Creating A Sophisticated, But Welcoming Modern Reception Area For Your Offices

The first thing people see when they enter your company’s offices is the reception area. First impressions matter, which makes this too often neglected afterthought of an office space possibly the most important room in the place, especially if visitors are going to be spending any time waiting there! There’s nothing harder to shake than a poor first impression, so let’s consider how we can make the reception area the proud gateway to your company’s inner workings that it should be!
Furnishings – This is the place where style and comfort meet and work together hand in hand. If the layout and furnishings haven’t changed in a decade or more, it’s absolutely time for a makeover! These days there are a great many more options for stylish office furniture than there used to be, so shop around until you find a look and feel that is the perfect match for your company’s 21st century identity. Remember that feel is possibly a bit more important than looks, so make sure to give your new furniture candidates the sit test – if you can sit in it for ten minutes without any discomfort then your visitors can, too, and that will keep them comfortable and content while they wait! People really don’t enjoy being crowded together, so go with individual chairs instead of benches or sofas, so your visitors will be more relaxed than they would be stuck sitting next to a stranger.
Reception Desk – This is the bridge of this deck and is always placed in a position where it commands the attention of every new arrival. There are a lot of shape options ranging from U-shaped to L-shaped, but the main thing is that it looks professional while also being welcoming. The reception desk’s design and materials should always say something about your company’s culture, for example, if you are a cutting-edge tech firm, then go with sleek metals and plastics with plenty of curves. If your company is a venerable law or investment firm you want something that carries some weight and echoes the past without being stuffy and stolid, made from rich, dark woods like mahogany, or deeply tinted marble. An avant-garde architect or art agency might use bold bright colours and eye-catching geometric shapes to introduce the visitor to the creativity that drives you!
Colours – We have already touched upon this above, but we can’t stress enough the importance colour psychology plays when making an impression on visitors to your company. Colours influence our emotional state, so think about how you want your guests, customers, and employees to feel when they walk in the front door. Calm and cool from your silvers and blues? Warm and trusting from your natural wood’s rich browns and deep reds? Or perhaps lively and inspired by the magentas, oranges, and bright yellows on display? This is going to have a remarkable effect on how people present themselves and react to you, so make sure you have chosen the colours that are right for your business, and what it offers.
We hope that this helps you create a sophisticated yet welcoming space for your company’s reception area that makes the best first impression possible!