Use These Helpful Tips to Select the Right Office Furniture Finish!

Selecting new office furniture for your home or business can have it's challenges to say the least. Between measuring your space properly and finding a good value for your budget, the furniture finish is probably the last thing on your mind. All too often shoppers are eager to find new furniture and end up selecting a finish that doesn't work well with their specific decor. That being said, in today's post we'll highlight our professional tips and tricks to help you select the right furniture finish for your space.

When selecting office furniture, it's important to properly assess your needs before starting the shopping process. Second only to measuring properly, determining a decor theme to suit your personality is of the utmost importance. One key element of the planning process is the finish you choose to incorporate into your work environments. 

Before settling on a furniture finish for your space, consider the paint color, floor finish, and other important factors like the accent furniture and office chairs in your area. Areas highlighted trending paint colors like gray will want to choose more contemporary furniture finish options that include darker tones like mocha, espresso, and black cherry. Traditionally inspired spaces with brown, taupe, and khaki paint tones will benefit from more elegant wood veneer finish options like mahogany, maple, and walnut.

It's important to plan your space and furniture purchase the way an interior designer would. Strive to have all the elements of your work environment work together in harmony to form a cohesive look. If you fall in love with a furniture collection that's only available in a few finish options, consider painting your space to match accordingly. Whether your designing an executive office, reception area, lobby, or conference room, this mentality is a must remember point that will help you choose the right finishes.

When choosing a finish, it's best to let your personality shine as much as possible. Consider using wood tones to set the mood in your workspace. Lighter finish options like maple offer a bright and welcoming feel that works great in both home and business applications. Dark wood finishes like mahogany offer traditional appeal and work great in law and executive offices. If you're going for a more cutting edge look, consider using furniture lines with metal accents, this look is trending in a major way!

Last but certainly not least, when choosing a furniture finish be sure to research the hottest design trends. Don't be afraid to visit a few surrounding businesses to get inspired! Remember, you only get to select your furniture finish once! It's far easier and much more cost effective to paint your space when compared to buying all new furniture due to a poor finish decision. Shop around for full service furniture collections from reputable brands like Global Total Office, Mayline, and Cherryman Industries that go inline with your intended decor theme. Once you've settled on a line, always, always, ALWAYS request free finish samples to ensure your complete and total satisfaction!

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Office Design: Choosing The Right Reception Desk

Making a lasting first impression on your valued clientele is extremely important. That being said, first impressions being the minute visitors enter your business. For that reason, it's essential to choose the perfect reception desk to meet your specific welcome area layout. In today's article we'll showcase 5 different reception desk styles to meet the needs of any reception area.

Tight Spaces

Those limited by square footage won't want to take up too much valuable floor space with a welcome station. That being said, small reception desks with rectangular shapes typically work best for tight areas. Products like the Mayline RSBF Luminary Reception Desk should do the trick! The best part is, smaller stations like the RSBF are typically the most affordable. As we're sure you plan on growing your business in the future, using modular lines like the Mayline Luminary collection will also leave you with the ability to add a return to your station in the future to create more worksurface and additional storage.

Front Entry

Reception areas with front entry access doors are usually the most versatile. Regardless of your size, you should configure your reception desk to be the first thing guests see when entering your building. In most cases, rectangular units like one mentioned above will work great. In addition, U shaped reception desk models like the new AM-404N are also great for making an impression in larger areas. Keep in mind that making the welcome desk the main focal point of your area is always a good idea. When visiting for the first time, guests are often looking to talk to someone, check in, or obtain general information. Expedite their visit by creating a centralized visiting station that's front and center!

Side Entry

Office buildings are often configured quite strangely. In many cases, side entry buildings present challenges to interior design teams and office furniture specialists alike but really don't have to! Using an L shaped reception desk is the perfect solution! Depending on which side of your office features the entry door, a left hand or right handed station will make for a presentable welcome you can be proud of. Manufacturers like Mayline, Cherryman Industries, Offices To Go, and Global Total Office all offer plenty of new reception desks for sale that can be outfitted with modular returns that will allow you to change your station in the future if needed.

Three Way Entry

Hotels and many other businesses commonly feature the three way entry layout. When looking to accommodate this style of welcoming area curved receptionist desks are best. A curved station provides an excellent vantage point for guests from any angle. Popular lines like the OFM Marque reception station collection include best selling curved models in a variety of sizes to meet your specific space requirements. Situate your curved station comfortably along the back wall. This way, when guests enter from any of your three doorways you can see each other clearly and quickly.

Four Way Entry

With the exception of custom furniture configurations that cost a fortune, circular reception desk models are the best way to outfit your business when faced with a four way entry layout. Corporations with this type of space should again be looking to create a presentable front from any angle. Often circular units will accommodate 2 to 3 users comfortable. Models like the 55316 Marque work just fine with as little as one person. Depending on the traffic flow of your business, you'll need to decide just how many receptionists are necessary. No matter the case, a circular welcome desk will have your office looking professional and up to date without spending crazy money on custom furniture!

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How To Makeover Your Office Waiting Room

An excellent first impression is priceless in business. That being said a professional waiting room area to welcome guests is a must. In today's article we'll highlight the 5 simple steps you'll need to follow in order to design your space to perfection. From space planning to installation, the strategies and tips found here will make your project a breeze!


