Getting Office Furniture

If you’re renting space from the Austin Technology Incubator (ATI), you’ll be provided with office furniture, office supplies, copiers, conference rooms, Wi-Fi, and other necessary office tools. If you’re graduating from ATI, or you’re looking for office space on your own, you’ll need to obtain office furniture.

ATI Trusted Partners

When exiting ATI, companies are referred to the "Trusted Partners" list for recommended office furniture and office supply companies. You cannot buy or take office furniture from ATI, as it all belongs to the University of Texas.

Craigslist

If you choose not to use any of the furniture providers on ATI’s Trusted Partners list, we recommend searching Craigslist to find low cost office furniture. Click on "Free" under the For Sale section. Many companies moving offices are fast to give away old furniture rather than move it, and you might be able to completely furnish your office for free. Also check the Furniture section for extremely under market priced furniture. Even though you’ll probably need to rent a truck and hire movers, those expenses will be minimal compared to the savings on the cost of your office furniture.

Tips for Getting Office Furniture

• Have a plan. What specific areas will you need furniture for? (E.g. waiting room, break room, conference room, general office, print/copy room) In which areas will you or your employees be spending the most time?
• Buy quality over cheap. Since you’re probably planning on staying in business for the long-term, don’t buy cheap furniture that will wear down or break within a year or two. This will cost you not only the price of replacement, but also time out of your (soon to be) busy schedule to find decent furniture that will work for your office. Time is money.
• Remember to consider comfort. Your office space is where you will be spending a large chunk of your life, so don’t buy sleek, fancy-looking chairs that become uncomfortable to sit on after only a few hours (or minutes).
• Test office furniture and read reviews. Make sure you try out your furniture before you buy it. If you’re buying furniture online, go to an actual store to test the real thing before you buy. We also highly recommend reading online product reviews. No matter where you choose to buy your furniture, you can look up the brand online and usually find information about the products before you buy.