Humans make judgments almost instantly, and the moment anyone enters your office building they’re getting visual messages that affect how they view your business. So a reception or lobby area needs to create a strong impression that sticks. 

This article considers some office reception design ideas to elevate this all-important space so it inspires confidence and positivity, and motivates people working in the office.

Inspiring Office Reception Design Tells a Story

Design experts advise deploying colours, textures and accessories in the lobby that express each business’s brand and values – the ‘story’ of your business. As part of this exercise, consider how you want the space to make people feel – maybe calm, curious, or even amused.

A darker, monochrome scheme with matte surfaces and a dark wood or sleek metal reception desk is likely to feel more luxurious and serious, whereas warm tones and upholstered furniture create a lighter or more relaxed vibe.

Integrating Light Into Office Reception Design

Lighting choices can make all the difference to a reception area’s overall look and feel. Research into the benefits of daylight in the workplace has prompted many businesses to prioritise it. [Text cut]
You might be able to maximise natural light in the reception simply by removing blinds or rearranging furniture. If this creates glare or shadows, frosted glass panels can soften harsh light, while lightboxes are an easy way to brighten dark corners.

Adding in some artificial light can create warmth or make a statement. Even fairly simple tweaks can be impactful: for instance, installing oversized, unusual, or clustered ceiling lights, accent lights or coloured LED ropes that backlight or underlight a reception desk or company logo, or echo elements of your business’s logo or brand colours.

Communicate with Colour

Colour is a quick and simple way to give an office reception a clear, compelling identity. A popular décor idea for upgrading office reception design is bringing key brand colours into feature walls, flooring or furniture.
Another approach is using tones that are more likely to resonate with stakeholders: clients, partners and workers.

Contrasting and even clashing colours, especially bold and bright shades, are used by some companies to express their support for social inclusion and a diverse workforce.

While neutrals and whites make a reception area appear bigger and lighter, they can also look a little sterile. Touches of high-impact colour can make a neutral reception or lobby feel more inspiring, welcoming or just interesting.

Stand-out Branding

The reception or lobby is the ideal location to showcase your business’s logo or create an inspiring brand-led focal point. A lightbox instantly makes a logo more eye-catching. Commissioning a three-dimensional logo in materials like aluminium, wood, neon, stainless steel or a bright acrylic can also be more impactful.

If you’re looking for a more budget-conscious office reception design change that’s still effective, consider stand-alone laser-cut panels or partitions to communicate brand messages.

Sustainable Style That Inspires

Nowadays, supporting social and environmental goals has increasingly significant business value. 

Design features in an office’s reception or lobby area can visually signal a business is serious about targets such as reducing its carbon footprint.

You could choose reception furniture from manufacturers that source raw materials sustainably (look for Forestry Stewardship Council certification). Purchasing secondhand is another option. Some suppliers repair and upcycle fixtures like reception desks or create bespoke décor from recycled materials.

Sustainable Style That Inspires

Nowadays, supporting social and environmental goals has increasingly significant business value. [Text cut] Design features in an office’s reception or lobby area can visually signal a business is serious about targets such as reducing its carbon footprint.
You could choose reception furniture from manufacturers that source raw materials sustainably (look for Forestry Stewardship Council certification).

Purchasing secondhand is another option. Some suppliers repair and upcycle fixtures like reception desks or create bespoke décor from recycled materials.

Living Décor

Connecting workers and visitors to nature in the workplace is another growing trend that lets businesses show they are mindful about mental and physical well-being. It can actually be pretty simple to incorporate this into office reception design. 

Introducing plants into a reception or lobby needn’t be a hassle. Specialist plant suppliers may provide rental packages including maintenance options.

For something bolder, a reception or lobby is an ideal location for a fully planted living wall. If space and light is more limited, smaller living panels or area dividers can work well. A moss wall, for instance, needs little light, water, or maintenance.

Artwork Within Office Reception Design

The right artwork or photography is more than a pleasant distraction; it can communicate essentials about your brand and mission, or even power a feeling of personal connection. 

Original pieces also set a business apart visually. Using a curator enables businesses to collect or even commission artwork. You needn’t spend significant amounts; artworks can also be leased.

If you want to convey energy and dynamism, interactive digital art is a great way to demand people’s attention and create changing moods in your reception area.

Keep your Lobby or Reception Pristine

Once your reception or lobby has received its glow up, it’s important to maintain its impact by keeping the whole area spotless and fresh.

A reputable professional office cleaning company, like The Clean Network, has the know-how and specialist equipment to manage every aspect of this, from bespoke reception desks to artwork and light fixtures.

Get in touch to discuss how professional office cleaning can augment your investment in a lobby or reception that immediately impresses.