Step 1: Space Planning

This first important step in any office makeover project is space planning. To achieve an effective layout you'll first need to measure your waiting area. During this process make sure to notate power outlets, windows, entry ways, and any load bearing members. Once your space has been effectively measured, determine the number of guests you're hoping to accommodate. This will help you and your furniture provider to determine a layout that will work best for your specific needs.

Step 2: Select Your Seating Style

Once you've effectively measured your space, it's time to determine the seating style that will work best for your business needs and budget. Contemporary themed waiting areas commonly use beam style seating from popular brands like Global Total Office and OFM as this look is quite popular and affordable. Traditionally minded businesses looking to create an at home feel will benefit greatly from wood guest chairs and accent furniture. Healthcare environments will often use plastic and vinyl seating that's easy to clean and maintain. No matter the style you choose, keep your customer base in mind. Working with an interior design team is always a nice option if your budget permits.

Step 3: Choose Accent Furniture

Once you've chosen your seating, it's time to accent your products for optimal efficiency. Often coffee and end table sets will be available from the same manufacturer as your seating as a recommended pairing. Materials like glass, wood, and metal are the common and provide a nice compliment that doesn't over power a space. In addition to tables for waiting room applications, wall art, decorative plants, and area rugs all help to bring your decor to life.

Step 4: Prepare for Delivery

Rest assured, nothing is worse than having your new furniture and seating arrive when you aren't properly prepared. To avoid this common problem, work with your dealer or interior design team closely. Determine an estimated ship date for your products and mark the date on your calender. Once your products ship you'll have approximately 3 to 7 business days to begin prepping depending on the quantity of products needed for your makeover. Order tracking information is typically available upon request from most reputable vendors once items ship out. To prep, remove old furniture and create a staging area to keep your new products out of the way during the installation process. This will ensure a smooth transition that doesn't become overly cluttered.

Step 5: Installation

Once your items arrive you'll be ready for install. One nice thing about new waiting room furniture is that most of the top rated products ship fully or partially assembled. Items like sofas and lounge chairs make for a quick install process that's relatively hassle free. Items like individual guest chairs, beam seating, and tables may require basic tools and should be planned for accordingly. A basic power drill, wrenches, and screwdriver are definitely recommended. In several cases basis hand tools are actually included by the manufacturer but it's still best to plan ahead. A factor that's commonly forgotten about when installing furniture is the debris. Large items mean large boxes and an abundance of packing materials. Make sure you are prepared for a bit of clean up and have room in your businesses trash area to handle the amount of materials from your project.

With the 5 basic steps listed above you should be ready to take on your waiting room makeover. As previously mentioned, working with interior design teams and office furniture professionals will help to further prepare you for the project at hand. Remember, it's far better to be over prepared than under! Make sure to set a project time frame, shop online for value priced products, and have fun! The best projects are those that show personality and business ingenuity.

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Choosing the Perfect Waiting Room Furniture

 Choosing new waiting room furnishings is an important task for any business. This important area should be designed with the needs of your guests in mind while maintaining a style that matches your corporate decor. This article shares helpful tips and product suggestions sure to help you choose the perfect furniture for your visitor waiting area.

Before you begin the shopping process, you'll need to properly measure your space. There's no use shopping for stylish leather sofas and accenting products that just won't fit! When measuring your space, make sure to take note of all important electrical outlets, entry ways, load bearing members and other room obstructions.

Once you've calculated accurate dimensions and your usable square footage, sketch out a few practice layouts for your space. Simply determine the amount of guests you hope to accommodate and draw a few design ideas. When coming up with ideas, have a style in mind that will best showcase your companies prowess. While the traditional lounge area furniture look is always in style, modern office reception furniture is great for high tech work environments and high end businesses. Once you've settled on a style and layout, it's time to determine what type of seating will best meet your business needs.

A variety of waiting room chairs are available to choose from that will surely earn your space a host of positive compliments. From modular beam seating to traditional lounge furniture sets, these popular options are designed to keep guests comfortable while enhancing your workplace decor. When the time to decide on chairs comes, make sure to do your homework online. Shop for top selling waiting room furniture for sale online to give yourself the most broad range of products to choose from. You can also shop industry leading brands like Mayline, Flash Furniture, and OFM chairs for your project. These respected manufacturers pride themselves on cutting edge solutions designed for modern work environments.

Now that your space has been accurately measured, you've decided on a seating layout, and chairs have been chosen, it's time to find the perfect welcome desk to accent your space. When shopping for reception desks for sale online, you'll be greeted with ample in stock options to met your specific needs and space requirements. Popular styled include salon, L shaped, and curved reception desks with modern style. If you're in need of specific product suggestions, try Mayline reception desks as there top 10 selling casegoods lines all offer stations that are incredibly stylish, in stock, and budget friendly.

Last but certainly not least you'll need to add accent furniture to compliment your waiting room. Believe it or not, the little details often make the biggest difference in terms of boom or bust when it comes to the guest welcoming area. Adding products like modern coffee tables, accent lighting, and wall art helps to create more inviting spaces sure to make a great first impression. In addition to your new office furniture, you might consider adding accessories like literature racks to help keep your space neatly organized. Simply laying magazines all over your waiting room tables won't cut it! In the long run, a well designed and organized visiting area will keep your valued clientele comfortable and coming back for a second trip. Strive to make a lasting impact on guests with your professionalism and high class decor and you'll be on the path to success!

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