When planning the design of a reception area, it’s important to know at the start of the project a few key things about the reception desk. If you do it right from the beginning, you will save yourself and your business a lot of trouble and stress. Getting it wrong can not only be painful and take a long time, but it could also cost you money. This first step is important for everything that comes after, so make sure you ask all the right questions. Try to separate the way something looks from what it does. Don’t think about how it should look. Instead, focus your whole emphasis on the function of your reception desk in the space where it will be situated.
The checklist asks a series of questions that will provide your furniture designer with all of the information they need to proceed rapidly to the next step while also highlighting any possible issue areas that will need to be discussed before the design process begins. At the end of this post, you can download our checklist.
First step: the Reception Desk. What’s that? What needs to happen?
How many people need to be able to use it?
Do you want computer monitors to be visible to guests, or should they be hidden behind a raised counter? If you want to hide them from the visitor, you need to know their actual size, not just the size of their screen. You might decide that, given the cost of designing a reception desk to work with the equipment you already have, it could be a good idea to save money for a new display if it means getting a cheaper basic product reception desk.
Will it need to be set up for people who use wheelchairs?
Keep in mind that a recess on the visitor side can sometimes make it harder for the person working the desk to get their knees out of the way. Will people have to sign in? If so, they might need a high counter to lean on. With just one low surface, the room might need to feel more casual and open. Does it need to be put away? What kind, if so? So, pedestals, shelves, cabinets, etc.
Are there any multi-level walls, columns, floors, or ceilings that must be considered?
Who will use it on the side of the visitor? Will everyone who comes in contact with it treat it with respect, or must it be able to take some abuse? Maybe a hard plinth with a metallic finish would help the counter last longer.
Do you need it to be “safe”? If it’s going to be used in a school or public building, does it need to be closed off? You might want to think about security glazing.
How will the front reception desk worker get to it?
Since computer monitors have to fit on so many reception desks these days, it’s important to think about how this might change the design as soon as possible. It may not be possible to hide a big monitor, but we will work closely with you to find the best way to do it. When making a reception desk, this is often a place where people have to give in.
Eye lines and counter heights
A visitor who is able-bodied and stands at least 1540mm tall and walks up to a raised counter tall enough to hide a large monitor on a desktop height of 740mm would have a hard time making eye contact with a receptionist who is sitting down. A counter height of more than 1200mm may create a “blind area,” making it difficult to view the visitor and making the counter too high to utilize for checking people in.
Of course, many reception desks don’t do much more than hide the cables and put the receptionist’s monitor in the spotlight. In this case, it might come down to being able to move a monitor around, so a receptionist can stand or sit in front of their screen or even turn it toward or away from a visitor. When these things are important, you need to look into monitor arms that can be moved.
Step 2: Describe how it should look and feel.
Now that you’ve figured out how it works, it’s time to think about how it looks. How should people feel about it? Should it be cozy and welcoming, or should it be bold and strict? What do you want the person to do when they see your site? Is it just for function, or is it a “statement piece” that wants to take over the whole room?
Things to keep in mind:
What should it look like? Curved, straight, cone-shaped reception desk, or a mix of all three?
What should we add? Should it have up stands, raised counter caps, a recessed plinth, an integral feature, lighting, inlay banding, a graphics area, and maybe even a lightbox with a backlit logo? There’s so much to choose from!
What should the end be? Think about the information you have. A real wood veneer gives any reception desk a rich, high-quality look. Maybe how long it lasts is more important. Wood-grain laminates of today are very convincing and, of course, very durable. What about more finishes for buildings, like stone, glass, or steel? You can also choose from a wide range of man-made materials, such as acrylic, foil, reconstituted stone, or Corian.
A thousand words are worth a thousand pictures
Show us something you enjoy if you’ve previously seen it. If we all look at the same picture as a reference, we can communicate much more confidently and effectively about the design of something that is still just a concept. Check out what’s available online. There is a huge amount of great design out there, and here are some of our favorites.
