The reception area is the first space that your clients and visitors come across when they visit your business place. It should be inviting, look professional, and match your business profile. The choice of the furniture in the area plays a crucial role in creating all these impressions. There are many different types of factors to consider when creating the perfect reception area for your office.
Important Elements
- Style: Consider your business type and choose furniture pieces that provide consistency with it.
- Layout: The layout of the desk and furniture shouldn’t be intrusive to foot traffic and be pleasing to the eye. Make sure there is enough space in the waiting area and for the receptionist as well.
- Address Functionality: The reception area is certainly going to need a desk. You will also need the right furniture pieces to provide proper seating to your visitors.
- Provide Comfort: Reception furniture is different from the furniture in other areas of your office. They are meant to provide optimal comfort to your visitors. At the same time the desk should also be comfortable and convenient to the employees.
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Matching with Business Image
Next, you should consider the type of image you want to create for your business. It should reflect in your choice of furniture and its design.
- Conservative: Follow a more formal design theme for your reception décor and seating. Choose seats that create a more professional image. Examples include conventional loveseat or club chair.
- Relaxed: Choose furniture that creates the sensation of relaxation in the visitors. The seating should create a more casual look. Make the visitors feel at home and create a sense of ease.
- Energetic: Creative and energetic businesses should create a similar impression in their reception area. Decorate the area with bright colours to create a unique look. Choose seating units that blend comfort and non-traditional style. Creativity with seating options gives your clients the idea about the kinds of solutions your business can provide them with.
Create a Welcoming Reception Area
Your office space should have more seating capacity than the number of visitors you expect. It can also be beneficial to create seating solutions for people with special needs or disability. The width of the doors should also be kept in mind to allow visitors in wheelchairs to access the area safely. Also keep the height of the counter in mind with regard to people with different abilities.
Make sure that the chairs or couches aren’t uncomfortable. They should also be ergonomic in design. Your visitors should be able to wait in the area for at least 30 minutes without feeling uncomfortable. When choosing chairs, include chairs with and without arms to seat everyone including the elderly.
Use of Colours
The colours of the furniture pieces also have an impact on the impression created on the visitors. Keep the following points in mind when choosing colour options:
- Choose calming colours for reception areas in doctor’s offices. Examples include blue, green, and pink shades.
- Green colour has a calming effect
- Blue colour stands for loyalty and honesty
- If your employees need to make decisions in the reception area, choose soft-blue or green shades in the area
- If it is a salon choose pink, as it gives an impression that your visitors will be pampered
- When choosing the colour for the reception area, consider the kind of image your business has
Avoid red and yellow because they incite sensations of anxiety.
Reception Desks
Keep the following points in mind when designing your reception desk:
- Size: It will depend on how large the waiting room is
- Shape: Choose a shape that addresses the needs of the receptionists and guests. Some of the popular options include L-shape, U-shape, and round-shaped desks.
As already mentioned, it is recommended to create or choose desks that can accommodate people in wheelchairs. Such desks have a standard height transaction counter and surface that can be accessed by anyone.
So when it comes to choosing furniture for your reception area, it is recommended to consider all these factors. The choice of the furniture should address both aesthetic and functional aspects to be effective.
