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In office design, the first and most important things that must be considered are reception desk ideas.
It is the office reception area that creates positive first impressions, and directs interaction with your clients in the best possible direction.
Therefore, in a modern office lobby or at a modern reception desk, everything has to inspire positive feelings and trust, both for first time visitors and regular ones.
There is a lot to learn from hotel reception desk design, for instance, where guests are greeted verbally and visually, and given all essential information about the establishment.
The first thing to remember from such examples is that lobby design has to be sophisticated, but friendly, and limit unusual and unexpected elements to such that guests would perceive welcoming.
When it comes to office designs, your best shot is probably a contemporary reception desk where guests can familiarize with the values and principles of your business, and feel motivated to participate in your activities.
Don’t forget that first impressions are the ones that last the most!
Contemporary reception desk ideas
Be it an office or a hotel, the first thing the client must encounter is a friendly administrative assistant.
Office reception staff is not only in charge of welcoming clients, but also informing them and making sure all of their needs are attended in time.
It is only in this way that your cool and involving reception area design will be complete, and assure guests they’ve arrived to the right place.
Reception area ideas also include selecting the right furniture both for clients and personnel, where it is of vital importance to ensure neatly organized documentation for timely and professional service.
Wooden reception desks
You can’t go wrong with wooden desks, because they are a timeless solution that matches any style or activity.
The first wooden desks you’re probably thinking of now are rustic and somehow traditional, but nowadays when wood-made furniture comes in all shapes and colors, there is no need to worry on whether it can support your contemporary and stylish ideas.
With slightly more creativity involved in the process, you can still benefit from the functionality of a classic wooden desk in a modern setting – all it takes is to know how to combine the two.
Wood plus glass
If you’re planning how to incorporate a wooden desk in a modern environment, the easiest way to do it is combine it with glass.
For instance, you can use glass for a thick top layer, or doors and drawers, as long as the legs and the base are solid.
An even easier way to obtain a similar effect is to expose the natural grain texture with shiny and well-polished finishes.
Thanks to its geometric shape, the desk will still look rustic enough not to spoil the magic of actually owning one.
We encourage you to combine glass and wood, particularly in forms and ways that are unique and unexpected. Despite of what you think now, looking at them will assure you that the combination is indeed a natural one.
Modern settings
A modern desk will look amazing in every office, especially with a futuristic designer in the background, looking to intrigue the visitors and to make their experience memorable.
Still, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to benefit from an effective modern desk: the simpler it is, the more practical it will become, and the more eye-catchy details you can place on it to entertain clients.
You certainly won’t run short of tactics to do that, as a slightly uncommon shape or tweaked light will have the very same effect.
If minimalism is not your thing, think of dramatic and oversized desks with bizarre geometric forms which would attract attention with their abstractness.
That’s, of course, if you’re willing to sacrifice all versatile tweaks and customization ensured by classic reception desks.
Unique solutions
If you are in a position to purchase a one-of-a-kind desk, go for it. Any unusual form, bold color, or unexpected placement will make visitors remember your office, and ideally – come back to see it again.
Glass only
Glass desks are not exactly the safest option there is, but in a solid boxy form you cans still make your office way more modern than it already is.
CONVEX Reception desks
For those already familiar with design trends, CONVEX will certainly ring a bell.
This popular reception desk concept features curved acrylic facia which has become the trademark of many prominent firms and corporations.
The best part is that you can combine acrylic colors and Aspire Design elements in every way you want.
Geometric reception desks
Regardless of your expectations, the thing people notice first about furniture is its shape. A good or a poor shape choice can dictate the overall appeal of your desk design, as well as most of its functions.
This is why we recommend you to consider strict geometric shapes – with them; it will be easy to play with colors or to customize textures. Besides, they will never go out of style.
MATRIX Reception desks
Matrix reception desks are known by their tiled patterns on the front panel, usually available in all colors from the standard PMS chart.
They look elegant and professional, and help companies present their brand in a trustworthy manner. You can also apply geometric patterns on a single panel, or choose a 3-panel cluster for the diagonal corners.
Tips and tricks that will help you design the perfect office reception area
It sounds like cliché, but it makes more sense than you think – you will only be able to create a first impression once, so make it worth. In business, this timeless and wise adage counts even more than it does in personal life.
What you may not know is that potential clients need milliseconds to determine what type of company you’re running, and rely on design to make their minds about reliability, budget, and the quality they are going to be provided with.
