Office Reception Design
A well-designed office reception can provide a warm and welcoming first impression for guests and visitors and is an important feature to consider when designing your company’s office space.
There are countless projects featuring reception areas on Office Snapshots and we have put together a small reference guide highlighting some common elements as well as additional resources for ideas and inspiration.
Reception Desks
The reception desk is most often the focal point of the office reception and are designed to be eye-catching and obvious. Instead of being a standard office desk, many reception desks are custom made using materials such as marble, wood, cement, or steel to enhance the visitor’s first impression and to reflect the company’s unique identity.
Reception desks are the main interaction point for guests and should be designed to take this into account while still making it a practical and efficient workstation for the receptionist. Some also give the receptionist the ability to switch between standing or sitting throughout the workday.
Waiting Room Furniture
Given that the main function of a reception area is to give guests a place to wait until the person they are meeting with arrives, having comfortable and inviting furniture is an important consideration.
As you might guess, this typically consists of lounge chairs, sofas, and some sort of coffee table. However, some reception areas have added work tables and lounge furniture where guests are able to more easily get a few minutes of work done while waiting.
Logos, Branding, and Wayfinding
A company brand and style are commonly integrated through the use of logos, color, and design in order to connect the brand with the feelings invoked by the office reception. Wayfinding elements and good signage letting guests know where to go can be used to reduce confusion and enhance the welcoming nature of the lobby.
