Reception Furniture Buying Guide

Your reception area is often the first impression that customers, colleagues, and other visitors get of your working environment. So, while it’s important that your office furniture is functional, your office reception area furniture should look the part and create a sense of welcome.

If you’re looking for furniture for your office, surgery or salon’s reception area, you’re in the right place. Our reception furniture buying guide contains everything you need to know about reception desks, seating solutions, and more.

Reception Desks

A reception desk is the focal point of the majority of reception areas, providing a space for your front-of-house team to work and greet visitors.

The right type of reception desk for your workplace will depend on a range of factors. This includes the space you have to work with, your industry, the style of your working environment, and how your employees work. There are a wide range of different desks available, to suit every space.

When it comes to design, contemporary reception desks tend to be simple and minimalist, crafted from modern materials such as metal, plastic, and glass. They often have LED lights, and accents such as metal detailing, or glass fronts. Traditional reception desks, on the other hand, are typically made from wood.

Glass top reception desk in a modern, white reception area

Once you’ve decided on your design, the next thing to consider is dimensions. The amount of space available will vary from workplace to workplace, and this will ultimately dictate the dimensions of your furniture.

There are a variety of shapes available to suit your space and design goals.  Curved reception desks can stand alone or work with other desks or units to create a larger or enclosed working area for your reception staff. L-shaped, U-shaped, and linear desks are also popular. Desks can also incorporate spaces for visitors to sit to complete forms and paperwork, or simply wait in comfort.

To find out more about curved reception desks, check out our article on their advantages and disadvantages.

Modern, orange L-shaped reception desk with white top with office chair and computer

The function of your reception desk should also be considered. For example, screens can be added to certain parts of the desk to create privacy, while storage can also built-in to ensure that it is as practical and functional as possible. And, when it comes to colours and finishes, the options are endless.

Did you know you can also commission a bespoke reception desk to perfectly meet your requirements with BT Office? Get in touch to find out more about this service.

Reception Seating

When planning your reception space, it’s a good idea to allocate a seating area for visitors to the building. Consider the maximum number of reception chairs that might be needed at peak times, the type of seating you want to offer, and where the seats will be positioned.

There are a huge range of reception chair options available, including tub chairs, sofas, high-back chairs, benches, beam seating, and modular reception seating.

Reception Modular Seating

Modular reception seating is incredibly popular as it can be re-configured to adapt to your business’ changing needs.

Green and red modular reception seating in a car showroom

High-Back Sofas

High-back sofas are ideal if you need to optimise privacy in your reception area. It creates a visual and acoustic barrier, while chairs and sofas grouped around a coffee table offer a great, informal break-out area.

Mauve and lilac colour high-back sofa seating in an office overlooking a city

Beam Seating

Beam seating is ideal for reception areas where larger numbers of people will be waiting. Beam seating can maximise the space and increase seating capacity for the area. There are some amazing designs available to ensure your reception area still looks great.

Stylish reception area with yellow-backed beam seating and white coffee table in centre

What are your visitors likely to be doing while they wait in reception? Will they need to work or prepare in that time? If so, your reception chairs will need to incorporate plugs, charging points, and a table or other surface they can use.

If you’re likely to have guests who will be visiting your office together, it may be beneficial to arrange your reception furniture in clusters (if your space allows).

It’s important to ensure that, as well as looking great and complementing the available space, your reception seating is also comfortable and easy to maintain and clean.

Things to Keep in Mind When Buying Reception Furniture:

When buying reception area furniture, there are number of key points to consider, including:

  • How much space do you have to work with?
  • What functions will your reception space offer? Will you need space for visitors to sit and await their appointment? Do you need a reception desk to accommodate multiple staff members?
  • How will you lay out your reception area to make best use of the available space?
  • Will your reception furniture need to fit with a specific style or colour scheme?
  • Will your furniture be able to withstand daily use? Will it last?
  • What are your plans for future growth?
  • What is your budget?

Why BT Office Furniture?

Since 1994, we have been providing office furniture, including reception area furniture, to businesses and workspaces around the UK.

Using our own fleet of vehicles and team of specialist fitters, we ensure that your office reception furniture arrives undamaged and is installed by experts, who are familiar with the products. We offer an extensive range suitable for a variety of office environments, including reception desks seating in various colours, shapes, sizes and finishes.

Get in touch today to find out more about how we can help you create the optimum reception area in your workspace. Just call us on 0800 298 7033 or email [email protected].