The Complete Guide to Office Décor

Your reception desk is the centerpiece of your office’s waiting room. As such, it’s important to find one that will make your guests feel welcome and your receptionists feel comfortable all day. Unsure of what to look for in your new waiting room desk? Read on to discover what you should consider and how to make the best choices for your business.

What Size Reception Desk Should I Buy?

The size of your reception desk will largely depend on the size of your waiting room. If you have a small reception area, we recommend choosing a compact waiting room desk with a small footprint designed to be used by 1 receptionist at a time. If you’re working with a larger waiting room, you should utilize the space by equipping it with a larger reception desk. Just as a large reception desk will make a small waiting room look cramped, a small reception desk in a very large waiting room will make the room look disproportioned.

Modular reception desks are ideal for most offices as they can be larger or smaller to fit your space as needed. We’ve designed our Compass collection with this idea in mind, allowing you to configure a workstation that perfectly fits your waiting room, no matter how large or small. 

What Shape Reception Desk Should I Buy?

Reception desks come in various shapes, and you’ll want to choose one that best suits the needs of your staff and guests.

Single surface reception desks have a single writing surface for the office staff and a transaction counter for guests to write on. These may be straight or curved and come in a range of sizes to suit your waiting area. Smaller versions of this type of reception desk are also commonly used in restaurants and other hospitality settings.

L-shaped reception desks include a main desk and a return, which provides the receptionist with additional space to work. Most l-shaped desks are small enough that they are best used by a single receptionist at a time, though they come in various sizes to suit different business needs.

U-shaped reception desks include a 3rd work surface for receptionists to utilize. U-shaped reception desks can have curved or straight edges, and they can often be used by more than 1 receptionist at a time in a large waiting room.

Round reception desks have a curved or circular appearance. These reception desks are best suited for larger waiting rooms where they can be the center of attention. 

ADA reception desks are ADA compliant to accommodate individuals in wheelchairs. Most ADA desks feature a standard height transaction counter and an attached ADA height surface that measures about 33" high.

What Materials Should My Reception Desk Be Made Of?

There are plenty of materials to choose from! These are the most popular options.

Although laminate can look like it has real wood grains, it is actually made from a form of particle board with or without a wood grain print. Desks with a laminate surface construction are ideal for high-traffic offices because laminate does not scratch or dent easily and is generally easier to maintain and keep clean. Laminate is also affordable, making it a great choice for businesses on a tight budget. 

Wood veneer is a good in-between if you want the look of real wood without paying the high cost of solid wood furniture. Veneer desks have a similar base as laminate furniture (such as particle board) but feature a thin layer of real wood on top of that. Veneer desks can be trickier to clean and care for than laminate, but the veneer layer provides a much richer look that many offices prefer.

Although metal desks are available in all-metal varieties, most come with a wood or glass top with a metal framework for stability and industrial aesthetics. Metal desks are usually made of steel, though the gauge may vary. The desk may come in either a chrome or powder-coated finish.

In the case of glass desks, the work surface is usually made of thick tempered glass to prevent shattering complemented by a metal framework. Glass is easy to clean, but it does show fingerprints. If you don’t want a full glass top, there are wood top options with a glass inlay available.

Before you start thinking about conference chairs, you should have already selected your conference table. 

The number of chairs you'll be able to fit in your meeting room will largely depend on the size of the conference table. A good rule of thumb is that the width of the table in feet is also the number of chairs that can be comfortably seated around it. So, for example, a 4-foot-wide table can seat 4, and a 20-foot-wide table can seat 20.

Space permitting, it's also a good idea to add side chairs against some of the walls in your conference room. This will provide some overflow seating for individuals in larger meetings when there's not enough space around the conference table. We recommend leaving at least 3 feet of walkway space around your conference table to allow for comfortable movement around the room.

What Type of Conference Chairs Do I Need?

Conference chairs have a look that’s similar to desk and task chairs. So what’s the difference? In truth, most desk chairs can also be used as conference chairs and vice versa, but there are some distinguishing features. A task-style seating option is typically referred to as a conference chair if it has fixed arms and minimal ergonomic adjustments. The fixed arms provide support to users while minimizing the opportunity for causing distractions during meetings. Likewise, the lack of ergonomic adjustments prevents users from fiddling with knobs and handles while meetings are in session. Most conference chairs have only an adjustment for seat height. 

Big and tall chairs are sometimes used in conference rooms to support big and tall users. These are conference chairs that are rated to support 300 pounds or more.

Petite chairs are not often used in conference rooms, but they certainly can be. Petite chairs have a shorter cylinder and a smaller seat pan to support users of a shorter stature.

Side chairs or guest chairs are often added to the outside walls of a conference room to serve as overflow seating when a meeting is too large to seat everyone around the table.

Stools are often used in conference rooms with a standing or adjustable height conference table. The adjustable height stool allows some members to stand while others are sitting, ensuring everyone can remain comfortable during the conversation. 

Are There Any Special Features I Should Look for?

