Your reception area is one of the first points of contact for your business, so it’s important to make a good impression. A well designed reception helps to streamline your customer or client’s journey and helps to create a comfortable and memorable experience.

Looking to update your reception area? Our team of office interior design professionals have created a reception design guide to help you make a great first impression.

Prioritise neutral colours

The colour of your reception has a huge impact on client psychology. Most reception areas, especially those in medical fields, choose neutral colours such as creams, whites, greys and soft blues as they promote feelings of tranquillity. If your brand has a strong focus on vibrance and personality you can incorporate bold pops of your company colours in feature walls, seating and other décor. This way you can have a powerful impact, without being overwhelming. If you want to add a touch of class, you can add hints of black, silver or gold and add in marble or leather finishes

Get creative with reception walls

While neutrality always goes down well, that doesn’t mean your reception walls need to be boring. If you want to liven up the space, you can create a feature wall using panelled wood, geometric prints, mosaic tiles or glass (you can even experiment with plantscaping). We recommend placing your feature wall behind the reception desk, so it becomes a focal point in the room. If you can, try to incorporate your company logo so guests can clearly identify it upon entering.

Add comfortable seating

Reception areas involve a lot of waiting, so it’s important your clients have lots of comfortable seating. Select seating that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also durable. You need seating that’s well constructed and made of material that can withstand years of wear and tear. If you are a medical reception, consider bacteria resistant furniture or seating that is easy to wipe down and disinfect. If you need help choosing the right furniture for your reception area, it’s a great idea to enlist the help of a professional fitout company.

Be mindful of lighting

Lighting can make or break a reception area. Too much fluorescent lighting can be off putting, but not enough light and things can start to feel dingy and drab. If your reception area has natural light, make the most of it! Arrange your furniture to allow the most sunlight to enter the space. If you’re not blessed with natural light, opt for soft, warm lighting to illuminate your space, or find some accent lighting to highlight the space.

Create an intuitive layout

To reduce confusion, you should always have clear line of sight between seating and the main reception area. Make the pathway to the reception desk as simple as possible. While you can always assist client wayfinding with signage, it’s always better to have an intuitive and clear design. When designing your reception area, consider the customer journey and possible confusion points. For example, if guests need to enter a lift to get to your office, signage is a must!

Want to build a beautiful reception area?

Contact the team at Urban Group. Our interior designers and builders can help you design a reception area that is sure to impress! We’ll manage your entire fitout, from initial concepts through to a first-class quality build with furniture delivered direct.