Collaborative Lounge Areas

The office lounge is no longer just a place to take a break. In the modern workplace, office lounges have evolved to become a place where people come together to collaborate and share ideas. When you have an office full of great minds, the office lounge can be a hub of creativity. Using what used to be called “lobby” furniture, and is now often referred to as “ancillary” furniture, describes furnishings that are used to answer the demand for different kinds of spaces at the work place that support creative and collaborative teamwork – sofas, easy chairs, ottomans, and pillows.

Comfort and a friendly feel have become key attributes of the modern collaborative meeting space. Today designers work to create a relaxing atmosphere that promotes comradery, comfort, and collaboration. As one designer put it, “Gone are the long tables and high-backed chairs. Enter the couches, coffee tables, easy chairs, and pillows.”

And you are not alone if you feel like some of your best ideas come when you are relaxing at the house after work. Getting out of the workstation and having a place to put your feet up helps with relaxing, making it easier to come up with fresh and new ideas. Comfy, residential style lounge furniture can put you into the frame of mind to hang out and chat with fellow workers about those new ideas.

Collaborative areas can also be setup for quick casual meetings between a few people. A small grouping of two to four chairs surrounding a compact conference table or low coffee table can be specified space for quick, comfortable collaboration.

Being aware of noise levels when selecting the space during the design process is important. The areas should be placed where the users will not be distracted by others, nor be distracting to those working in the proximity of a collaborative area. By grouping the meeting spaces by department, all of the employees in the area are more likely to use that space together at the same time, eliminating or at least reducing, the opportunity for distracting situations.

Reception Areas

You will never get that second chance to leave a first impression, so make sure it is done right the first time. As the first impression for your business, you want your office reception space to leave guests highly impressed with your space from the moment they enter.

When people walk into your office space, they have already made some kind of assumption about you or your company. A boring or uncomfortable reception area can give the impression you may be the same. Featuring your branding in the colors and style of the furnishings will help create an identifying scheme that you can use throughout your office.

The layout of your waiting room furniture should be aesthetically pleasing, allow visitors a wide, direct path to the reception desk, and provide sufficient space for those sitting in reception chairs so they are not bumping elbows with their neighbor. The tone, or style, of your reception area should convey a sense of what your business is about. For example, traditional waiting room furniture may not be the right choice for a startup company, where modern furnishings may be more appropriate. If clients simply need to check in before moving further within the building, small scale side chairs may be all that will be required.

The style of furniture will create the ambiance, as well as reinforce the brand of the company.

A tranquil and calming style uses clean lines, minimal clutter, and nature-inspired materials to make visitors feel centered, focused, and calm. For spaces whose main goal is to impress visitors and assure them that they’re going to get elite treatment, high-design furniture should be specified.

You can project energy and enthusiasm through a combination of modern looks and styles, clean lines and bright colors. Plenty of companies and organizations can benefit from an edgier, hipper vibe. When visitors walk into a space with an eclectic and creative style, they’ll definitely feel like one of the cool kids. This style is great for companies that want to stand out and get people thinking creatively.

Another consideration during the design process is that some reception areas can double as multi-use collaborative spaces. Mix of the type of lounge seating, with perhaps smaller seating groups incorporated into the layout of the area is a solution for that application. There may also be a need to provide electric outlets and USB ports for those impromptu meetings. Many of the manufactures we work with offer those types of accessories that can easily be integrated into reception chairs and tables.