Reception Desk Ideas
Buy the best reception desk ideas selected and recommended by interior designers. By Eliza Bush.
Reception desk ideas come with the premise of contributing sophistication and order into a home. A reception desk is ideal for a lobby or hall space. It can act as a work desk, in a home or office environment. Beyond this, it can be a beautiful focal point to an opening of a home or work entrance. Take a look at these desk ideas to ensure that you can find both contemporary and traditional pieces to complement your space effortlessly.
Reception Desk Ideas
Buying Guide
Eliza Bush
Interior Design Expert
Eliza is a creative interior designer who swears by the power of sleek interiors and quality furniture to transform daily personal and professional life. With a B.Sc. in interior design from Philadelphia University and a well trained eye for craftsmanship, she offers unparalleled advice on how to arrange your space to make it sophisticated, comfortable, and functional, whether it’s the office or bedroom.
Sometimes the most important thing for a business, a meeting or an event is a cheap reception desk. You don’t need anything fancy. No decorator quality, imposing pieces of furniture, just a good place to keep lists, badges, and to provide a greeter with a good place to stand. It also serves as a psychological barrier between the receptionist and the people who will be met, interviewed, directed or whatever is needed. Hopefully, it won’t be called upon to do any other duty, and in most cases, it will not.
The Super Cheap Reception Desk
This is one that you will see often at public schools or even sometimes at universities. A folding table is draped with a beautiful tablecloth, often bearing the school’s logo. Some folding chairs are provided for the greeting committee who dispense name badges or tickets, trifold programs, or raffle tickets for the grand prize. The table method has the advantage of being roomy but has no real space for boxes of added materials, nor does it have a place to conceal items such as a security button.
The Cheap Display Desk
Beauty parlors, tanning salons, off-Broadway or community theaters and similar establishments might use this reception desk. It is small, just large enough for one person to stand behind it. The front of the desk has glass fronted display panels where previews of wares being sold within are displayed, such as shampoos, lotions or publicity pictures of the cast – depending upon the venue. Behind these shallow display cases is a small desk that is dropped below the top level of the display and a storage area which can be used to hold price lists, programs, tickets, discount coupons, and similar items.
Roomy, Serviceable Reception Desk
Security conscious specialty or department stores might use one of these. Put together using panels of inexpensive, veneered wood, this reception desk might allow two or even three people to sit behind it. They are also very useful at large conventions where hundreds of people might need to be met and greeted within a few hours. The front of the desk is raised sufficiently that the person behind the desk might need to stand or to be seated on a stool. It has a writing surface suitable for the guest or customer to write their name on a badge or to sign a list. The workers are provided with a larger desk that is lower than the one provided for the standing guest, and there is a roomy storage shelf beneath the inner desk where extra supplies can be stored.
The Interview Desk
This desk has two L-shaped desks positioned so the interviewer and interviewee can face each other. The interviewer’s desk is slightly larger, presumably so that it can house files, boxes of applications and similar items. The interviewee’s desk might be supplied with application forms, writing tools and perhaps notepaper, brochures or portfolios, depending upon the sort of interview. This arrangement can handle many kinds of interviews, from employment to vacations in the Bahamas.
A well-appointed space reflects your business culture, mission, and professionalism. Smart looking and high functioning reception desks and suites provide the centerpieces for these public facing receiving areas.
From the first impression to every visit after that, your reception area speaks volumes. Not only about your business but also about how you care for both prospective and current clientele.
If you've been tasked with sourcing, a reception desk or reception suite for your company's lobby or your client's offices, you know the choices on the market are vast and varied. To help you wade through the ocean of possibilities, we've provided a comprehensive guide on how to choose reception desks and suites below.
A receptionist sits at a reception desk. Their job is to greet customers, clients, and patients, check them in for appointments and perform various other tasks in between greetings. A reception desk is made to be aesthetically pleasing and highly functional for both customers and staff.
Typically, these customer-facing desks have a solid front and two sides and consist of two components:
- Reception countertop - allows customers and receptionists to sign papers and conduct transactions.
