Hotel Bedroom Furniture Specification Checklist
A hotel bedroom furniture specification should fix five things for every room type before anyone quotes: the item list and quantities, dimensions in millimetres, materials and finishes, the fire standard for each upholstered piece, and the durability standard for daily contract use. Agree them in writing, approve a sample, then repeat the package across the building.
Key takeaways
- Specify by room type (standard, twin, accessible, suite) so one approved package can be multiplied across the building.
- FIRA lists hotel bedrooms as medium hazard under BS 7176. Mattresses follow BS 7177 and curtains BS 5867-2.
- Plan accessible rooms from the start: Part M guidance asks for at least 1 in 20 bedrooms to be wheelchair-accessible, and London asks for more.
- Ask which non-domestic strength standard each item has been tested to, such as BS EN 16139 for seating and BS EN 15372 for tables.
- Approve a pre-production sample of each item in its final finish before production starts.
Hotel bedrooms are hard on furniture. Luggage is dropped on surfaces, chairs are dragged across carpet, housekeeping cleans every surface daily, and the whole package has to pass a fire risk assessment. A clear specification is what separates a refurbishment that lasts from one that looks tired within a year. This checklist covers what to define for each item in a hotel furniture package, which standards apply in the UK, how to handle accessible rooms, and how to check samples before production. Use it as the working document you send to suppliers alongside your floor plans and room data sheets.
Start with room types, not products
Group your rooms into types before you choose any furniture. A 120-room hotel might have four types: standard double, twin, accessible and suite. Each type gets one furniture schedule, one set of drawings and one sample approval. The supplier then quotes per room type and multiplies by the room count, which keeps the order consistent and helps you reach workshop minimums.
For each room type, record:
- the room’s dimensions and door positions, with any fixed features such as radiators, sockets and bathroom pods;
- bed configuration (double, twin, or zip-and-link), which drives headboard width and the spacing of bedside tables;
- the item list, quantity per room and number of rooms of that type;
- which items are wall-fixed, which are loose, and who installs them.
Accessible bedrooms change the furniture plan
Accessible rooms need their own furniture schedule, not the standard one with a few items removed. A Greater London Authority practice note quotes the Building Regulations position that at least one wheelchair-accessible bedroom is provided for every 20 bedrooms, or part thereof. London Plan Policy E10 Part H asks for either 10% of new bedrooms to be wheelchair-accessible or 15% to be accessible rooms under BS 8300-2 (Greater London Authority).
Clear spaces, reach ranges and layouts for these rooms come from Approved Document M and BS 8300-2. Your architect or access consultant sets them. Your furniture specification then has to fit those clearances. Check desk knee space, wardrobe rail heights, bedside table heights relative to the mattress, and the turning space that loose chairs will take up.
The hotel bedroom furniture checklist
Use the table below as the minimum information for each item. Anything left blank on the specification will be decided by someone else, usually at a point where changing it costs time.
| Item | Specify in writing | Check on the sample |
|---|---|---|
| Headboard | Width to suit bed size, height, mounting (wall or bed), fabric and fire build, socket or switch cut-outs | Fixing method, fabric tension, alignment of cut-outs |
| Bed base and mattress | Size, height, BS 7177 hazard category, castors or legs | Height with the mattress fitted, fire labels |
| Bedside tables | Width, height relative to the mattress top, drawer or open shelf, cable management, edge finish | Edge durability, drawer runners, cable access |
| Desk or dressing table | Length, depth, knee clearance, power and data access, top material | Stability, finish resistance to cleaning |
| Desk chair | Seat height, frame material, upholstery and fire build | Comfort, glides, stability |
| Lounge or tub chair | Footprint, seat height, fabric, BS 7176 build | Seam quality, foam comfort |
| Luggage rack | Width, protective rails or upstand against the wall, finish | Load handling, scuff protection |
| Wardrobe or open hanging | Rail height, shelf depth, door swing or open front | Rail fixing, hanger clearance |
| Curtains and drapes | BS 5867-2 performance type | Test evidence for the fabric |
Fire safety: which standards apply to hotel bedroom furniture?
Hotel bedrooms are treated as medium hazard for contract furniture. FIRA’s guide to contract flammability lists hotel bedrooms under the medium hazard category of BS 7176. At that level, upholstery components are tested against a smouldering cigarette, a match-flame equivalent and ignition source 5 (often called Crib 5). The same guide says most hotel furniture should meet medium hazard under BS 7176 and BS 7177, and curtains Type B under BS 5867-2. Designated higher-risk areas need high hazard and Type C (FIRA (Furniture Industry Research Association), hosted by Skopos).
The domestic regulations work differently. VisitBritain explains that the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 apply only to upholstered furniture supplied for domestic use, as in self-catering accommodation. Hotels, B&Bs and pubs are guided by BS 7176, BS 7177 and BS 5867 instead (VisitBritain). A sofa bought from a high-street retailer with a domestic label is therefore not automatically suitable for a hotel bedroom.
