What to Consider When Designing the Perfect Reception Area

When it comes to inviting visitors and clients into your office, the reception area is one of the most important spaces for making a good first impression. While this area is often easy to overlook when designing an office, we guarantee that taking time to implement a cohesive design plan will pay off in the end. Every detail counts—such as the layout, design, reception area seating, lighting, and even technology—and ensures visitors have a favorable first impression of your company.

Designing a reception area isn’t always a simple task and there are a lot of factors that impact its overall success. Keep reading to learn what to consider when designing the perfect reception area and how Rework is here to help.

Cohesive Style and Design

The overall aesthetic of your reception area is the very first thing visitors will experience upon stepping foot inside your office. Every finish you choose—from the furniture, fixtures and décor—will influence how guests and clients perceive your business. It’s not uncommon for reception rooms to become a dumping ground for extra chairs and décor, but we encourage you to avoid this common mistake. It’s vital that the overall style is cohesive and that every item has a designated purpose.

Choose a color palette to unify and ground the room. Make sure artwork coordinates with the reception area seating fabric. Keep knickknacks to a minimum and try to select items that tie back to your company’s mission. Rework has an extensive portfolio of successful reception area redesigns, each with their own unique design aspects to ensure they are reflective of each individual company.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to our talented team of designers if you’re struggling to pull together a specific style—reception room design can be tricky. Rework is here for you!

Practical Layout

It’s important to think through the layout for your reception space to ensure maximum efficiency. Perhaps you only have a small area to welcome visitors or maybe space isn’t an issue at all. Both scenarios pose different challenges. With smaller footprints, it’s very important to pull in a professional space planner to ensure you’re making the most of each square foot. Furniture layout and even the décor you choose can greatly impact the usability of small spaces. Consider a small-scale reception desk and choose one with an airy footprint rather than a something heavy and large. Opt for a couple larger pieces of art rather than multiple smaller pieces to maintain a minimalistic vibe—we promise your space will feel larger than it is! For larger reception rooms, creating an area that feels cohesive and warm can be a challenge. Make sure furniture coordinates and choose larger pieces to fill the room. Select a few soft lounge options in addition to standard reception room seating to warm things up. Consider breaking the room into a couple vignettes with floor rugs to ground each area. No matter what size you’re working with, the golden rule is to always make sure you maintain a clear walking path to the reception desk, seating, and exits.

Appropriate Branding

Make sure you don’t miss the opportunity for branding in your reception area. Incorporate company colors if possible. Some companies even include snippets of their mission statement framed on the wall to remind visitors why they love doing business with you. If your company has won any awards, now’s the time to brag. Hanging award certificates in matching frames is a nice touch. Not only can this set the stage for a positive interaction with visitors and clients, but it also creates several talking points and adds to the friendly vibe a lot of companies are hoping to achieve.

Comfortable Visitor Seating

Comfortable visitors are usually happy visitors, especially when they have an unexpected longer wait. Make sure you’re including a few seating choices for guests—perhaps a couple ergonomically sound individual chairs as well as softer, more lounge style seating. People love options! At Rework, we make it a point to provide refurbished seating that still look stylish while providing ample supportive features. We understand that proper ergonomics can go a long way when it comes to visitor comfort and we’re confident that selecting quality, refurbished reception area seating will improve the overall reception experience.

Durable Furniture Materials

Durability is another important quality to consider when selecting reception area seating and furniture. These pieces will experience a lot of use over the coming months and years, as well as ample wear and tear. It’s always a great idea to purchase seating with good bones made from resilient fabrics. Consider incorporating stain repellant fabrics when possible—while they might cost a bit more upfront, they’ll last for years. Quality, contractor-grade reception furniture can withstand wear from hundreds of people and hold up for regular thorough cleanings. Selecting durable reception area seating is one of the best ways to keep your space relatively maintenance free and looking nice for years to come.

Updated Reception Technology

Another vital factor to consider when designing the perfect reception area is the technology you use to help track and update visitor appointments. Integrated technology is an essential part of any reception area as it allows you to streamline the check-in process and foster a more positive overall experience. Along with updating computer systems, select a reception desk with a cable management system— visible wires and cables can give off the impression your company is disorganized and chaotic. Consider including charging stations within the reception area. Giving clients and visitors a place to plug in for a few minutes will send the message that you care about their wellbeing.

Overhead Lighting

Lighting is something that should never be overlooked in your reception area design plans. In particular, natural elements such as daylight have a profound effect on an individual’s mood and focus. Not only is it a great addition to the main workspace within your office, but the perfect addition for reception areas. If your reception space doesn’t have a window, you can certainly opt for overhead lighting. Just make sure the bulbs you choose are warmer colored as it will create a more welcoming atmosphere. Harsh, bright lighting is a thing of the past and can cause unnecessary eye strain. Directing overhead lighting to highlight the reception desk, any branding on the walls, and the sitting area is another way you can subtly bring more attention to these important aspects of the reception room.

Extra Amenities

Depending on the amount of space you have left, you might even want to consider incorporating some additional amenities within the reception area for visitors. Coffee stations, small bottles of water and pre-packaged snacks are an added bonus that will certainly send the message that you care about visitors’ comfort. Although these extras certainly aren’t required, offering a quick snack and beverage can go a long way and even impact brand perception and loyalty.

From reception spaces, to conference rooms and everything in between, Rework’s team of experienced designers and space planners know all the tricks to ensure you create an office that works best for your needs. In addition to quality, pre-owned, and brand-new reception area seating, we also provide planning and design services to ensure every square inch of your floorplan is in perfect harmony. Pulling from three decades of experience, we treat each project uniquely and take pride in developing the perfect design options for each of our clients. The workspace of your dreams is more attainable than you think—we can’t wait to help!