Reception Furniture Says a lot about Who you are and What you Do

In any business office that has regular clients coming and going, the first impression about that business is made in the reception area. The reception furniture, your decor and the ambiance of your reception area can say a lot about who you are and what you do. It is often the first impression that new or potential clients have of you, so you want to make sure that the impression you want is given in your reception area. One of the biggest and most important investments in the reception room is in the furniture, which falls into three main categories.

Reception Desks is the first and foremost piece of office furniture in your recpetion area. They come in all shapes, sizes and materials. You can get straight desks, L shaped desks and U shaped reception desks. Regardless of the shape of the desk, there are some basic features that are very convenient and by some considered a must.  Such things as built in raceways, a sliding keyboard tray so that the desk surface can be kept clear for other work, and a privacy hutch that also acts as a writing surface for customers and clients. This also allows for critical distance and professional courtesy between a client and the receptionist.

Depending upon the statement you want your furniture to make, you can get rich finished furniture, such as cherry or mahogany, or you can get functional such as a gray or pewter finish, or you can go modern with a steel and glass reception desk.

Reception Seating is another huge category in reception furniture. The seating you provide clients and customers can range anywhere from single chairs to couches and love seats. Then can have functional wood or metal legs with a simple padded seat (as often seen in doctor's offices), to padded leather wing chairs (as seen in a professional office) or even leather sofas. Style can range anywhere from modern to traditional to classic to just plain functional. The color and material can really affect the atmosphere in the room as well, so you need to consider more than just the style.

A light wood chair with straight legs, and a green, blue or burgundy cloth patterned seat and back would be quite casual. But take that same chair, add a bit of style to the legs with a small curve, give it a dark cherry finish and black leather upholstery, and now it says something completely different about who you are and what you do.

Reception Tables that are often seen in offices can be end tables, coffee tables or the tall, long and narrow sofa tables. They are used to display accent pieces and decor as well as a place for magazines and other reading material that offices provide to waiting clients. Sofa type tables are seen more in professional offices, often along a wall and used for display purposes. A basic waiting room will have simple straight lines in their coffee and end tables, and mainly use them for magazines and a customers convenience. A professional office will have richer looking tables (luxuriant woods and trendier lines) and use them more for decor. Any magazines provided will be set forth neatly to compliment any displays.

As you can tell, the options are endless when it comes to reception furniture. The variations differ in style, color and material. But regardless of what you go with, choose something that suits your business needs, and then make sure it all matches. Whether you are a highly professional office or a mechanic, matching your reception desk, waiting room chairs and tables will subconsciously let your customers and clients know that you are conscientious, and they will transfer this feeling over to you and whatever you do. So don't treat your reception furniture like an after thought, take it seriously from the very beginning.