Conference Room Design for Small Businesses

This Cynthia Rowley for Hooker Furniture Dining Room Front Row Upholstered Sling Back Chair is also perfect in a contemporary home office setting.

Small businesses often have multiple uses for a conference room. It can be set up as a formal room for presentations, board and client meetings. For some, this is the room where brainstorming sessions are going to be held. There are simply some activities that are difficult to do in a normal office setting. Imagine team members getting together for their annual strategic planning. This calls for a more official setting.

Design Basics

You have to first determine the maximum capacity of the room. If you’re aiming to accommodate around 32 people, you will need a room that’s no less than 32 feet by 14 feet.

Have you ever attended a meeting room that’s cramped? Didn’t you feel claustrophobic which made it difficult to concentrate on what’s being discussed? You wouldn’t want that in your own conference room so make sure that you have ample room to accommodate everyone.

This room or space must not be just for seating but also for the attendees to be able to move around. There are times when it is more beneficial to break up the space for smaller groups.

Comfort should be another aspect that you will focus on. This is a crucial design element. The chairs must be cushioned so that attendees will still feel comfortable even during long meetings. Always think about back support and upholstery when choosing office chairs.

Business Image

You could have moments when you will welcome people outside of your business. If not, you could also hold videoconferences which will still show the general design of the conference room so be wary of your company image.

What image would you want to convey? If what you have is a small yet trendy company, then you could have a more modernistic approach complete with bold colors and unique pieces.

Use the more traditional and tasteful pieces if you want to play safe with your conference room design.

Conference Room Efficiency

Design your conference room so that the attendees don’t have to leave when they need to take care of other tasks that are connected to the meeting. Have data and telephone ports installed into that room. Make sure to have your design based on the number of printers, laptops and fax machine, too.

Have an audio/visual screen installed or you can opt for the portable type. Have erasable markers and whiteboards made available as well as other office equipment.

Conference Table Configuration

Your primary choice should be the standard boardroom type – this is the oval or rectangular table with chairs placed roundabout it. Variations include the V and U shapes. Other options include the classroom style and smaller rectangular types.

Amenities

Buffet tables can also be used as a surface for snack service. This piece of furniture will also be able to keep glassware and serving dishes which you can put away once they are no longer in use.

You can also place a small fridge in the room so there won’t be any need for someone to leave the room just to bring in the refreshments.

Videoconferencing Setup

It is also crucial to consider the lighting design for your conference room. This is especially true when you will use the room frequently for videoconferencing.

Have the room evenly lit in order to keep the shadows at a bare minimum. Avoid glare from the sunlight by having blinds installed. Check also that the area where the camera view will be set isn’t cluttered with potted plants, artwork or wall treatments.

It is also advisable that you place sound-bouncing surfaces that will not interfere with the quality of the videoconference.

Tags: conference room design, conference room furniture, conference room setup, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 2nd, 2017 at 9:14 am and is filed under Furniture, Home Office Design, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.