Your lobby is the face of your company, and it’s your opportunity to make a great first impression on new clients, potential customers, future employees, suppliers, and other people that you do business with. There are two main things to remember when designing your office lobby: it needs to be both functional and aesthetically pleasing. It’s not enough to have a beautiful lobby that doesn’t allow you to conduct business with ease, nor is it wise to have a functional office that is drab and dull. Here are some things you should consider when you’re designing or redesigning your office lobby.
Functional Elements Integral to Any Office Lobby
Function in your office is essential if you want to increase productivity, eliminate obstacles to efficiency, and create a space that facilitates and encourages work. The space must be useful to employees and visitors alike, and that means taking into consideration factors like traffic patterns, furniture arrangement, and the various uses of the space.
Among the most important considerations to make include having entrances and exits that are easy to locate, ample signage to direct visitors, comfortable furniture that’s also stain-resistant and easy to clean, stain-resistant floors that won’t be easily worn by heavy traffic, and plenty of seating options for guests and visitors. Finally, the reception desk must be central so that guests can locate it immediately, but the area should also be comfortable and designed to maximize productivity.
Construction by Daniels has incorporated many of these ideas in several of their building projects. View our gallery to glean ideas for your new build project.
Incorporating a Unique Office Design into Your Lobby Area
Keep in mind an office that’s functional without being appealing and comfortable will actually take away from the functionality of the space. A dull, ugly lobby and workspace is not conducive to inspiration, it isn’t welcoming, it can make your office feel institutional, it won’t make a good first impression on visitors, and it won’t reflect well on your company culture. Therefore, design is just as important as functionality in an office space and lobby, so here are some elements you should be sure to incorporate into your lobby area:
- Furnishings that are beautiful, comfortable, and high-quality
- A company logo that has prominence in the lobby area
- Artwork and art pieces
- Styles and designs that complement the rest of the building
- Material choices that jibe with your company philosophies
Current Trends to Consider in Your Office Design
Like all fads, office design trends are always changing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate a few current looks into your lobby that will be relevant and attractive for many years to come. For example, the natural and rustic look that aims to make indoor environments feel more outdoorsy is very popular right now, but it’s also a classic look that will create a quiet, calm, and natural ambiance in your office space. There are a few ways you can achieve this look, including:
- Using reclaimed wood
- Exposing concrete floors
- Natural elements like potted plants, green walls, and indoor water features
- Nature-inspired patterns, art, and upholsteries
Another popular trend in office design right now is the tendency to use multiple textures, colors, and patterns in the same space because this makes for a more interesting and personalized workspace.
The design of your office lobby is essential for portraying the right image of your company, but design without function doesn’t encourage a productive workplace. For help with your office design and to find out how to best fuse design and functionality to create a perfect new office lobby for your organization, contact Construction by Daniels today regarding our commercial construction and remodeling services.
