Thames Contracts have extensive experience of designing and installing stunning yet practical reception desks as part of an overall office design or refurbishment, or as a standalone project for companies throughout the London area.
It’s easy to focus on staff workstations and fittings for meeting rooms as the key items of furniture in office interiors, with the design of the reception area as a side issue. However, it is the appearance of the reception area, including the front desk, which can have a strong impact both on your visitors to your office and on your employees who deserves particular attention. In fact, the reception desk should be seen as “flagship furniture” promoting the image and values of your business in a tangible way. Here we explain why the design of your reception counter matters and show a recent example of our work.
Sending the Right Message to Visitors
The appearance of your reception area gives prospective clients their first impression of your company. It’s therefore important to ensure this is a positive one, designed to get them in the right frame of mind before they meet and talk to staff.
During an office refit, the front desk offers a primary opportunity for branding, making a statement about your organisation’s aims and values. For instance, company logos, design elements and colour schemes can all be incorporated in a tailor-made desk. If you are using glass partitions elsewhere in the offices, where your logo can be included in glass manifestation, then incorporating the same logo within the reception area will strengthen brand identity still further.
A bespoke, fitted desk that blends seamlessly with the rest of the decor also gives a sense of solidity to your business, even in leased office space. It helps to give a sense of permanence and an established look which can help build customer trust and confidence. To maintain a good impression it is important to use high quality, durable materials that are easy to clean and won’t easily chip or scuff.
Helping to Inspire Employees
Staff working within your business will walk through your front office every day, so this area sets the tone for the whole office space. A streamlined and professional-looking front desk is an important part of this and will help to create the right mindset for the day’s work ahead.
In the case of staff members who are involved in meetings with customers, it is especially vital that they feel a sense of pride and confidence when welcoming them. This not only includes actual reception staff, but also employees meeting clients at the front of your building.
The design of the whole reception area, including the desk, can work to convey your brand values. These may be general ones such as openness, innovation and attention to detail, or specific to your company. For instance, a health business may wish to prioritise a sense of cleanliness and efficiency, while tradition and honesty could be the most important factors for financial and legal businesses. Media, fashion or tech businesses may want an unusual or quirky desk design giving an impression of cutting-edge modernity, while friendliness and enthusiasm are key elements for service-oriented businesses.
Behind-the-desk design is also important and shouldn’t be overlooked. Storage and available space affect how organised reception staff can be, and this in turn directly impacts on the quality of interaction with customers. During the office space planning stage, it’s essential to lay out this area in way which will allow necessary paperwork or equipment to be kept easily to hand (e.g. signing in books, visitor passes and so on), but without giving a cluttered effect.
Case Study – Cheval Group
Thames designed this reception desk for Cheval Group, for their new offices in Watford, just outside London. It demonstrates how we are able to include a range of branding elements into a reception area, achieving many of the benefits to visitors and staff mentioned above.
The desk’s design features reflect the Cheval logo, which is prominently displayed above the desk, through the curved shape and reflective chrome. . The marble-effect materials convey solidity for this financial services company, while pale colours convey a sense of light and calm.
At the same time, the use of glass, chrome and very contemporary design puts across a message that the company is modern and up-to-date, while still being understated. As well as looking good, the desk also makes effective use of corner space. The counter height is low enough to feel open and accessible to visitors, but high enough to screen off the visual clutter of phones, paperwork and so on.
Bespoke Reception Desks by Thames Contracts
As expert fitout contractors, at Thames we don’t just fit off-the-shelf furniture, but design and manufacture reception desks to your specific requirements. This means we can create bespoke items which are made to meet the needs of your company. We can design to match your corporate colours and even shapes, and incorporate logos and other branding as required.
Our office design and build teams also have the expertise needed to make best use of a tight space, while ensuring that the furniture also looks impressive. We work closely with you to choose from a wide range of quality materials, colours and shapes, ensuring a truly unique end result.
Reception Desks London – Get in touch with Thames now to arrange a free initial consultation.