In practice, you name the standard and the supplier builds to it. When you send a brief to Calder & Oak, you state the requirement, for example BS 5852 Crib 5 or BS EN 1021-1/2. We then confirm a compliant foam, interliner and fabric build in writing with the quotation. Confirm the requirement with the hotel’s fire risk assessor first, especially for suites, staff sleeping areas or any room the assessor treats as higher risk.
Durability: specify for contract use
Domestic furniture is not designed for hotel duty cycles. BSI publishes non-domestic standards for strength, durability and safety: BS EN 16139 covers non-domestic seating (BSI Knowledge) and BS EN 15372 covers non-domestic tables (BSI Knowledge). Ask each supplier which standard, if any, an item has been tested to, and ask for the report rather than a line on a datasheet.
Beyond test standards, the details that fail first in hotel rooms are predictable:
- Edges and corners of bedside tables and desks, where luggage and vacuum cleaners strike. Specify hardwearing edges and a finish that will stand up to daily cleaning products.
- Chair legs and glides, which take the strain of being dragged across carpet. Ask for replaceable glides.
- Luggage racks, which scuff the wall behind them. A rear upstand or rail protects the decoration.
- Upholstery on lounge chairs and headboards. Choose fabrics with contract abrasion ratings and check the fire build applies to the exact fabric you choose.
Calder & Oak’s hotel bedside table and hotel luggage rack are made to order, so dimensions, timber stain and powder-coat colour (any RAL) are fixed in the specification for each room type.
Finishes, colours and matching across the room
Hotel rooms are photographed, reviewed and compared, so finish consistency matters. Timber stains vary with species and grain, so approve stains on the actual timber, not a printed chart. Calder & Oak stains timber to an approved sample and powder-coats metal frames to any RAL colour. When headboards, bedside tables and lounge chairs come from different suppliers, send each one the same physical finish references and approve their samples side by side in daylight.
Sequencing the order
A typical made-to-order hotel package with Calder & Oak follows the same steps for every room type. You send the brief and room drawings. We return a written specification and quotation. A pre-production sample is made in the chosen finish and fabric (typically 7–15 working days) and approved in writing. Production follows (about 30–45 days), with an inspection against the sample and specification before packing, and then sea freight to a UK port (about 30–40 days). Plan around three months from approval to site, and tie the delivery to your installation programme floor by floor. Hotel rooms are quoted per project rather than to a fixed minimum. For headboard options, see our guide to hotel headboards. For how this package fits the wider budget, read what FF&E covers.
Planning a fit-out?
Send your room types for a bedroom package quotation
Share your room data sheets, drawings and fire standard. We return a written specification and quotation per room type, then a pre-production sample of each item for approval before production.
Frequently asked questions
What furniture goes in a standard hotel bedroom?
A typical package covers the headboard, bed base and mattress, bedside tables, a desk or dressing table with chair, a lounge or tub chair, a luggage rack and hanging storage. Curtains and lighting are often bought in the same package. List every item per room type so quantities can be multiplied across the building.
What fire standard does hotel bedroom furniture need?
FIRA’s guidance lists hotel bedrooms as medium hazard under BS 7176, which adds an ignition source 5 (Crib 5) test for upholstery. Mattresses and bed bases follow BS 7177, and curtains BS 5867-2 Type B for medium-risk areas. Your fire risk assessor sets the final requirement for each area.
Do the 1988 furniture fire regulations apply to hotels?
VisitBritain notes that the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 apply to upholstered furniture supplied for domestic use, such as in self-catering lets. Hotels, B&Bs and pubs are guided by BS 7176, BS 7177 and BS 5867 instead, which give a higher level of protection.
How many accessible bedrooms does a hotel need?
Building Regulations guidance, as summarised by the Greater London Authority, asks for at least one wheelchair-accessible bedroom for every 20 bedrooms. In London, Policy E10 of the London Plan asks for 10% wheelchair-accessible bedrooms or 15% accessible rooms. Your architect confirms the layouts.
How long does a hotel bedroom furniture order take?
With Calder & Oak, plan around three months. A pre-production sample typically takes 7–15 working days, production about 30–45 days after approval, and sea freight about 30–40 days to a UK port, before delivery to site.
Sources
- Fire safety of furniture and furnishings, VisitBritain (accessed 28 October 2026)
- Contract flammability guide: fire safety of non-domestic furniture and furnishings, FIRA (Furniture Industry Research Association), hosted by Skopos (accessed 28 October 2026)
- London Plan Guidance practice note: accessible student accommodation and Policy E10, Greater London Authority (accessed 28 October 2026)
- BS EN 16139 Furniture. Strength, durability and safety. Requirements for non-domestic seating, BSI Knowledge (accessed 28 October 2026)
- BS EN 15372 Furniture. Strength, durability and safety. Requirements for non-domestic tables, BSI Knowledge (accessed 28 October 2026)