Step 3: How much and when do you need it?
To get a project off to a good start, you need to know a lot about the budget and how long it will take. It can be hard to tell what has been set aside for the reception desk, especially when it’s just one part of a larger project for the reception area, but it’s important to know this from the start. Simple and honest is best. If you’re not sure about something, don’t be afraid to ask. How accurate you are at this point will determine how far you can go.
So you can get an idea:
Due to the amount of work that goes into making them, curved and conical desks are usually more expensive than straight desks. Because of this, they also take longer to make. Straight desks usually cost less, but they might not have the look you’re going for.
Real wood veneer costs more than laminate because it takes longer to put on, requires special skills, and has to go through a rigorous polishing process. It also looks like it costs more, of course.
Some projects will naturally need a one-of-a-kind, custom solution if the budget and time allow for it. But if you have less money to spend and need the desk quickly. You might want to look into a standard product. There are many ranges on the market right now that can meet a wide variety of design and price needs.
What’s different between real wood veneer and laminates reception desk?
Real wood veneer comes from the wood itself. A very thin sheet of unpolished wood is glued to a large area of the board (usually MDF) to make sure there is a lot of continuous grain to work with. It is then cut into the different pieces that will make up the reception desk when it is done.
The furniture maker often has a hard time figuring out how to cut the board into its parts because he or she has to make sure that the grain matches at every joint. Most desks are made with the wood grain running vertically, but a horizontal grain is also an option. It’s important to think about how the front and sides of the desk will look with either option. Maybe the worktop could have a different veneer or a different finish altogether.
If there are mistakes when cutting, the grain won’t match up, and the whole sheet might have to be thrown away. When dealing with genuine wood veneer, the adage “measure twice, cut once” is more crucial than ever.
After the board is cut and the desk is put together, it’s time to start polishing. This process changes the dull, unfinished veneer into beautiful gloss wood grain with a rich, deep shine that can’t be made any other way.
Faqs:
Why is it important to use real wood veneer?
Answer: For a rich, warm, natural finish that is one of a kind Wood grain laminate sheets start out as printed paper that is laminated and then rolled with a wood grain texture to make them look like real wood. This makes a material that is strong and flexible and comes in a wide range of finishes, such as plain, wood grain, and other specialty finishes. In recent years, the quality of this type of product has gone up, making it look more and more like real wood veneer.
The boards that make up a laminated reception desk are cut from plain, unfinished MDF and put together by a cabinet maker using biscuit joints. Once the building is done, the maker puts the laminate sheets on each panel, making sure that the pattern of the wood grain matches at all joints. The ends of the boards that stick out are covered with matching PVC strips.
Because the finish on a laminate sheet does not need to be manually polished. The desk can go through the production considerably faster and is typically less expensive as a consequence.
Why did you choose laminate?
Answer: To give it a clean, crisp, well-defined finish that looks good and lasts a long time.
What do I have to give?
After you’ve thought about and answered the above questions. You also need to: A drawing or sketch of the floor space, with any architectural elements, clearly marked and measured and power supplies are shown.
The approximate size of the desk you want. If you can, take a few quick pictures of the area.
Step 4 – The presentation of the reception design
Once you’ve talked to us and given us all the information from Section 1. It’s time for us to put in the hours. We will work with you to figure out what you want and come up with a complete, modern design.
Step 5: Making the order, getting it delivered recpetion desk, and putting it in place
Once you agree on the design, price, and lead time, you can place your order. At this point, we’ll make the final construction drawings for you to approve (unless it’s a standard product for which drawings aren’t needed). Take your time and really look at them. Ask questions if you are even a little bit unsure about anything at this point. These are the drawings that will be given to the people who will make your reception desk. So if it’s on the drawing, it will be on the desk.
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Also See: Office Reception Desk Suppliers and Manufacturers in Dubai