What to Consider When Fitting Out an Office Reception Area

When planning office fitouts in Melbourne, your office reception area should be your top priority. The office reception area will help form your clients’ first impression of your company, so it’s worth thinking about what you want to communicate. Your physical business space is like a symbolic representation of your business values and what you stand for. If your office reception area looks shabby or unprofessional, it will reflect badly on your business. It’s therefore worthwhile to carry out office fitouts in Melbourne that will represent your business in a positive light. Remember, you’ve only got one shot at a first impression. Here are some things to think about when you’re considering fitting out a reception area.

Business Branding

Your company logo and name should be visible prior to the entryway into the reception area. Clients want to be able to find you easily, so make sure the appropriate signage is present and correct. While you’re at it, you might want to make sure you have a street number and level number on your building as well. There’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to find a number when you’re searching for a certain street address. If your building has a lift, you’ll also need to specify the companies on each floor. Give your customers a helping hand and get your signage straightened out.

Professional Furniture

Make sure you choose high-quality commercial furniture to use as waiting chairs and table. Do not under any circumstances use residential furniture. It will give a domestic look that’s not appropriate for a place of business. Your waiting furniture should express professionalism, quality, comfort and cleanliness. Choose darker fabrics so that the furniture has a longer lifespan. Light furniture will show up stains more easily unless you’re prepared to get it cleaned regularly. Black or other dark colours for chair fabric will cover spills and look stylish for longer. 

Intentional Lighting

The lighting of your reception area will have a big impact on the mood you create in that part of your office. White fluorescent lighting can sometimes come across as being unfriendly and clinical. It can feel harsh and be too bright for the eyes to adjust properly. Warmer white lighting in the form of table or floor lamps is much more welcoming. Feature LEDs can also be set to a warm white setting, so make sure this is done when they’re installed. Softer lighting says friendly and approachable, which is exactly the tone you want to set for the entryway to your office. 

Separate Areas

It’s always best when considering office fitouts in Melbourne to make your reception a separate and contained area. It looks unprofessional for clients coming into your building if they can see the whole workforce. Of course, your staff would never be engaged in any activities at work that could look bad to a client, would they? Let’s hope not! But just in case, keep your reception area separate from the general open office area. You’ll have more control over your clients’ first impressions of your business this way too.