Stacking chairs are, as the name suggests, chairs that can stack on top of one another. Because you can stack them easily for compact storage, this type of seating is ideal when extra chairs need to be kept nearby for occasional use.

Nesting chairs are similar to stacking chairs, but they nest into one another rather than stack on top of one another. Nesting chairs are also great when compact storage is needed, and they are usually mobile so you can transport multiple chairs simultaneously.

Tablet arm chairs are often used as side chairs in conference rooms because they provide a writing surface for meeting members not seated around the conference table. 

What Type of Chair Upholstery Should I Choose?

Fabric upholstery is a woven material that helps give furniture a homelike look and feel. Fabric is available in a huge range of colors and patterns, making it an ideal option for conference rooms going for a very specific look.

Genuine leather upholstery is either full-grain or top-grain genuine animal hide. Full-grain leather shows its grain and natural imperfections and is as close to its natural state as possible. Top-grain leather is the most common type of genuine leather upholstery; it’s thinner and more pliable than full-grain options. Top-grain leather is sanded to remove imperfections, giving it a more polished appearance. 

Faux leather and vinyl upholstery are man-made alternatives to genuine leather. Faux leather and vinyl are made of either polyurethane (PU) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), both of which give the look of leather at a lower cost with lower maintenance.

Mesh is a textile that provides more breathability than any other type of upholstery. Mesh is durable, but it can be trickier to clean due to its porous design.

What Different Seat Types Are Available?

Pocketed coil systems are made up of a number of individual pocketed coils that help evenly distribute weight for user comfort. The coils are usually outfitted with a layer of foam on the top and bottom, with the top layer being less dense to create a cushioned feel.

Fabricated foam is one of the most common materials found on upholstered office chairs. This type of foam varies in density; the denser the foam, the more firm it will feel.

Molded foam is made from a liquid foam material poured into a mold—hence the name. This type of foam offers more consistent support and can hold its shape for longer than fabricated foam. This allows for more contour and a more comfortable feel for the users.

Memory foam has a unique chemical makeup that allows the seat to adjust to your individual body temperature. The seats, therefore, retain more heat than others, allowing them to mold their shape as the user moves. Memory foam seats are well known for providing superior customized support. In addition, this material is hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites.

TEMPUR® material is a specific type of material made by Tempur-Pedic® and designed to provide a superior level of comfort. This type of material is specially designed to conform to your body and relieve pressure points.

You use the chairs in your office every day, and they’re bound to get dirty even if you’re careful. To ensure your chairs look their best year after year, take these tips for the regular cleaning and maintenance of all upholstery types.

General Chair Care

Always test cleaning techniques on an inconspicuous spot first. Try the bottom of the chair, the back, or anywhere else that doesn’t show. Make sure you test an unseen spot before you try a new cleaning method on the whole chair. Even if you only use a mild soap, you never know how certain substances might react with your specific chair. Testing a hidden spot first will ensure you don’t damage an important part of the furniture.

Remove stains immediately. The longer a stain sits, the harder it is to remove. Do yourself a favor and clean it up now.

Beware of breathing in harsh chemicals. If using a cleaning agent that has a strong scent or chemical smell, only clean in a well-ventilated area.

Always check your chair for a tag with cleaning instructions. Most office chairs have a tag under the seat that outlines care tips. Look there first before beginning any cleaning.

How to Clean Office Chairs

Fabric upholstery can usually be cleaned using water-based cleaning agents or water-free solvents. First, vacuum any crumbs that may be hiding in cracks and crevasses. If you don’t have a vacuum cleaner handy, use a can of compressed air. Next, mix a few drops of mild soap in a bucket of water. Using a soft, lint-free cloth, wipe this on your test spot first. If it looks good, wipe down the entire chair, then use a second lint-free cloth to wipe it dry.

Genuine leather upholstery can be cleaned in 1 of 3 ways: store-bought leather cleaner, vinegar and linseed oil, or rubbing alcohol and water. For a more detailed description of how to clean and maintain a leather office chair, read our guide to cleaning and maintaining leather furniture here. 

Faux leather and vinyl are easier to care for than real leather. In many cases, you can clean faux leather and vinyl using water-based cleaners in the same manner as fabric upholstery, and many vinyl options can even be cleaned with bleach solutions. Double-check the tag on your chair for any special instructions to avoid damage. Read our guide to leather upholstery to learn more.

Mesh chairs should be vacuumed regularly, as crumbs tend to get caught in the little spaces. Any remaining dirt or stains can be removed using a damp cloth, but do not drag the cloth across the mesh, as this can cause the material to fray. Instead, dab any problem areas until clean.

Plastic chairs can be cleaned with soap and water, but avoid using bleach, which can damage the material. For stains, dampen a soft cloth with white distilled vinegar and wipe. Baking soda on a wet sponge can also create a mild abrasive that eats away stains without damaging your plastic.

Wood chairs need cleaning too! Regularly wipe down your wood chairs with a dry lint-free cloth. For deeper cleaning, choose a wood polish and apply it to the chair in small amounts using a cloth. Like with your upholstery, you’ll want to test your polish on an inconspicuous area before going over the entire piece of furniture.