Creating A Boardroom That’s Befitting Of Your Business

The boardroom is a place where important ideas are debated, interviews conducted and deals won or lost. As well as being one of the most frequently used spaces in your office, it’s where potential clients and employees will begin to form an opinion of your company. With so much importance placed on this part of your workspace, it’s crucial that you get the design just right. It’s not only about creating a stylish and comfortable meeting room, but also one that reflects your company’s brand, culture and personality. To help get you started, here’s how to design a boardroom that’s befitting of your business.   Choose an appropriate style   The style of your boardroom can say a lot about your firm and in the world of business, first impressions count. Start by thinking about what sort of image you want to portray and use this to get a feel of how you want the room to look. For example, are you a modern, cutting edge company, or are you more of a traditional brand? Everything from your office furniture choices to your décor scheme can play an important role in establishing the overall theme of the space. For example, an ultra-modern tech firm may choose contemporary, quirky tables and chairs and a vibrant interior design scheme to convey a sense of innovation and creativity. If you want to be seen as an authority in your industry, traditionally styled furnishings and sophisticated décor can help to project an air of success and professionalism. Think about whether you want to create a laid-back, relaxed vibe or stick to a more conventional, formal boardroom style.   Use branding   The boardroom is the perfect place to reinforce your company’s brand and express your goals and values. Not only can a branded room help to give your clients and visitors a clear sense of who you are as an organisation, but it can also help to instill a sense of shared purpose and unity among your workforce, which can in turn boost morale and increase productivity. Whether you are interviewing a prospective employee or delivering an important presentation to a client, your meeting room should be used as an extension of your marketing strategy to promote your brand and show your business in a positive light. As a minimum, try to incorporate your company logo and brand colours into your design scheme to boost its effectiveness.   Show off your success   If your boardroom isn’t showing off your accomplishments, you’re not putting it to its best possible use. If you want to demonstrate to your clients what gives you a competitive edge, your meeting space needs to exude an air of success at every turn. Whether it’s a trophy cabinet, a framed certificate or a mission statement, make sure you display your achievements, expertise and experience. As well as making you look more attractive to potential clients and employees, this can help to instill pride in your workforce everyday.   It’s also important to make sure that your fittings and furnishings are up to scratch. After all, a boardroom that has scruffy, poor quality furniture, drab cor and broken equipment is bound to reflect badly on your business and give the impression that you are unprofessional. The furniture you select is likely to be the first thing that people will notice when they enter the room, so make sure you invest in ergonomic, user-friendly and attractive tables and chairs.   Practical considerations   As well as aesthetics, you’ll need to take some practical considerations into account when designing your meeting room. Take the layout for instance - this is incredibly important as it can dictate how the room is used and can say a lot about your approach to work. For example, you may choose to do away with the traditional boardroom layout and opt for a circular meeting table to create a more intimate, collaborative space and promote a sense of equality. For a more hierarchical structure, a conventional rectangular or oval shaped table with a clear head of the meeting would be more fitting. Think carefully about how your business operates to help you choose the right arrangement for the space.   Of course, you also need a table that is large enough and has more than enough seats for your employees and visitors to be comfortable. Modular furniture can be a practical choice, as it can be arranged into a number of configurations to fit the size of your room and suit your changing needs. If you’re short on square footage, using stackable, fold-away chairs and tables could be a convenient solution. These portable furnishings can be used to add more or less space when required and can be simply folded or stored away when not in use.   Add the final touches   When designing your meeting room, take care not to forget about the smaller details. To avoid creating a space that is more style than substance, it’s important to be well equipped and have all the necessary amenities in place. If you regularly hold client meetings and conferences, you may want to consider investing in high-quality audio and video conference equipment to communicate with clients. For presentations and training sessions, having a projector screen or whiteboard may also come in useful.   Having a range of refreshments, such as water coolers and coffee machines, can also make a nice addition and show your visitors that you have taken their needs into account. Remember to provide plenty of natural and artificial light and add ventilation systems if needed to make the room as welcoming and comfortable as possible. By taking these tips into account and making sure that you get the style, layout and branding right, you should be able to create the perfect meeting space. Here at Furniture At Work™, we understand how important it is for a business to have a well-designed boardroom. You can browse our site further to see our wide range of stylish and practical office furniture. Alternatively, our team of experts are on hand to provide you with further guidance.