A first time visitor to your workplace is likely to be forming an opinion on your company within the initial few seconds of arriving in the building. It’s certainly not new information that first impressions count, but it’s about more than just being met by a friendly face. Have you considered the vibe your reception area design might be giving potential new clients or future employees? Ben Johnson are specialists in reception area design and refurbishment including communal meet and greet spaces.

Think carefully about your reception area design or meeting room design, these can help to set the tone and sell your business before a single member of your team has even opened their mouth, or it can just as easily put your guest off.

So, let’s consider what you can do about it…

A modern, on brand reception area we created for Firmenich in Thrisk.

Office Reception Design – Design a space with purpose!

No pressure, but the ideal reception space should be welcoming and practical. Getting this right will convey an immediate sense of the brand or culture and can make a visitor feel instantly reassured that they have come to the right place. A good office reception design should have clear zones, such as an obvious desk to approach or a seating area to wait in, for example.

Since it’s important that the design of the busy reception area mixes practical and pretty, ensuring it is visually stylish while controlling access to the flow of people and deliveries, you’ll want to consider the logical placement of any furniture and the way the traffic will expect to move around that.

Make a feature of the key interaction point, which is usually the reception desk, and don’t forget to take into account the security aspect, accessibility for less able visitors, and provide clear and obvious signage to avoid confusion.

Consider what Materials you are using in the Reception Design Process 

Another important consideration is the materials you’re going to use in the reception area. Ideally, you want to be using a lot of very durable materials that will stand up to a high footfall or substantial wear and tear, or look for items that can be easily and cheaply refinished once they start to look a little tired.

This will prove to be more cost-effective over time even if the initial outlay is a smidge more of an ‘investment’.

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A reception area we created for KCOM in Hull, using practical yet natural materials to enforce their brand.

With this reception area for our client Keepmoat Homes, we made a feature of the warm exposed brickwork of the building, teamed with complementary but hard-wearing materials.

Don’t be afraid of your Brand Colours in your Reception Area!

Often the most fun part of beginning a new office interior design project is thinking about the colour palette, but this time bear in mind that your reception area is the first view many people will get inside your business, hence why the office reception design process is so important. 

This is not a great time to be experimenting and adding in new colours into the colour scheme if you are happy with your branding colours. One of the best things you can do here is to pull options from your own brand colours. Go vibrant if that’s consistent with your company’s style, but use shades that are true to your core branding, or complementary shades for contrast.

We created this bright and bold space for Circus PPC in Leeds, with a focus on their brand colours. You certainly know you’ve entered the right office! 

West Barn Co. opted for a white reception desk paired with some greenery, giving off a high-end, clinical feel. 

Unleash the Logo

Following on from the last point about solidifying the brand, your company logo should be included, visible from the entrance preferably. Showcasing your brand in your reception area sends a powerful message to everyone entering the space, not to mention that all important first impression! 

JM Finn is a prime example of this, an investment and wealth company who see lots of clients in their office in York, we showcased their brand perfectly in the entrance area giving it that wow factor! 

Lighting

Lighting is always an integral part of good interior design and should be considered as early as possible in the design process. The way a room is lit has an impact on our emotional response to it, which influences our initial impressions. Too much bright light can make a space feel clinical or uninviting, but going too dark leaves the space unappealing. 

If you’re clever about it, lighting can be used to make a smaller room look larger or to draw attention to a certain aspect of the space. A well thought out, smart, layered lighting strategy in a reception area with a mix of natural and artificial lighting can really make the difference to an effective and welcoming reception space that both staff and visitors are happy to spend time in.

For the SharkNinja offices, we used feature lighting to make the most of the reception desk and draw a visitor’s immediate attention to it.

Make use of Storage in the Reception Area 

Decluttering the space and keeping it tidy should also be high on your list. This keeps things simpler for visitors, allowing the key design features to have more impact. It also gives a far better impression than a pile of delivery boxes, empty coffee cups or messy stacks of paperwork.

Remember, you’re making a statement about your business here. Utilising storage in a reception area offers a space for all that ‘mess’, whether it is paperwork or pens! 

For our client Envirovent, the storage and reception desk is situated behind the two chairs and slatted feature, a smart way of utilising the space. 

With the skills and experience we have, it’s a simple task to implement some clever storage solutions that won’t ruin the overall look and feel of your reception to keep things organised, effectively tidying away less attractive but necessary items.

If appropriate, displaying examples of your company’s products around the space in some way can be a nice touch to the overall reception area design. This will give your visitors an idea of the work you produce whilst supporting the brand.

We created this contemporary and welcoming ‘meet and greet’ space for the MEPC office in Leeds. Soft, stylish seating and feature lighting were selected to clearly display branding and literature.

Creating a Private area.. 

And finally, don’t forget about your meeting areas! Visitors or staff attending the office for an interview are quite likely to also see the inside of at least one other room. Don’t let them be blown away by your entry space and then drastically underwhelmed by the tiny grey box of a meeting room you inevitably lead them into!

It’s all too easy to focus on one area but, with our experience, we appreciate the full journey through a building and want to support you to make that a seamless flow.

If you’d like some professional advice and assistance on a redesign of your office entrance, reception space or beyond, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.