Reception Desks

Just walk into any major company’s office building and you can see how important reception areas are. It may seem a little over the top to say this, but reception areas truly are the place where a company can show visitors who they are.

If you have any visitors come into your office it is important to give them a first impression that clearly represents your company’s mission statement and creed. Create an environment that transmits the feelings you want your visitors to have.

Office decoration in reception areas will vary based on how they want their visitors to feel. For instance, there is a huge difference in how a corporate attorney would decorate their entry way and how a hotel may decorate theirs.

Many offices will ensure that their reception area, and perhaps a conference room, is immaculately decorated. Then the rest of their office is the same boring bare-wall, row of doors as anywhere else. However, most guests will only see a small part of the office area and will therefore leave with a good impression of the company.

So what goes into a good reception area? There are many aspects to creating the right atmosphere for visitors.

First of all, you will need a comfortable sitting area for guests. It is good to provide reading materials and telephone access as well.

Secondly, the décor needs to be done in a way that embodies your company’s attitude. If you are an architectural firm, then there should be some stand out architectural pieces and designs in your reception area. If you are a doctor’s office, then soothing décor is necessary.

Lighting is another large aspect that can dynamically change the mood of a room. Your entire office may be fluorescent lighting. However, it is not a bad idea to invest in some softer yellow lighting that is more soothing. If you leave fluorescent lighting in your reception area then you may lose the effect of any decorating you do such as with artwork, paint, and plants.

Now the other hugely significant part of a reception area is obviously the receptionist and the reception desk. It is important to have a competent and friendly individual as a receptionist. This person will give your guests an impression of your entire company.

The tricky part is that receptionists actually have to do work in the reception area. So they cannot just sit behind pretty décor, as they must have functionality as well. So, the trick with reception desks is to ensure that they are functional as well as attractive.

Even if they are not, it is important for a reception desk to appear organized and efficient (as you want people to have this impression of your company as well). So, this means that all the “work” should be hidden. There should be plenty of file drawers and cabinets to hide all the pending work.

Additionally, many reception desks have a high front. This allows for the receptionist to place anything that the guests may need (visitor sign in sheet, business cards, etc) in a space that does not involve visitors messing up their desks. Additionally, high fronts also disguise the work out on the desk and the computer. This helps provide an organized appearance as well as privacy for the receptionist.