- Sitting desk - allows the receptionist privacy to do their work in between greeting customers or patients. This desk sits behind (and at least 12 inches below) the reception counter.
Reception desks can be found in a variety of business settings such as health care offices, government offices, stores, bank lobbies, office buildings, city apartment lobbies, hotel lobbies, high-end restaurants and lounges, hair and nail salons, spas, and more.
Besides the shape of your room, you'll want to consider your workspace requirements when choosing a shape for your reception desk.
- Square. Ideal for small offices with just one receptionist working at a given time. It has three equal sides and an open back. Square reception desks offer a simple look perfect for offices without a distinct style.
- Curved. Saves space in small to mid-size areas. The bow out at the front with a curved edge facing the client. The desk behind takes up minimal space and can be situated in a corner or parallel to a wall.
- Round. Offers mobility and ample desk and counter space from all angles. Works nicely with medium to large areas. Will often have an almost complete circle shape with cut out in back to enter and exit.
- L-shaped. It connects two work areas behind the reception counter. It allows the receptionist to rotate easily from one worksurface to another.
- U-shaped. Spacious enough for large reception areas to allow for multiple receptionists working at once. It offers a reception counter in the front with a desk behind and two additional work desks with or without counters above.
To ensure you get the correct size reception desk, there are some general rules of thumb you can apply when selecting the correct one for your space.
- Measure and sketch out your space carefully.
- Be sure to include any architectural elements that may get in the way, such as windows, inward swinging doors, built-in workspaces, etc.
- Calculate how much room you will need to leave on all sides for staff and clients to move about freely.
- Add at least an extra 60 inches or more for turning radius behind the desk.
- Leave 3 feetor more between the reception desk and any surrounding walls or furnishings for traffic flow.
- The width of your desk shouldn't overpower your reception area.
- A single-person reception desk (48+ inches) works best in small areas.
- A two-person reception desk (71-73 inches) will be more appropriate in a mid-size reception area.
- In a large space, such as a bank or office tower lobby, a very wide desk (8 feet or wider) will balance out the expanse of the area.
- Typically, there are three heights for reception desks between 28 inches to 34 inches. The choice will largely depend on the height of a person using it.
The busy reception area will see a constant stream of activity. As such, your desk will incur wear and tear from the rigors of daily exposure. The material you choose for your reception desk will be dictated mostly by desired durability and budget. Below we've listed the common materials used to make reception desks and suites.
- Laminate - Affordable and durable. It does not scratch or dents easily. Available in a range of solid colors and wood grain prints.
- Wood Veneer - Falls in between laminate and wood in terms of cost and durability. Veneer is a thin layer of genuine wood adhered to particleboard. Gives the appearance of real wood without the cost. It requires some maintenance. Styles include traditional, transitional, modern, and contemporary.
- Solid Wood - Long-lasting and most costly of all the materials. Prone to scratching, denting, and scuffing. Most popular option for luxury venues such as hotels, banks, and law firms. Lends itself towards all décor styles.
- Metal - Strong, durable, and affordable. Includes metal types such as aluminum, steel, and iron. Works nicely in industrial and minimalist offices. Can be combined with frosted or clear glass.
- Glass - Durable, moderately priced, easy to maintain. Frosted glass provides privacy for the reception suite as clear glass would not. As a design accent, glass is used for the countertop section of the desk with other components constructed from metal, veneer, laminate, or wood. Glass is contemporary or industrial in style.
As with standard desks, reception desks offer an array of features and storage solutions to fit your needs such as:
Behind Desk:
- Built-in drawers, cubbies, and storage cabinets.
- Pre-drilled holes for cords and wires.
- Power outlets at desk level for computers and office equipment.
- Large desktop workspace.
- Pull-out keyboard drawers.
- Monitor platform.
Desk Front:
- Customer-facing receding toe-kick to avoid scuff and dents from shoes and kicking.
- Wider countertop overhang in the front for use with stools or chairs.
- Flat front for business signage or customer greeting plaque.
- Modular coffee bar unit for reception desk suites.
- Decorative metal or glass accents.
- Under-counter lighting on the desk front.