tough decisions that need to be made when designing the interior of a café or restaurant and one of these is what type of furniture to have.

If the proprietors are going for a stylish yet comfortable look, they may consider buying leather items. However, bar stools and tub chairs look good when made of artificial leather as well as the authentic material.

There are several key points to bear in mind when deciding which option to go for, with the size of a firm’s budget and the overall objective for its establishment tending to make the choice relatively clear.

What is the difference?

As with many other items, a vital difference between the real article and a fake substitute is the price. If people choose to invest in real leather furniture they can expect to pay more for the pleasure.

The reason for this is that people tend to be impressed if they realise that something is made of actual leather rather than a substitute. Tell-tale signs include the smell of the material and its natural characteristics.

While faux leather may not hold the same prestige as its authentic counterpart, in a lot of ways it is extremely similar. In fact, in terms of preventing stains, artificial material can often be superior to some types of leather.

How to decide

The key to your decision is whether it is worth paying extra for genuine leather furniture. Much of this can depend on what type of café you intend to open and the sort of people who will frequent it.

If you are intending on serving alcohol and envision a youthful, party atmosphere, then the chairs will probably get splashed on a fair amount, suggesting artificial may be the way forward.

By the same token, discerning drinkers – particularly older people – could be more likely to notice the quality of the furniture and be attracted to come back again. As a business, the opportunity of gaining repeat customers may be too enticing to let go.

Ultimately, your budget will dictate many of your decisions, but both authentic and artificial leather are worth considering no matter what.

I can sleep where you will go