Convey your message
A good reception desk is the crown of your lobby area, and there every detail matters.
An oversized and clean desk that boosts with personality is an immediate attention grabber, and one that speaks in favor of your power and organized structure.
Plus, more space means making things easier for your receptionists, and they will appreciate that.
Do some smart branding
Speak of who you are in a cleat and stylish way, so that clients would be comfortable doing the same, and foremost interested to collaborate with you.
For the purpose, you should use colors related to your company, display artwork and corporate memorabilia, and if possible, show that you’re running a well connected and happy team.
Pick materials that sustain plenty of traffic
The reception area is the most trafficked place in your company, as all stuff members, delivery service people, and clients have to pass there every day.
The only reasonable material choices for each feature are durable ones that can actually resist the effect of time.
For instance, think of granite as the toughest and also very attractive material for the floors, as it will make them luxurious and show no tear and wear for many years.
Same counts for laminate which is even easier to maintain. If you opt for a carpet, on the other hand, prepare to see all stains and damage since day one.
Shape is your most important decision
Make the desk easily accessible
Luckily, the choice for conventional settings is not that versatile: it will either be a curved one, a corner one, or a straight one, depending on how the space looks or what you prefer.
Make sure that the desk’s shape matches the rest of your lobby furniture.
What we have in mind is that the most professional solutions are large and clearly visible reception desks, where a client can establish eye-level contact with the assistant, or were multiple clients can be served at once.
If the desk is the first thing they see upon arrival, you’ve achieved your missions.
Note that there is a difference between standard rectangular desks and reception desks – in this case, all paper mess, or the receptionist’s legs and private belongings have to remain cleverly hidden from the visitor’s sight.
Comfort is a priority
Having in mind the number of people that pass through the reception area all the time, you have to secure enough comfortable sitting features to accommodate them easily.
There will be random visitors interested in your business, training experts, important partners preparing for a deal, or candidates waiting for their interviews.
None of them will like standing or walking around, especially when you can’t receive them in less than five minutes.
It won’t be enough to choose the first chairs that come to your hand.
Instead, you have to opt for plushy chairs and cushy sofas that remind visitors of home, because the more they like your hospitality, the less stress they will go through, and that’s what every business wants.
Don’t forget storage
A reception desk is not only supposed to look good, but to function good as well. You must provide the ideal setting for the person attending the desk, as his organization manner will have a big part in how visitors perceive your company.
Clever furnishing
You’d be right to assume that industrial furnishing is not the most inviting and coziest office setting, but that’s only before you’ve combined it with natural elements and cozy fabrics to improve its effect.
Here, creativity can produce amazing results and eclectic combinations that certainly work in a corporate environment.
Even cottage and industrial were considered impossible to combine, and professional designers found ways to play with both at the same time.
A specific and unusually bold idea is to use streamlined cuts of rich wood veneer, as they can make every office look classier and more sophisticated.
Inclusively, you can think of softer tones and frosted glass panels to support this elegant idea.
Ending thoughts
Reception desks and lobby areas are the first and last thing clients will see at your company, but also the ones they will remember the longest.
For a catchy and memorable welcoming area, you must consider an impactful desk as the focal element, and hire a receptionist able to represent your company in the best possible light.
Both where and how the receptionist works will be the basis of the client’s first expectations for the service you’re about to deliver.
Basically, he is still sneak-peeking behind the company’s closed doors, and what he sees has to inspire him to open those.
The second thing is to pay attention to the reception desk’s décor, be it a classy and modern solution that impresses associates, or a traditional one that assures clients you are to be trusted.
In both cases, you’re showcasing your openness for cooperation, and reveal that you care about clients from the very first moment they arrive.
Rather than technicalities and accessorizing details, you must start making up your mind about the style, shape, and size of the desk.
Often, this will depend on what the business requires (a booking desk in a local restaurant won’t look good with an oversized international corporation desk). Therefore, think of what you need instead of what you want.
Finally, remember that finding the perfect reception desk won’t be a challenge-free process. You can’t just rush into IKEA and buy the first one you see.
For a great impact, you must devote time and hire a designer to customize the ideal, brand-specific and functional desk.
Even if you have a very small reception area, a unique desk will have a better effect than a regular wall with a granite countertop and a shelving unit.
Both the service and the final product will cost, but they will be one of the most reasonable investments in your business you’ve ever made.
Despite of the method or material you’re using, try to stay consistent with the style of your company, and the industry you’re operating in.